How to Style Taupe in Your Home – 2024’s Biggest Interior Trend
Taupe. A calming, understated yet perfect neutral. With current interior trends swaying more towards neutral and airy spaces, Taupe is rising in popularity. It's understated dependability lends huge versatility to any interior space. It's not too white, not too grey, not too brown. It's the perfect inbetween tone and works well in almost any neutral setting.
Why choose Taupe?
Taupe is a calming, peaceful colour. If you are aiming to achieve a simplistic yet sanctuary-like interior, this is the colour for you. It can lend itself to fit many interior styles. If you're aiming for "quiet luxury" but feel white is too harsh, Taupe is a perfect choice. If you crave a more Rustic feel but browns are too dark, Taupe is an ideal candidate. Taupe really is a versatile warm neutral perfectly suited to create a multitude of interior spaces.
What colour is Taupe?
Taupe is a colour that falls into the grey-brown spectrum. It is often described as a neutral, earthy shade that can range from a light, greyish brown to a dark, almost chocolate brown with grey undertones. Not to be confused with griege, which sits between grey and beige, the two are similar but have subtle differences. Both can have either warm or cool undertones, but Taupe is generally a deeper hue.
The balance between grey and brown determines the specific shade of taupe. Adding more brown leads to a warmer taupe, while more grey gives it a cooler, more subdued tone.
Warm Taupe: Contains more brown and may have red or yellow undertones. This version of taupe feels cozier and more inviting. It is often used in spaces where warmth and comfort are desired, such as living rooms or bedrooms.
Cool Taupe: Leans more toward grey with blue or green undertones. Cool taupe has a more modern and sophisticated feel, making it suitable for contemporary spaces.
Is Taupe a good wall colour?
Taupe is an excellent choice for walls. Make your space feel even bigger by colour drenching and paint your doors, architraves, ceilings and skirting boards. With so many tones and hues to choose from within the Taupe pallette, there really is a paint colour to suit any interior. Taupe is perfect for open plan living as it can create bright airy spaces. It is also a favourite amongst Japandi interiors with the warm beige undertones.
Quiet luxury is also huge right now, and taupe is the perfect colour for this trend. Quiet Luxury stands for an understated, subtle approach to luxury interiors. With current trends leaning more towards a neutral pallette, Taupe is the perfect understated colour to bring warmth and elegance to a space.
What colours compliment taupe?
Taupe is such a versatile colour which marries well with many accent colours. Here are a few suggestions that compliment Taupe.
- Off Whites and Creams - Ideal if you want to create the Quiet Luxury look. These colours will create a light and airy space and will enhance the look of the Taupe whilst adding brightness.
- Olive Greens - If you are wanting a more earthy and natural feel to your interior, Olive or Sage green is an ideal choice. The combination is both stylish and calming.
- Dark Greys - You will instantly achieve a dramatic look by using a deep charcoal grey paired with Taupe. Greys are still in the same neutral palette, but will add depth to the atmosphere.
- Rich Browns - Again, in the same neutral palette but in different hues. Browns really can compliment taupe and will add warmth and drama to a space whilst still keeping the theme cohesive.
Does Taupe go with Grey?
If you want to create a more cool tone interior, grey is an ideal colour. Both are neutral colours but the key to success when combining the two is to ensure you choose the right shades and tones. Grey tones can help to create a sophisticated and harmonious look when paired together.
Warm Taupe works well with a Cool Grey. Cool Grey will have blue undertones which provides a contrast that will add depth and interest to a space.
Light Taupe with a Dark Grey also pairs exceptionally well. The contrast adds drama and interest to a space whilst maintaining the elegant and neutral palette.
Monochromatic Tones will also work very well. This will help you create a more subtle look if you pair colours that are very similar in tone. This will help you create a calm and understated space.
Does taupe go with brown?
To create more of a warm atmosphere to your space, try adding warmer tones of brown. This is ideal if you prefer a more rustic and warm feel to your interior.
Similar undertones - Taupe often has brown undertones so you can pair brown shades to create a naturally harmonious and cohesive look. This will help to create an earthy warm ambience.
Layering - Try to layer a few different shades of brown with your chosen Taupe colour. This will help you to add depth and texture again creating a cohesive colour scheme. As an example, a dark brown with a lighter shade Taupe will instantly add contrast and interest whilst still staying on theme.
Different textures and accessories - By adding other home accents to your interior you can easily pull a theme together. Try adding different textures of wood, textiles and floral pieces to enhance the space and create cohesion between the different colours, tones and textures.
What are the best taupe paints?
There are many paint choices available on the market for creating a beautiful neutral interior. Here are a few popular paints to consider when deciding your colour scheme.
A darker yet calming shade of Taupe.
Joanna is the palest of Little Greene taupe paint shades: a warm and easy alternative to white paint for many schemes. Currently a very popular paint choice.
A warm neutral with green undertones.
Another beautiful neutral which would pair well with lighter tones.
Farrow and Ball - Charleston Grey
A warm tone Taupe verging on the grey side with brown undertones.
A muted and warm light taupe with red and black undertones.
Taupe Vs Beige
Both Taupe and Beige are neutral colours but both have distinctive differences in tone, undertone and overall appearance.
Beige tends to be a much warmer shade often with yellow and golden undertones. It has a more straightforward appearance than Taupe, with its sunnier appearance and warmth. Its a lighter more warm tone neutral which can vary from very light almost off white through to richer tan shades.
Taupe is a more complex neutral colour. It features both brown and grey undertones which makes it a much more versatile colour. You could opt for warmer undertones (browns) or cooler undertones (greys). Taupe exudes a more muted down and sophisticated look to home interiors. This is why Taupe is often used when the desired interior needs to be understated, elegant and sometimes moody.
What furnishings can you use in a Taupe interior?
Taupe provides the perfect backdrop for a multitude of furniture and decorative accents. Being a neutral shade, you can pair with a whole range of colours, textures and tones to create the perfect sophisticated interior space.
Opt for neutral upholstery. Sofas, accent chairs and ottomans in shades of grey, beige or cream will perfectly compliment a taupe interior. Similar tones will help create a serene and cohesive look. You can add further richness by opting for leather goods such as sofas or footstools.
Wooden furniture will work perfectly in a taupe setting. There are so many wood colours and finishes on the market that will add further cohesion with a taupe backdrop. Try to use more natural tones of wood such as oak, ash or walnut. This will add a further layer of depth and warmth with the rich tones and textures natural wood will provide.
Lighting within any interior is an integral part to any design. Ensure you use soft warm tone lighting. Cool white lighting has absolutely no place within a Taupe interior. You want to create a soft moody space, so warm tone lighting is essential. You can add further depth and texture by using natural materials for lampshades such as linen or jute in complimentary colours.
Bring the outside in with accents using plants or dried grasses. The natural textures will perfectly compliment the earthy hues of Taupe whilst providing an organic interest to any space.
Decorative or sculptural accents will further elevate your space. Try to choose natural textures such as clay or terracotta in accent colours and hues. Ceramic vases or sculptures will compliment any interior whilst adding a level of sophistication and visual interest.
In conclusion Taupe interiors offer a perfect balance of warmth and sophistication, providing a versatile backdrop that complements various styles and furnishings. Whether paired with soft neutrals, rich textures, or bold accents, taupe creates a timeless, elegant atmosphere, making it an ideal choice for any modern home.
All of our blog posts are researched and handwritten in house here at Vaunt Design by industry experts.
Featured Image Credit: Studio Sunneva
