Timeless Color Combinations: Three Hues Predicted to Retain Contemporary Appeal for Centuries to Come
In the world of interior design, classic color palettes continue to be enduring choices, offering versatility and timeless appeal. From neutral and understated to bold and glamorous, these palettes have stood the test of time and remain popular among designers and homeowners alike.
ASH Staging NYC, a premier full-suite interior furnishing service based in New York City, has completed over 1,000 projects across major metropolitan cities in the United States. One of the co-founders, Andrew Bowen, is a designer whose work has been featured in Architectural Digest AD100.
One classic color palette that Bowen advocates is a combination of soft ivory, sage green, and blackened bronze. This layered neutral palette, with its warmth and texture, creates a grounded and inviting atmosphere. Ivory provides a subtle base, while sage green adds a craftily colorful canvas. Blackened bronze, appearing in hardware and lighting, adds a touch of sophistication.
Another timeless palette is the warm, neutral trio of bone white, camel, and espresso. This combination, which highlights texture through materials like linen, leather, wool, and wood, creates a composed and inviting atmosphere that feels both layered and subtle.
A classic white scheme, with its fresh, clean, and sophisticated look, remains a popular choice. Whites like "SUPERMOON," which balance warmth and coolness without being stark, are particularly popular for their calming and serene effect in living spaces.
Inspired by the Art Deco style of the 1920s-30s, palettes featuring deep emerald green, inky black, vibrant teal, and rich gold and silver are bold, luxurious, and dramatic. These colors work well with glossy lacquered finishes and opulent velvet textures, giving the palette richness and vibrancy while evoking a glamorous yet modern feel.
Earthy grounding colors, such as green tones combined with earth colors like clay, sand, terracotta, and ochre, form a rooted, natural palette that interior designers appreciate for its grounded and organic aesthetic.
Charcoal and warm blacks are quietly dramatic and architectural, creating a clean, balanced, and effortlessly refined look. Let the tone of oak floors reappear in wood furniture or open shelving to maintain a harmonious flow.
Classic color palettes are rooted in nature, memory, and good taste. They are timeless and rarely change. As Lauren Saab, the founder of Saab Studios, a Dallas design studio, notes, the most important thing when working with classic colors is to commit to a tight palette and repeat with intention. When thoughtfully integrated, these palettes become part of the architecture.
Regan Billingsley, the principal designer of Regan Billingsley Interiors, emphasizes the importance of keeping contrast subtle by leaning on texture instead of adding more color. Sage green, for instance, provides a colorful canvas that can be balanced with neutral tones like soft ivory and charcoal.
Other green colors, like olive green and moss, can also be used to create a harmonious and natural palette. Let bronze show up in hardware and lighting to add a touch of sophistication.
In conclusion, classic color palettes offer a timeless and versatile approach to interior design. By committing to a tight palette and repeating colors with intention, designers can create spaces that are both inviting and enduring.
- ASH Staging NYC advocates a soft ivory, sage green, and blackened bronze palette for interior design, stating that it creates a warm and inviting atmosphere.
- The warm, neutral trio of bone white, camel, and espresso is another enduring color palette that highlights texture through materials like linen, leather, wool, and wood.
- A classic white scheme with warmer tones, such as "SUPERMOON," offers a fresh, clean, and sophisticated look that remains popular in living spaces.
- The Art Deco-inspired palette features deep emerald green, inky black, vibrant teal, and rich gold and silver for a luxurious and dramatic effect.
- Earthy grounding colors, like green tones combined with earth colors, form a rooted, natural palette with a grounded and organic aesthetic.
- Regan Billingsley Interiors emphasizes the importance of subtle contrast in interior design, suggesting that texture can be used instead of additional color, such as olive green and moss balanced with neutral tones like charcoal and soft ivory.
