What Are Muted Colors & How to Use Them in Your Home
Make a subtle statement.
When it comes to creating your perfect home, color palette plays an important role in setting the tone for your space. Muted colors offer an aesthetic that can transform your home into a calm and inviting environment. But what are muted colors and how can you effectively incorporate them into your home? Keep reading to find out!
What Are Muted Colors?
Muted colors are created by desaturating bright colors with the addition of gray or brown, resulting in a softer, less intense color palette. While pastels are considered a type of muted color, there are a few key differences in these hues. Pastel colors are created by adding white to bright colors to make them lighter and slightly faded, whereas the gray or brown used in muted colors tends to make them darker.
Often, muted colors have a washed-out appearance or slightly gray tint that makes them more subtle and natural looking. Some common muted tones are dusty blue, sage green, olive green, dusty rose, and terracotta. Taupe and charcoal gray are examples of muted neutral colors because they are less saturated than chocolate brown or pure black.
Why Use Muted Colors?
Using a muted color palette is a great way to bring some subtle color to your home while maintaining a calm and refined aesthetic. The low saturation of muted colors gives them an especially calming effect, making them a great color option for relaxing spaces like your bedroom or living room.
Whether you have a traditional or modern home, muted color palettes have a timeless elegance and versatility that make them easy to incorporate into any style and pair with a variety of materials. While some interior design trends may come and go, muted colors can stand the test of time – perfect if you’re looking to establish a personal style in your home.
How to Decorate With Muted Colors
1. Pick a Muted Wall Color
Whether you opt for paint or wallpaper, putting a deep muted color on your walls is a great way to warm up the space. Combined with the wall moldings and traditional style of the room, this olive green wall color really enhances the timeless elegance of the bedroom.
Use a colorful area rug to tie together your space and center it around a muted color palette. Oriental rugs often include muted colors like terracotta, and vintage-look rugs have a slightly faded appearance – making both great options for bringing subtle color to your space.
Consider choosing a muted bedding set as a focal point of subtle color in your bedroom. Dusty blue is a beautiful color to use in a bedroom as it has an especially calming feel. Pair it with other muted colors like sage green or dusty rose for a soft but stunning color palette that will transform your space into a restful sanctuary.
Tip!
Want to create a calming space with muted colors? Read our guide What Colors Are Calming? for more ideas.
4. Go Bold With a Statement Piece
If you’re looking to make a bold statement while maintaining a subtle color palette, consider choosing a muted color for one of your main furnishings. This dusty rose sofa, for instance, brightens the living room with soft color without being too overpowering among its neutral surroundings.
Styling colorful accent furniture is a simple way to bring pops of color to an otherwise neutral space. These mustard yellow accent chairs and terracotta-colored ottoman add visual interest to this living room while complementing the ivory and natural wood used throughout the space.
Tip!
Read our guide Color Palette Ideas for Living Rooms, Bedrooms & More for tips on creating your own color palette.
6. Add Unexpected Pops of Color
Don’t be afraid to get creative with how you incorporate a muted color scheme into your space. Add wallpaper to an accent wall or alcove or paint your door a muted tone to bring color to your room in an unexpected way. Then finish off the room by tying in these colors with accent pillows, throws, and decor.
Tip!
For more ideas to help you discover your personal color palette, check out these guides:
Decorating With Neutrals: How to Achieve a Well-Balanced Space
Your Guide to Decorating With Color the Fun Way
What Are Jewel Tones & How to Decorate With Them
