12 Reasons You Should Stop Painting Your Walls Neutral Colors

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Entering a neutral coated home can feel like entering a magazine spread – calm, sophisticated, and utterly forgettable. Yes, neutrals have been touted for years as the safe choice, but safe too often means uninspired. Your home’s walls are the biggest blank canvas, so why wallow in shades that don’t make you smile, or represent you?

Let’s face it: If you have neutrals, your home will be like everyone else’s. And while beige, gray or greige may feel like a security blanket, but they can also feel like a creative straitjacket. If you’ve been dragging your heels at least partly because you’re afraid to go bold, here are 12 arguments to push you out of the neutral zone.

You Should Have Your Personality Reflected in Your Home

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Walls can tell the story of you and what makes you tick. And the fact that the colors are bright and rich and playful, infuses your space with character. Safe neutrals lack individuality. Can you picture a friend’s home that you love visiting? their walls probably aren’t dull. A splash of color is the quickest way to show off your personality.

Colors Can Make You Feel Better or Worse

According to science, color psychology is no joke. Warm yellows are optimistic, greens are tranquil and blues serene. According to Mental Health America, being surrounded by vibrant colors boosts energy levels and makes you happier. On the other hand, neutrals don’t carry the same emotional pull and your home will feel more like a waiting room than a sanctuary.

Neutral Walls Can Feel Cold and Lifeless

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Although I love minimalism, too much neutral can give the room a stark and unwelcoming feel. Do you know that feeling when you walk into a space and it seems to lack soul? Overly subdued walls are often the reason for that. Adding color can make things warm and make your home a cozier and more inviting place to relax and connect with loved ones.

Bold Walls Create Memorable First Impression

Flat or Matte Paint on walls — Image Credit: Pixabay

Walls are often one of the first things that guests notice when they walk into your home. Rather than yet another beige living room, a bold, deep green accent wall, or a rich terracotta dining room is far more likely to spark compliments and conversation. In a world where standing out is harder than ever, your home can become a conversation piece.

You’ll Spend Less Time on Chasing Trends

Trends change; neutral colors are the latest until they aren’t. Do you remember the taupe craze? Warm whites and greiges are now all the rage. Why not choose colors you love, instead of always repainting to match what’s “in?” For more personal resonance, the traditional hues of navy blue, forest green or even mustard yellow have more staying power

Defining Spaces in Your Home Is Easier

Painting in different colors will help you set the flow and purpose for different rooms. For a bedroom a soft blush could help you relax, and a bold red in the dining room might aid in energy and conversation. Neutral tones will blend spaces together — but not necessarily in a good way. It can make everything feel too uniform, and dare we say, boring.

Kids Love Color

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Painting your rooms in bright or playful hues can help spark creativity and give your space some extra personality if you have children. Neutral walls might feel a little too grown up for kids but a cheerful yellow or a fun turquoise can make them love their bedroom. And if someone is going to be in your room, wouldn’t you love to hear, “This is my favorite room!” as opposed to “It’s ok, I guess”?

Neutrals Cover Imperfections More Poorly Than Color

Ignoring Small Cracks in Walls — Photo Credit: Pexels

High traffic areas will have smudges and fingerprints as well as the occasional scratch. Often, these imperfections are much easier to disguise with darker or brighter colors, as opposed to whites and beiges. They also add energy and dimension, even in not so pristine spaces.

Neutrality May Not Matter When It Comes to Your Home’s Resale Value

The myth that neutral walls are always better for resale is busted. Homes with rooms painted in particular colors, such as light blue bathrooms or slate blue dining rooms, sold for much more than expected, according to a Zillow study. Beige would appeal to a wide crowd, but bolder colors will make buyers feel something.

Colorful Walls Are Patterns and Textures’ Best Friends

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Bold walls are the perfect backdrop for layering from wall art, to furniture. Colors pop against colorful walls in ways that they never could on neutrals. Picture a deep teal gallery wall with framed art, it’s like having personality on your walls.

Color Connects Us to Nature

Sage green, terracotta, and sky blue are earthy tones which can have the outdoors brought in, to feel harmonious and grounding. Neutrals like gray might try to pull this off, but they don’t have the vibrancy needed to really capture nature’s beauty. Why not create a home that reflects the world outside your window?

It’s Too Boring for Short Walls

It doesn’t matter if you’re renovating, building new, or just dreaming, your home should be a place of joy, self expression, and comfort at the end of the day. Why not live in full colour rather than blend into the background? If life was beige, we’d all live in beige houses, eat beige food, and that would be boring. Let your walls reflect you!

Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.