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This blog post is all about creating a stunning neutral living room!
If you have spent the last few years giving heart eyes to every organic modern living room coming out of Architectural Digest, a neutral living room may be exactly what you need. Neutral decor is all about creating a cozy and calming space that focuses on elegance without overwhelming the senses.
Unlike popular belief, a neutral living room does not need to be boring. Exploring this interior style according to your taste will allow you to focus on design details and interpret neutral living room colors in ways that are unique to your home. The color palette may be limited, but the possibilities certainly are not!
In this post, we’ll have a look at 26 neutral living room ideas to help you get all the inspiration you need. By the time you are done reading, you’ll be ready to turn a basic space into an understated and chic living room!
26 Ideas To Inspire Your Neutral Living Room Decor
1. Use Marble For A Textured Accent
Including marble in your neutral living room is a great idea to add an organic touch to your space without having to step too much outside of your comfort zone. You can add a marble accent in different ways – for example, consider a side or console table, a decor item on your bookshelf, or even a beautiful vase. I think it looks so chic!
2. Include A Mirror To Open Up The Space
Whether you’re working with an open concept or a small space, a mirror is a must have. A full-size mirror will help reflect natural light, giving the impression or a brighter and more airy space. A good alternative is also to hang mirrored wall decor for a more understated effect.
3. Use Flowers in Your Decor
Flowers are a fantastic way to introduce subtle color into your neutral palette. They bring a delicate and natural feel to your decor while, at the same time, adding a sense of liveliness. If you don’t like the maintenance a fresh bouquet requires, look into dried or silk flowers – they will look just as charming.
4. Include A Statement Lighting Piece
Adding a floor lamp is the best way to decorate a dead corner while making your living room more functional. In a neutral space, it can also serve as a stunning accent piece. Consider going for a more unique design or material, without shining away from elements such as gold accents, detailed wicker shades, or fun shapes.
5. Use Panelling To Spice Up Your White Walls
Paneling is a staple feature of traditional styles living rooms, and for a good reason. It’s a beautiful way to elevate neutral paint colors, adding dimension even to a simple white wall. You can use it as the centerpiece for an accent wall, creating an elegant focal point, or even extend it to your ceiling design to truly transform your space.
6. Go For A Boucle Couch For A Modern Design
Including highly tactile fabrics is an easy way to create a more inviting space, especially when it comes to large pieces like a sofa or an armchair. A boucle couch, for instance, can still embrace a neutral colour palette while being interesting from a textural and visual standpoint. If your budget allows for it, it can be a gorgeous foundational item for your neutral living room decor.
7. Add Greenery for A Neutral Pop of Color
Greenery is a great way to include a pop of color and some contrast without straying too far from a neutral color palette. Make sure to include at least a few plants or potted trees to immediately elevate your design.
Depending on how much natural light you have available and what level of maintenance you’re comfortable with, you can even choose plants that can help improve the air quality of your living room. I love a win-win decor solution!
8. Prioritize Timeless Design
One of the amazing benefits of a neutral color palette is that it will never go out of style, regardless of what the color trends were in the last year or past decade. Make sure to take full advantage of this by also investing in furniture and decor that looks timeless. Think of simple designs and classic decor as the core of your living room – you can then include smaller, trendier pieces as your accents.
9. Use Green as a Neutral
In the last few years, the neutral palette has been extended to include colors that are defined as new neutrals. One of the most popular amongst them is sage green. It pairs extremely well with neutral living room furniture like beige sofas or white tables/sideboards. You can opt for a cooler green if you have grey in your living room or go for a warmer shade for a better match to wooden tones.
10. Invest in Large, High-Quality Area Rugs
A neutral area rug is a great tool to add a lot of warmth to any neutral room. As all interior designers will tell you, a rug will help ground your lager pieces of furniture and help protect delicate wood floors. Be mindful of the rug color if your living is a high-traffic area where guests keep their shoes on. In that case, a grey or patterned piece may be a better fit for your lifestyle.
11. Choose Linen Couches and Armchairs
Before investing in smaller neutral living room decor, make sure you select the right big pieces as the foundations of your space. A safe bet when it comes to sofa and armchair upholstery is linen. This material introduces a beautiful, organic touch to any space. It’s also a sturdy and cozy fabric that, in off-white shades, is easy to maintain and clean over time.
12. Include Stripes in Neutral Tones
Patterns are useful to introduce an element of visual interest into your neutral living room and bring some dynamism to an otherwise monotone space. Stripes, for example, will work equally well with warm neutrals and cool neutrals. They are timeless, both elegant and fun, and, depending on the colors you choose, can be a high or low-contrast design.
13. Opt For A Solid Wood Coffee Table
Wood tones will always be a great addition to a neutral space. Especially if you have exposed features like ceiling beams, prioritize including a large piece of furniture in natural woods to let this material take center stage in your design. A coffee table is the perfect solid wood piece to make your neutral living room look more sophisticated and elegant.
14. Install Floating Shelves For Added Storage
Open shelves are the perfect compromise between display surface for your decor and useful added storage. Floating shelves, in particular, look very sleek and modern, making them a perfect choice if you want to create a neutral, minimalist living room.
15. Invest in High-Quality Curtains
Curtains are an often-underrated piece of decor. However, they can make your living space feel more complete, as well as providing all the privacy you need. Opt for high-quality, floor-length size curtains in neutral shades like white or beige.
You’ll also want to keep in mind that the lighter the material, the more natural light will able to pass through. If you don’t want to compromise on brightness or privacy, look into a 2-layer solutions combining heavier pieces with more sheer options.
16. Add a Pop of Color With Throw Pillows
Just because you opted to design your living room with mostly neutral colors, it doesn’t mean that you can’t add a few bold colors here and there. I love the idea of adding colorful accent pillows to a neutral couch. It’s an easy and quick way to transform the feel of the room. Bonus points if they are in a fun pattern like stripes or have lovely details like a scalloped border!
17. Include Wicker Pieces For An Organic Touch
Wicker and rattan are natural materials that pair extremely well with neutral furniture. They are also a great match to most interior styles. Consider including a rattan accent chair by your sofa or add a woven side table to your reading corner for a chic and organic touch. Very Nancy-Meyer-inspired!
18. Set Up A Neutral Gallery Wall
Wall decor is just as important in a neutral living room as it is in a maximalist space. Design your own neutral gallery wall above your couch or on your TV wall by creating a collection of prints and canvases in different sizes. You can even include your TV into your design by investing in a gorgeous Samsung frame TV.
19. Use High-Contrast Neutrals For A Sophisticated Palette
A neutral color scheme does not need to be muted. Black and white, for instance, is a high-contrast color combination that will immediately add depth and dimension to your space while being timeless and elegant. For a more modern take on this idea, you can opt to replace white with light gray – perfect for a more minimalist, contemporary space.
20. Add Black and White Photography/Artwork
Using personal photos or iconic art you love is the perfect way to show your personal style and make a space feel more like your own home. To match the neutral scheme, opt for a black-and-white edit of your favorite pieces. They will stand out beautifully against white walls and fill your neutral living room with personality!
21. Opt for Understated Mantel Decor
When it comes to neutral mantel decor, I love to mix and match a few different pieces to introduce a variety of textures and materials. For instance, you can combine a classic wooden picture frame with a set of minimalist, sleek candle holders. A hanging plant and a display of your favorite family photos are other great options to add to your decor.
22. Get Creative with Your Bookshelf Display
If you love books but are afraid a colorful library will ruin your neutral colour scheme, consider this creative solution. I have to admit it looks stunning, but would recommend to only go ahead with this if you don’t plan on using your books regularly. You could even purchase a set of thrifted books specifically for this purpose to avoid losing track of your own volumes.
23. Include A Woven Pouf for Comfort
Just like room rugs, poufs are a great way to add warmth and coziness to your neutral living room. A woven pouf like the one pictured above will fit perfectly in a boho living room. It can also be used to make your space more casual and inviting, softening a more modern and monotone design.
24. Combine Different Materials For A Layered Look
The beauty of working with a well-defined palette is that it will effortlessly tie together your decor pieces. Keeping this in mind, consider layering several different materials, textures, and finishes to make your neutral living room more visually interesting. You can even be daring and combine decor from different interior styles knowing that your color palette will curb some of the eclectic vibes.
25. Use A Wooden Ladder To Store Throw Blankets
It’s always a good idea to increase storage options in your family room. A wooden ladder can double as the perfect place for your seasonal throws, as well as beautiful wall decor thanks to the mix of textures. A piece like this is one of those little details that can truly make a difference!
26. Add Depth with A Wallpaper Accent Wall
Neutral spaces sometimes need a focal point to add some depth and structure to a room that may feel flat. A bold wallpaper pattern used on single accent wall may be exactly what you need. If you love this idea but are renting, look into peel-and-stick wallpaper – it will look just as stunning.
To Conclude
This post was all about designing a stunning neutral living room!
Embracing a neutral palette is the perfect way to create a space that is calming and reminds you of quiet luxury. By combining different textures and curating small details across your design, you’ll make your neutral living room feel curated and sophisticated. Don’t be afraid to add a few bold accents and watch your space come to life!
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