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.
Cara says
I found a few things in the clearance section I somewhat liked but otherwise everything down to the towels WAS greige. I used to like browsing RH, hopefully this color passes.
A little greige might work for me but only as a backdrop to bring all of my obnoxiously colored doodads together.
pam kueber says
Lynn-O-Matic: Your room sounds totally lovely.
Lynn-O-Matic says
I’ll definitely send pix of it–and our other projects–when we’re done!
La veneziana says
I couldn’t agree more. When I got this catalog in the mail I thought it was a joke.Page after page after page of dull clay — it just goes to show how stupid people can be when they try to outdo everyone else with “good taste.” It’s like those horrible “home stagers” on HGTV who act outraged if people have color on their walls and pots and pans and toys and family photos in the house. We aren’t mannequins standing around on a stage. Retro style is great because it’s for living!
Lynn-O-Matic says
The Restoration Hardware vignette above manages to be both greige and boring AND overly busy and fussy at the same time. Occasionally I see spaces done with just shades of white or cream or beige and it actually looks restful and soothing, or cosy, even if it’s not to my taste. But the above is not restful, nor is it stimulating in an energizing way. It’s just greige and busy.
Now, I am about to paint an entire room dove grey or warm tan, something I never thought I would do, but that’s because I’m taking the palette from some fifties pottery (Laurel of California Seaside) and the neutral walls will really make the other colors–aqua, chartreuse, coral pink, and brown–pop.
Barbara says
I received that catalog and thought “what?” It is the most depressing furniture/decor I’ve seen in ages!
Grace says
Ha, I have a whole house painted greige (actually RL’s Cobblestone which sounds a bit sexier). I love it. I find it soothing and get tons of compliments on it. Having said that, I accessorize with tons of color. I lean toward Autumn tones—dark brown, red, autumn orange, teal, gold and lime and every variation of those colors. Trust me, it all works. I have very contemporary style but love the warm colors. The walls set everything off beautifully.
pam kueber says
Grace, your home sounds gorgeous. I want to emphasize: I don’t h*** the color per se, it’s the idea of it used with no other colors at all…like in the RH catalog…
Stacey says
I completely agree with not liking greige as it was presented in the latest Restoration Hardware catalog; it was downright depressing!!!
Some of RH’s stuff in the past has been beautiful but this catalog looked like Mountain Lodge meets Martha Stewart on a bad hair day. FAIL!
Doris Kyburz says
I must say, I love it… for a period movie set.
pam kueber says
I need to clarify: I don’t h*** the color. I am reacting to when it’s used on Every Possible Surface or to excess with the absence of other colors. As other readers have mentioned – matched with the right, more colorful accents, it can be simply lovely. I actually love a bathroom that features 4″ grey ceramic tile half way up the wall — then compemented with a wallpaper featuring pink or coral or even blue….
Jocelyn says
It’s too funny that you posted this, Pam – I also get the Restoration Hardware emails an dI’ve been thinking about that awful current color scheme too lately, whenever one shows up.
I really used to like RH – one of their first stores was at Tysons Corner in Northern Virginia, where I grew up. They always had interesting small gifts in addition to the expensive stuff. I still like some of their lighting fixtures.
But lately, most of it looks really vulgar to me. There’s something ugly about much of their stuff – I think mostly because of its scale. Everything is so hugely oversized – the furniture, the lamps, the accessories, all of it. It looks like they trained a grow ray on it – too long. I suppose you need big stuff for a big house, but when I see their bathroom layouts, well, their bathroom is about the size of my living room!
And the less said about that awful color scheme, the better. But you know what? Did you check out the recent Oval Office redo? Same thing! Sprayed with greige. The commander-in-chief and I are going to have to agree to disagree on that one.
Happy Daze says
I like grey as a wall color, but it has to be offset with a brighter accent colors or the room becomes, as Pam says “depressing”. The bedrooms in my 1940 house originally had wallpaper with a grey background. The wallpaper worked because the grey was offset by brightly colored flowers, and the wood trim that was painted white. Judging by period advertising featuring rooms with similar color schemes, I’m sure the orginal owner’s linens also had some color to offset the grey.