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.
Megan says
I painted every room of my house a different bright color. I especially use a lot of bright yellow. I live in an artsy neighborhood where people are not afraid to express themselves. When we first moved, it took almost a year fir use to find a house to buy. There were so many “fix and flipped” mid-century homes that someone had erased every last bit of character from. Slathered in a coat if greige paint inside and out, architectural details removed, all new beige plumbing fixtures, out of the box particle board cabinets, beige tile, greige carpet; they had no individuality at all. I love mid-century, but when stripped down and remodeled like cheap McMansions, these houses are boring and depressing. It was the bright colors and the quirky modern designs that made these houses special. Otherwise, it’s easy to mistake them for tick tacky. We finally bought a raw place that hadn’t been fixed up yet and I was able to choose my colors and designs. I had a ball with it.
Chris says
I have a 1954 wide line, side by side split and we just painted one bathroom flamingo pink(old color blue/gree) and the other a turquoise (old color creamish). The rest of my house will be getting a new color this winter, to paint over the coco sand. I can not stand the earthtones!!!!
MaryE says
Living in the Seattle area, where the sky is greige much of the year, this color scheme would never fly with me. When it’s cloudy, raining, blowing sidways, and just plain old nasty outside, I love coming home to my butter yellow kitchen, aqua bathroom, tri-green living and dining room, and daffodil yellow bedroom. My sewing room/ office/ tv room is taupe but it’s because I didn’t want anything competing with the vibrant fabrics of my quilting and bright art and accents. I think people that go with too much neutral are afraid to develop their style and taste. Put it out there, people! As Steven Stills said, ‘Let your freak flag fly’!!
magnarama says
My god, they’ve even grieged out their BABIES product lines — now that is really going too far!
http://www.rhbabyandchild.com/rhbc/catalog/category/index.jsp?categoryId=rhbc_cat101002&navAction=jump&link=Furnishings
Don’t we use bright colors for babies in order to stimulate their little brains?
pam kueber says
oh my
SaraTinkelman says
My guess? The designer has no children. But if (s)he does, either (s)he loves his/her babies enough to give them the life, energy & pleasure of colors at home, or (s)he wants them to sleep soundly – a lot.
Sabrina says
That nursery makes me want to weep with the tears of a hormonal post-partum woman.
Annie B. says
I’ve become hopelessly addicted to orange: vibrant, active, and bold. It’s the antithesis of vapid Greige and has infinite variations.
Josie says
Pretty sure Malvina Reynolds cries inside when anyone quotes Little Boxes to praise the little pink and mint green houses of our beloved Mid-C, Lynne.
Just saying.
Pat says
Wow, I must be really out of it, I have never heard of the word “griege”, but I sure will remember it now. I remember in the 70’s when beiges were in style, it was better than the gold and avacado green that I was used to, but it never did fit me. Give me color!!
Amy says
I hate to point this out … but isn’t your photo holding the martini glass in greige tones?!
pam kueber says
haha amy, this is kinda why i said i could regret this rant… it kind of opens a pandora’s box. you are right in that this particular photo definitely is “neutral” not to mention high-falutin mid-century modern rather than our beloved mid-century modest…what can i say, it sure was fun to get dressed up and have erica take this nice picture of me looking so glamarama. my living room/dining room interior for sure has what i’d call a neutral backdrop, with lots of texture. i added the grasscloth on the walls – it’s what i would call ivory, and tends more toward the yellow than i had intended… i liked it because it was neutral but also with texture — i have two distinct spaces that need to be tied together, along with lots of artwork and pinchpleats, and the room gets pounded by sun from the west. the colonial trim is linen, but i had all the yellow stripped out when we formulated it. my furniture has color, but it’s subdued except for the bright orange velour chairs. i bring in color with pillows, throws, lamps, accessories and art. i would not call it greige — altogether, these elements combine to give the room a “sparkly” feel — it’s really quite nice, hard to capture in a photo…. and again — i want to clarify i don’t have a problem with any color per se — it’s the idea that the palette would dominate as in “greige nation” — interiors that some readers in these comments have described as “sepuchral” and “apocalyptic.” ok. so now that all that’s said. maybe i am wrong. maybe i just have “installation shock.” that rejection that happens when something is so new to your eye you just can’t comprehend. people, just decorate with the colors you love! ignore anything anyone says about what’s beautiful or what’s not — make up your own mind — create the interiors that sing to you 🙂
Lynne says
My pet peeve is all of the new “McMansions” going up and all the new homes being built in our area…..these people all think that their new homes are swell, but those of us with the MidCentury Modern gene, think these homes all look sort of “cookie cutter”. And then, they all decorate the interiors in this Tuscany, wine thing, with drab and depressing (and predictable) colors. Boring….yawn. It’s like the theme song to “Weeds”…..”little boxes made of ticky tac, and they all look the same”………
Jana says
For my taste, griege gives me the blahs! I prefer the bright colors of the lighting and accessories of Rejuvenations. This year for their mid century modern era collection, they feature flare orange, solar yellow and neptune blue (which appears more aqua). Their deco collection features color too. I guess I come by it “honest”. I grew up in a mcm house that was a hodge podge of colors – green tile floors, green crackle & chrome kitchen table , yellow refrigerator, gold, chartreuse, brown, red & blonde furniture, pink bathroom 🙂 …. For me, color creates a positive mood, interest and a dash of excitement when used appropriately.