Why I'll Never Give Up My Neutral Color Scheme

Name a bold, outrageous color—whatever you choose, I was probably infatuated with it at some point. Growing up, my room looked something like an off-brand Barbie Dreamhouse, slathered in rich purples and pinks as far as the eye could see. In middle school, I had the incessant urge to repaint my bedroom walls electric blue instead, hoping to create a surfer-girl paradise (right in central New Jersey). Needless to say, I quickly grew tired of that, too.

My move to college brought two separate phases of color infatuations: black on black, and in sharp contrast the next year, rich, bumblebee yellow. In my defense, it was as transient a time as could be in my life, and my color choices really reflected that. If one thing was consistent, a common theme was emerging from this uncertain, spinning color wheel: hassle.

Constantly changing color preferences faster than I could change my clothes was becoming tiring. A love for one certain color never stuck more than a few years—or worse, more than a few months—until the color would no longer resonate with me, and I would long for the next. My color of the week would become my phone case, my favorite sweater, and of course, all of the decor I would pick out and purchase at TJ Maxx (my childhood bedroom is covered in bumblebee motifs to show for it).

It was becoming not only time-consuming to switch up my decor so frequently, but also quite expensive. I'll admit: I have a graveyard at the back of my closet from my black-and-white era filled with trinkets I'll likely never display again.

Something shifted as I moved into adulthood, though. I longed for my personal style and my home to take refuge from the chaos that was high-school-into-college. And in that, I discovered the beauty, the quiet, and the sanctuary of decorating with neutrals.

Call it sad beige, call it boring vanilla, call it what you may. For me, neutrals are the first color loves to never leave me. Growing into neutrals has almost corresponded with growing more into myself. And for this semi-sentimental reason, I never want to give up my neutral color scheme.

There are two aspects to decorating with neutrals that reign supreme for me: timelessness and flexibility. Neutrals never go out of style, and this lasting power is quite helpful when home trends change with the wind. The lasting power of neutrals is one to applaud—and one that will save me from redecorating headaches down the road.

Neutrals are incredibly flexible, too, the bend-over-backward kind. If I were to fall back in love with mustard yellow or electric blue—though, let's hope I don't—I could incorporate colorful accents into my neutral home that can easily be changed and swapped with the seasons. A neutral home provides the perfect foundation to build upon, change, or update. This ensures my home will always stay fresh and relevant, unless that yearning for purple comes back.

To make one thing clear: neutral doesn't have to be synonymous with "boring." I love a good, neutral design scheme that is brimming with accentual textures, charming vintage pieces, and unique notes of character. For me, any combination of neutrals will do: off-white, creamy beiges, warm, delicious browns, and inviting sage greens. All are welcoming shades that feel like they actually define my style today, tomorrow, and the foreseeable future.

Keeping things neutral isn't a fad, a style I'm trying to chase and keep up with, or something that doesn't feel authentic. It's what feels soothing and right for my home—and though living in my personal Barbie Dreamhouse or coastal oasis was fun at the time, my neutral color scheme has spoken, and it's here to stay.