It’s the end of an era and a dawning of a new one- say goodbye to grey and hello to beige! For more than a decade Gen X and Millennials have driven the grey interior design color trend. Grey walls, grey floors, grey cabinets, grey furniture, grey accent pieces. You name it, it was grey. But 2023 marks the start of a shift. The focus on cool, clean greys is ending as the interior design world welcomes a new neutral: beige. Turn your eyes to warm, welcoming beiges, creams, and tans!

Shifting Neutrals

A quick look at popular paint brands will show the shifting desire for less grey and more beige or creams, although grey is not completely gone and still has its place, especially amongst versatile “griege” colors, which combine grey and beige. Greiges are a popular choice for those wanting to dabble in a warmer tone without needing to completely overhaul an entire space founded in grey tones. And with grieges coming in a whole host of options, ranging from light creamy greys to dark taupes, it’s easy to see why grey isn’t completely leaving the scene.

However, grieges are opening the door for beige to make its comeback. By combining the formerly “bland beiges” with innovative shades and undertones, designers are attracting a new audience to better beiges, including caramels, creams, muslins, khakis, tans and warm chocolates. The versatility of beige is what makes it so popular. Audiences wanting crisp, cool colors love beiges and creams featuring very subtle grey undertones. For those wanting more warmth, beiges with hints of red or orange create a classic, cozy feel. The combinations and tones of the new neutral are nearly endless and make it easy to picture it setting the tone for any room.

Compatible Colors

The term beige doesn’t come close to encompassing all the colors under its umbrella, not to mention all the undertones that make it compatible with just about any other color. Beiges, creams, and grieges all can have undertones of pink, green, yellow, gold or orange, making these neutrals play well with many different colors and every room of the house. For instance:

• Partner beige with whites, creams or golds for a more formal, sophisticated look.

• Layer beige with rich purples to go luxe.

• Bring in dark greens or oranges for a nature-inspired theme.

• Go bold by pairing your beige with teal, turquoise, blue, pink, red or other fun colors.

With this world of color combination possibilities, beige isn’t boring anymore!

Living in Beige

This year is all about redefining living spaces with beiges and creams. Not only is beige taking the paint world by storm, it’s also making its way into furniture. Beige interior design will impact paint colors, furniture, flooring and more. If you’re getting ready to re-furnish a space, be sure to consider beige! Sofas, recliners, and sectionals are shifting to include various beige tones that will easily slide into almost any design plan; and cream sofas add a little warmth to your room over white sofas that have been popular in the past decade. Padded, upholstered beds featuring beiges and creams will bring a new comfort level to the bedroom. If new furniture isn’t in the budget, consider an upgrade in accent pillows or throw blankets to get on board with the beige trend. Cream, beige and greige area rugs can help tie in existing furniture to the warmer color dynamic as well.

Get ready to achieve a new level of relaxation by surrounding yourself with the warm, soothing tones of dreamy, creamy neutrals.