This actually isn’t gloating because I can’t be the only one who saw this coming. But I’ll pat myself on the back anyway. As the grey trend was waning (approximately 2016-17), we started seeing two things emerge in the world of interiors. One was the black and white, art deco revival look, and, more recently, DRUM ROLL….Beige.
A few years ago, I noted a few things. One, the lifespan of a neutral color trend is approximately 10 years (some people are early adopters and some are later). So that’s about 2007-2017 for the grey trend.
Two, nature abhors a vacuum, so if not grey, what? There aren’t that many neutrals and we’re still recovering from the brown/gold/pinky beige Tuscan trend years, so a (cooler) beige was a gimme.
(Side note: once the word “greige” becomes a thing, you already know some people are looking to warm up their greys, and will slowly descend more into beige, eventually, like easing into a hot tub.)
Three, the enthusiasm for midcentury modern, which morphed into the postmodern enthusiasm we’re seeing (a lot of late 70s and 80s curved shapes in furniture, for example), meant that one of the beloved neutrals of the late 70s and 80s (beige) would return too. I mean, when you start seeing macrame wall hangings, you know beige isn’t far behind.
Does this mean you shouldn’t decorate with grey? Again, this comes down to the number one question I ask clients— do you love it? Does it make you feel good in your home? That’s not the end of the inquiry but it’s definitely the first question. If you’re choosing anything because that’s what all your friends are choosing and you don’t want to look unfashionable, that’s the WRONG reason.
So let’s look at some beige inspiration!
This was taken off the Architectural Digest website, from an article about Dallas-based interior designer Josh Pickering (published 9/11/20).
From Elle Decor’s website this month, a spotlight on Nate Berkus’s Monatuk home. His family is adorable.
I, too, like to casually lounge in my home while wearing outfits that perfectly coordinate with my decor. Don’t you?
OMG it’s pampas grass! Image from Architectural Digest https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/children-of-the-70s-will-remember-these-home-trends
In another post, I’ll describe the three undertones of beige that will be extremely helpful in selecting the right one for your walls, should you decide this is your new neutral.
And if you still love grey, I can help you incorporate it so that it looks classic and timeless.
Thanks for reading!