4 Designers Share Tips on Creating Stunning Neutral Rooms

Neutrals are timeless and a wonderful option as the foundation of a room. Learn to layer monochromatic textures or introduce pops of color like a pro with these exclusive tips from top interior designers.

Designed by Matthew Patrick Smyth, this awkward space under a stairway became a special sitting area. The rich aubergine color on the chairs, moldings and banister ties this area together.

Matthew’s Tip: “ Visually light furniture was used to keep the space full but uncluttered.  This creates a cozy nook without the usual built in feel.”

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Fabricut Fabric

York Wallpaper

Robert Allen Fabric

Schumacher Fabric

Campion Platt layered this study in many neutral textures. The unique wall treatment creates depth to the room and the marble coffee tables add a sleek streamlined look. The dense fringe on the cushions also enriches this room.

Campion’s Tip: “I like camel light tones that are rich in texture but neutral in color to help bridge other contrasting elements of a room to ease the eye from one vignette to the next.”

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Schumacher Fabric

York Wallpaper

Robert Allen Trim

York Wallpaper

Ellie’s Tip:  “When using neutrals, such as camel, we like to layer textures and introduce a range of materials to give a neutral room depth.  In this “party barn” game room in Colorado, natural wood beams, a sandstone mantle and whitewashed wood paneled walls create a warm and inviting environment.  We kept many of the fabrics and materials neutral, using a cozy beige chenille on the club chairs, embroidered pillows in a camel cashmere, and a neutral brown leather on the ottomans. But, we always feel that it is important that neutrals are not boring- so we livened things up with pops of red in the large scale plaid on the sofas and red leather banquettes to make the space feel more dynamic and exciting.”

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York Wallpaper

Greenhouse Fabric

Kravet Fabric

Jaipur Rug

Photo by: Ron Rosenzweig Architectural Photography

A strong pattern is the focal point for Lisa Erdmann’s balanced living room. Surrounded by neutrals and brightly colored throw pillows everything is planned to support the dominant ikat rug.

Lisa Erdmann’s Tip: “Tips for working with a color scheme are to start with a lead fabric and pattern that the clients loves. It becomes the dominant voice in the room and the other items need to support and add to it.”

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Peking Handicraft Pillow

Announcing Our New Textile Wallcoverings Collection!

    

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How To: 4 Beautiful Ways to Use Fabric on Your Walls

Nomadic tents, medieval tapestries and sumptuous upholstered walls in European estates were all forerunners of today’s textile wallcoverings. This technique is extremely popular with interior designers, and now DecoratorsBest has made it available to everyone with our new textile wallcoverings line! Check out these four ways to use it on your walls:

Textile wallcovering panels framed with picture molding really pop in this room by Martyn Lawrence Bullard. The designer to Glitterati including Elton John, Cher and Tamara Mellon says that his signature style is paper-backed fabric on walls, which gives them a gorgeous texture.

Photo via Pop Sugar

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Schumacher Fabric

DecoratorsBest Textile Wallcovering

DecoratorsBest Textile Wallcovering

 

Suysel de Pedro Cunningham and Anne Maxwell Foster of the young design firm Tilton Fenwick used fabric for an accent wall in this bedroom. This is a great way to add emphasis to an area without overwhelming a room or your pocketbook.  In a recent interview with DecoratorsBest President Barbara Karpf, the designer duo explained, “We love fabric on walls because it provides texture and warmth to a room.”

Photo via Country Living

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DecoratorsBest Textile Wallcovering

DecoratorsBest Textile Wallcovering

DecoratorsBest Textile Wallcovering

 

Using the same pattern for both upholstery and walls creates a cohesive look that visually enlarges a small space like a narrow hallway.

Photo via Decoist

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DecoratorsBest Textile Wallcovering

DecoratorsBest Textile Wallcovering

DecoratorsBest Textile Wallcovering

 

Solid fabrics with plenty of texture provide a contemporary ambiance when used on walls. Gary McBournie, a traditional designer, loves to use all types of textile wallcoverings. “Fabric adds a ‘luxury-feel’ to any room as it handles light in a totally different way.  Generally the result is a warmer, more cozy space.” Here, he creates a luxurious look with an apple green textile wallcovering that enhances the floral drapery fabric and elegant antiques.

Photo by Gordon Beall

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Lee Jofa Fabric

DecoratorsBest Textile Wallcovering

 

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Spring-Inspired Interior Decor: Birds, Butterflies, Botanicals & More!

    

Behind the Set: The Decor of Disney’s Cinderella

Disney’s updated and visually stunning Cinderella, starring Downton Abbey’s Lily James, premiered over the weekend, and we’re beyond amazed at the beauty of both the decor and the costumes. Check out a behind-the-scenes look at our favorite rooms from the set (designed by Casey Banwell and Francesca Lo Schiavo) and how to recreate some of these magical looks.

We’re in love with Cate Blanchett’s costumes in this movie. Designer Sandy Powell donned Blanchett in frocks that could teach us all a thing or two about dressing in green for St. Patrick’s Day! We pulled together some patterns inspired by her looks that you can use in your home.

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G P & J Baker Wallpaper

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The hall where Cinderella makes her breathtaking royal ball debut is equally as stunning with marbled walls and rich velvet floral drapery adorned with bronze fringe trim.

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Robert Allen Fabric

Kravet Trim

Fabricut Fabric

We wouldn’t mind lounging in the evil stepmother’s (Cate Blanchett) sumptuous bedroom. The space has a layered monochromatic look–deep red floral wallpaper, drapery and an Oriental rug create a look that feels deliciously dangerous and sexy.

 

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Karastan Rug

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Cinderella’s stepsisters, Anastasia & Drisella (Holliday Grainger & Sophie McShera), have a stunning bedroom, too. This whimsical space reads like a dream, with flowering branches along the walls and colorful cornices above the girls’ beds.

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Fabricut Trim

Stroheim Fabric

Cole & Son Wallpaper

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All photos by Jonathan Olley via Walt Disney Pictures

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4 Ways to Transition Your Decor for Spring

Spring is almost here! Transition your home’s winter décor to something more suitable for the new season with these four ideas:

If you’ve got a dark or neutral palette, adding in one or two pops of color on small pieces like a chair or pillows will liven things up for spring. Here, designer Emily Ruddo brings new life to grey & white with punches of watermelon pink and sea foam green.

Design by Emily Ruddo ; Photo by Meghan Beirle-OBrien

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B.Berger Fabric

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Instantly update your bedroom for the warmer months by upholstering your headboard in a floral fabric. If you’re someone who likes to change your look often, you can create a DIY headboard slipcover.

Design by Town House Interiors; Photo by Lind & Cumings Design Photography

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Duralee Fabric

Baker Lifestyle Fabric

Duralee Fabric

Fabricut Fabric

 

We tend to use heavier drapes in the winter because they help insulate from the cold. As the temperatures rise, switch these out with something sheer. This is a great solution for lightening up décor elements that don’t feel as geared towards spring. Here, the velvet sofa feels seasonally appropriate thanks to the airiness of the sheer curtains that let in lots of natural light.

Design by A. London by Accouter Group

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Linen, a fabric that has a relaxed and casual feeling to it, will go a long way in making your winter décor feel right for spring & summer. Slipcover a few key pieces, like your sofa, and finish the look with a rug made of natural materials like sisal or jute.

Photo by Lisa Romerein

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Ralph Lauren Linen Fabric

 

 

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Spring’s Biggest Color Trend: Blue in Every Shade!

 

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Timothy Corrigan’s Exclusive Decorating Tips!

Designer Timothy Corrigan certainly knows a thing or two about decorating. He’s been deemed “today’s tastemaker,” by Architectural Digest and boasts a slew of celeb and royal clients. Check out these exclusive, must-know decorating tips and beautiful rooms from the designer himself!

Timothy’s Tip: “Blue and white is a perennial favorite of mine, and you can do it in different interpretations. In my own bedroom, I mixed a beautiful creamy/sandy/gold color with a ‘sagey’ blue-green and it is the most soothing combination. It’s difficult to drag me out of the room because I feel so comfortable and creative there.”

Photo by Eric Piasecki

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Timothy’s Tip: “I like using traditional patterns that are either colored in an unusual way or that are somewhat over-scaled. I tend to use solid fabrics on the larger items (sofas, for example) and the printed fabrics on chairs, drapes or pillows. Always mix larger patterns with small patterns so that you don’t have too many prints fighting for the eye’s attention.”

Photo via Schumacher

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Schumacher Fabric

Schumacher Fabric

Schumacher Fabric

Schumacher Fabric

Timothy’s Tip: “Symmetry and well-scaled rooms are frequently overlooked in the initial architectural development. When I encounter rooms that are just ‘off’ I try to balance them out by adding visual weight or elements to the other side of the space in an effort to provide some psychological balance.”

Photo by Alex Bailhache

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Timothy’s Tip: “The most common design mistake people make is not starting with a good furniture plan. If you don’t get the bones right when maximizing the space in terms of scale, passage/flow and placement, no matter how beautiful the furnishings are, the room won’t work for all of your needs. Get the basic structure right and then you can figure out how to make it look good.”

Photo by Eric Piasecki

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