Soft Palette How white and grey can calm your space
Photography by Stephanie Teng
Using colour when decorating your home can be a tricky balance - many people use as much as possible to make their spaces feel bright. But why should you consider neutral tones like white and grey, and how can you do that without making your space look monotonous?
“Using neutral colours makes a space less busy on the eye and more able to ‘breathe’ visually,” says interior designer and founder of Design Anthology magazine Suzy Annetta. “The space will feel calmer and more soothing, like a sanctuary from the outside world.”
Neutral tones will also make your colours pop. “White is the colour of an artist’s canvas because it lends itself naturally to be a good background or base colour – it works well with everything,” she says. “It makes colours stand out more clearly, which everybody wants, without making the overall scheme busy.”
If you’re looking for a neutral palette, of course grey is another option. “Grey is very versatile,” says Annetta. “It can be less cold than white, so it can add warmth without adding a specific colour - depending on the shade of grey you choose. Warm greys take the coldness out while still being fresh and crisp.”
For home decoration in particular, says Annetta, white and grey have a timeless appeal that doesn’t change with the seasons. “They allow for flexibility, so you can mix and match them with accessories of almost any colour or material.” And she offers two key tips for choosing and displaying them.
“First, create vignettes or tablescapes by mixing objects of varying heights, sizes and shapes but with something in common like texture or colour. You want to give the eye the opportunity to travel around the grouping and find interest,” she says.
“And second, for every piece you look at, choose one you love - the things you love will always work together.”
