Beige has been my safe colour in home decorating for years.  It has all the benefits of using white without the disadvantage of having every bit of dirt and grime exposed to guests. 

Beige matches nearly everything.  It brightens a room and makes it look larger. 

It's also, as my daughter put it, rather boring.  Why does everything have to be beige, Mum?   Naturally, it does not. 

It's simply a colour that I feel gives an outfit or a room an understated and classy appearance.  It's not vulgar like some colours.  However, I will acknowledge it is a bit boring, and if the DIY shows are to be believed it's also “very 90's”. 

Therefore, I've decided that along with my spring cleaning I will be shifting my colour palate to something less beige-y.  Like any habit this one is a bit difficult to break.  Those of us who appreciate beige won't be happy with magenta walls.  So the trick is to work yourself into a non-beige world slowly.

Breaking Bad on Beige

 The following list of tips are ways to break the beige habit slowly:

1. Start with accent colours.  This is one way to bring colour into a room without actually having to repaint the walls or purchase new furniture.  Here is where my daughter's magenta suggestion comes in.  Warm bright colours which go with the beige palette include magenta.  Try some magenta or cerulean throw pillows for the furniture. Replace the old clear glass vases with one made of a warm, bright colour.  This suggestion isn't even expensive as most of these accents can be purchased at the local Tesco or thrift shop.  It's a great way to test out a new colour without having to make a permanent change.
2. Reconsider white.  This suggestion often makes a mum cringe knowing how easily white shows dirt.  Fortunately, the newer paints on the market are washable.  You can use a cleaner on a white wall without worry that the colour will fade or become damaged.  White is the ultimate neutral colour so nothing in your room need change at first.  The same furnishings that went with beige will also go with white.  Your art, your grandmother's tchotchke collection, your throw pillows, and your silk flowers that need be dusted—all of them will work with white.  A bright white also has the power to lift a mood and establish a theme of serenity when done correctly.  White paints are also inexpensive, so there's that going for them as well.
3. Move to a brown.  For those who just cannot embrace the cheerful nature of white and appreciate more muted tones there is always some shade of mocha that you may choose from.  Everything that you've purchased that matches a beige will also match a brown.  Browns are very “in” at the moment, especially when paired with white trim. True, they can make a tiny room look even smaller but brown also lends a cozy feel to a space and if you were to add brown to a kitchenette or reading area it would work quite nicely to accentuate a mood.
4. Hold your nose and dive in!  True this goes against the section promise of working slowly towards colour, but it must be said that there is a great deal of fun to be had when you just throw caution to the wind and go with your gut.  My beige bedroom is now a lovely shade of Robin's Egg Blue and I couldn't be happier.  I'm about to paint the bed frame black to match.

It is true that beige is a lovely neutral colour that goes with most everything, but beige rooms can lead to beige lives.  This spring might be a good time to experiment with colour and with change. 

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