What Constitutes Neutrality?
In the beginning there was black, white and all of the gray shades in between. Then someone added a bit of color to each and we got tinted grays, almost blacks and off-whites. Breaking it down further, we get into the cream / ivory / beige plunge into deeper mid-tones, arriving finally the “ish” colors – greenish, bluish, reddish.
Keep in mind that no matter how pale the shade, neutrals are still colors, which becomes obvious when you add the secondary and accent colors to your miniature room. This is because neutrals are not just one color, but contain multiple hues. Taupe for instance, starts out as white, add a little terra cotta (already a mix of orange and brown), then add some battleship gray, and voila: you end up with a pinkish, brownish… well, taupe.
The importance of Undertones
Pick up a brown rock. From arms length, it might look like a brown you would find on a color wheel. Look more closely and it probably looks more like a muted kaleidoscope of earth tones.
The same is true of whatever primary color you have chosen for the walls in you dollhouse living room. If the cones and rods in your eyes are working properly, your brain sees the undertones. But you may not, until you put the secondary and accent colors side by side – hopefully with paint chips, not after it’s on the wall.
For a preliminary color scheme, there are free color calculators online at paint and decorating websites But remember, the colors you see on your computer monitor will not be the same as the paint in the can, I like to make my final decisions with those paint chips, then save money buying the 8 oz.sample cans – about $3.00 currently at Home Depot.
Working With Beige
As with any neutral color, I like to have more than one shade in dollhouse miniatures. Go from light to dark hues on the walls, rug and large pieces furniture. The walls could be the lightest shade; curtains, a filmy darker hue; the rug a much darker shade. Because of the compacted space, making an unfortunate choice in color in a miniature is more obvious than a real dwelling. But fixing is a lot cheaper. Remember those sample cans.
Varying textures is important too. If your sofa is beige leather, the pillows and throw can add color and varied textures. Mix it up with velvet, burlap, long hair, rope or large weave fabric. The rug could be sisal or long shag.
Since beige is so neutral, you could take any favorite color and use it for a color “pop” here and there. If blue is your favorite color use art on the walls with your favorite shade of blue, then make sure this accent color the is same shade wherever you use it. The blue in the art work should be exactly the same blue as in the vase on the side table, or the blue in the flower arrangement on the coffee table.
Gray Is The New Beige
For dollhouse miniatures, beige or gray is strictly a personal choice. You still want to use more than one shade of the primary color in the room. Make sure your secondary and accent colors are compatible with that primary color.
I love working with this new-again neutral color because it seems so fresh, and because of the emotions it can evoke. Log onto the Benjamin Moore website and look for Shades of Gray. For a warm cozy feeling, you can’t beat Cosmopolitan. Need a quick cool down? City Shadow is for you.
If you choose your accent colors carefully, you can do wonders with gray. How long before beige reappears as interior decorating’s “exciting new thing?” Who knows, and who cares, really. In dollhouse decorating, the latest fad is irrelevant. We deal with decades and eras, right?
If you want to know more about working with neutral colors, Renate Herring-Shepherd as a terrific e-Book you can download at http://www.dreamhomedecorating.com/. It has a color wheel training video I like. And its free! Look for the Stylish Neutrals link at the top of the right sidebar.