A top commenting rule on the blog is, “No one can be made to feel bad for their choices.” So I am breaking my own rule and will probably regret it. However, I can no longer contain my rant against “greige” — that drab, virtually colorless, gray-green-brown-beige — that has begun to permeate the contemporary interior design world. Above: from Restoration Hardware. This is their second season, at least, deep into the doo doo (pun intended) of greige. I know times are really tough, and that a somber mood, on many occasions, is called for. But, this palette (can you even call the absence of color a palette?) … makes me depressed. I encourage the secret society of people who plan the “hot colors” for years forward to, instead, consider promoting a palette that reminds us to smile… that lifts us up… that gives us some hope! We Americans are an optimistic, extroverted, hard-working bunch, and we’ll pull out of this malaise. We are Not a Greige Nation. Oh and one more thing: Please remember that the Marketing Machine wants to convince you to throw out everything you bought five years ago for whatever is new today. Train your own eye, surround yourself with what makes You happy, and ignore what any trend pundits — including me-ish — say.
susan says
I am so glad that you posted this. Griege does not make you smile. The more color the better. A little griege is okay. Purple is my color, love it to death.
Al Curnow says
Long live Burnt Orange……………………………………….
Amy says
Especially when matched with moss greens, blues and brown!
Jill says
Oh man! I am a “Burnt Orange” fan too. My mom used it in our late 50s living room on the couch upholstery. I adored that slubby textured fabric. Combined with peacock blue, gold, and olive green accents. Blonde wood paneling. Brown wool carpet.
Thought I’d bring that palate to my backyard lanai, and spray paint the old aluminum chairs, and replace the straps. But alas, no burnt orange spray paint to be found right now. Lots of greige tho!
jkaye says
I keep looking for a pale, frail woman in that picture, a la Edward Gorey. She probably fainted and is under the table.
Connie says
We came across the Griege in a big way when we were looking for bathroom tile. When I mentioned I wanted retro colored tile everyone was telling me “Oh you can just go to the tile store and find tons of it”. Wrong. It was beige, bland, blah everywhere. I came across the Retro Renovation website in my attempt to find color for my bath.
I “personally” can’t understand the appeal of the Greige but I think there are a lot of people out there who are scared of color. I see it on online boards all the time. I’m doing my bit to make the world a bit more colorful with my mint green and cobalt blue bathroom. In the meantime, here’s hoping this trend is short lived!
ELS says
Amen, Sister. In a small office or library, maybe, but large rooms or a whole house? No thanks.
BTW, had the opportunity to visit a Restoration furniture supplier overseas. Unless you really need the brand or the style and don’t have someone nearby that can make furniture, you’re overpaying, IMO.
BungalowBILL says
This reminds me of Miss Havisham’s house in Great Expectations. all it needs is an old wedding cake and cobwebs.
In the late 80’s grey was big. I had a grey tweed sofa and loveseat from the Scandinavian Gallery, black Conran’s parsons tables and grey walls. After barely surviving a Northeast Winter in all that gloom I repainted in a bright cheery yellow and felt much better.
gab18481 says
Funny! I too saw the Restoration Hardware catalog a while back and thought, “Geez…this is weird/bland” and I’m usually a sucker for catalog decor.
wendy says
Do you think the person who had the nerve to put something green in some of the dining tableaux got fired?
Amy Hill says
I guess you have to decorate like this after you rip out your period kitchen and install granite & stainless steel. It’s very unimaginative, IMHO.
Ellen says
I agree with you. And it’s not like they’re using greige to set off colors like red or orange – everything’s greige! By the way, just glancing at the Atomic Age Wallpapers on your sidebar has already made my day.
wendy says
I couldn’t agree more! “Greige” represents the absence of joy to me. I snipped the last few paragraphs from an article about greige makeup. I love the way they try to sell this unfortunate color palette….a cadaver indeed.
” Why the sudden greige fever? Priti Nails founder Kim D’Amato, who painted greige on fingernails at Tommy Hilfiger, Carlos Miele and Devi Kroell, thinks it complements a season of clothing that emphasized womanly curves. “With the comeback of the more shapely female, something about [the color] says ‘femme fatale,’” D’Amato says.
Of course, applied too liberally, greige can become a little too fatale. When makeup artist James Kaliardos painted the hue all around the eyes and skipped the mascara at Rodarte, his goal was to make the models look like sculpture. “It’s a stone face,” says Kaliardos. He wasn’t kidding—a woman made up like that on the street might seem in need of a blood pressure check.
According to Tim Quinn, director of creative artistry at Giorgio Armani Beauty, “The shade works well in spring because we tend to put more pinks and raspberries on our cheeks and lips. And you have to play up the lash line with liner and mascara to create a separation between the eye and the eyelid when you wear greige.” Otherwise, he warns, “you can end up looking like a cadaver.”
pam kueber says
hehe. EXACTLY!