RoseGoesToYale Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 What exactly is a "neutral" color? The definition seems to change decade to decade... this decade, it's grey and white. Last decade it was beige. Before that it was pale pink or really pastel anything. Color theory might say a neutral color is anything not warm or cool, but grey can be cool and beige and pink are warm. Contemporary designers seem to say that any bright or otherwise super-saturated color is "offensive" and should be avoided at all costs. It's all about "neutrals"... but really, is there such thing as a neutral color that most if not all can agree is an equally pleasant color to be placed in any room and can be tolerated without undue stress upon its occupants? For some odd reason, beige is now an "ugly" color and I have yet to see it on any IKEA walls. Brown or dark wood walls also seem to be a no-no, though brown is one of the "neutral" colors. But a white room could just as easily be as "offensive" as a red room or a green room... it's the color of sterility, or brightness, or in some cultures death. I'm not quite sure what people mean when they say white paint is inoffensive. Thoughts? Also, is olive drab a neutral, or is that offensive too? Link to post Share on other sites
Alawyn-Aebt Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 Disclaimer: I love colour. The brighter the better. If you want to express yourself you cannot do it in beige or grey, but in the wide array of colours from Bright White to Scarlet, to Tree-Frog Green, to Royal Blue. This leads me to find the boring beige and grey as offensive and actual colours as expressive (I do have a soft spot for Brutalist Architecture though so I will allow grey to pass in those circumstances, and in cases when paired well with something expressive, like electric Orange). 11 minutes ago, RosyIcepick said: It's all about "neutrals"... but really, is there such thing as a neutral color that most if not all can agree is an equally pleasant color to be placed in any room and can be tolerated without undue stress upon its occupants? Neutral colours do not exist in my mind, and if they did why would you want them? You are not a neutral bog-standard human so be yourself! You like blood-stain Red, paint all your walls that because it expresses you, rather than every cookie-cutter builder's-special subdivision house's rainbow of beige. (Twinge of Sarcasm at the end there) 14 minutes ago, RosyIcepick said: Brown or dark wood walls also seem to be a no-no, though brown is one of the "neutral" colors. Very true, but it seems backwards from what it should be though. Some intricate woodwork from the Victorian Era is being covered up because people see it as too dark, yet people paint their entire house brown. One is natural and someone hand-did with care while the other just makes you look like every bog-standard cookie-cutter builder's-special subdivision house. 16 minutes ago, RosyIcepick said: I'm not quite sure what people mean when they say white paint is inoffensive. Another few of my favorite architectural styles are Bauhaus, International Style, and De Stijl, so I love white also. White is Brightness, it is Light, like the Sun. White is modern, like a spaceship bringing the Future. White is clean, unencumbered, communal. White is the smooth, elegant vanilla of the colour world; simple yet tasteful, unique, and necessary. White is Grand! It is like Black, together they are the columns supporting the colour-world. Sorry if I offended anyone, this is kind of my rant against what I see as bad colours. Link to post Share on other sites
Joe the Stoic Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 Black, white, grey, and brown are the neutral colors. All it means is that they don't lean a certain way on the color wheel, so they're "neutral" in that sense. Link to post Share on other sites
lonelyace Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 I didn't know that offensive colors were a thing that existed. So thanks for teaching me about that. Link to post Share on other sites
divided_sky Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 1 minute ago, lonelyace said: I didn't know that offensive colors were a thing that existed. So thanks for teaching me about that. These colors are problematic Link to post Share on other sites
Sweet Potato Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 10 minutes ago, divided_sky said: These colors are problematic that is a matter of opinion, and entirely dependant on where the color is and what is it on. in a rental home pale beige walls are common because they are easy on the eyes and fit many different peoples design styles. in my yarn basket, you are hard pressed to find anything that isn't brightly colored, boring colors are a problem there Link to post Share on other sites
Skycaptain Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 It's simple. "Neutral colour" is whichever blandness home improvement companies cod you into believing. They change frequently so the gullible keep redecorating to follow fashion Link to post Share on other sites
Anthracite_Impreza Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 Beige is a wonderful colour, I will defend it til my dying breath! Link to post Share on other sites
Zebrafinch Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 8 hours ago, Anthracite_Impreza said: Beige is a wonderful colour, I will defend it til my dyeing breath! Sorry, couldn't resist Link to post Share on other sites
Anthracite_Impreza Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 Just now, Zebrafinch said: Sorry, couldn't resist I'm so ashamed that I missed that one. Link to post Share on other sites
Homer Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 I don't know why colours are connected to emotions to begin with. It's not like they make a practical difference (apart from the orange of reflective vest - I read that this particular orange is the colour that sticks out to the human eye the most). Yet when it comes to shoes, clothes, cars, the paper on your wall... Link to post Share on other sites
Anthracite_Impreza Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 5 minutes ago, Homer said: I don't know why colours are connected to emotions to begin with. It's not like they make a practical difference (apart from the orange of reflective vest - I read that this particular orange is the colour that sticks out to the human eye the most). Yet when it comes to shoes, clothes, cars, the paper on your wall... Well red and yellow are nature's warning colours; we've evolved to have heightened emotions around them. Blue and green are rarely dangerous colours in nature so we're more calm around them. Link to post Share on other sites
Homer Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 1 minute ago, Anthracite_Impreza said: heightened emotions Does "meh" count? Link to post Share on other sites
Anthracite_Impreza Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 1 minute ago, Homer said: Does "meh" count? Hey, calm down now. No need to get agitated. Link to post Share on other sites
Homer Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 2 minutes ago, Anthracite_Impreza said: Hey, calm down now. No need to get agitated. Don't you tell meh what to do Link to post Share on other sites
Anthracite_Impreza Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 2 minutes ago, Homer said: Don't you tell meh what to do I will if I want to! Link to post Share on other sites
Tintinfan Posted December 16, 2018 Share Posted December 16, 2018 I really like bright colours! Though slightly more drab ones can be less destracting Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Jetsun Milarepa Posted December 17, 2018 Share Posted December 17, 2018 ‘There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.’ (Hamlet Act 2, Scene 2) Link to post Share on other sites
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