BROKE IN TWEED

I feel that the interior design and home decor community will publicly execute me for saying this.

*Deep breaths* Going for a neutral colour scheme in a home is fine.

Not only is it fine—it can be a good thing. Don’t misread me. My flat boasts of colour-drenched walls and a deep red sofa. But neutral decor is not just reserved for cold elites and Facebook mums.

“Think of the children!” Neutral Interiors Do.

Whenever someone puts down neutral interiors, they make the argument that neutrals don’t consider the bright, bold, imagination of children. But actually, there is a thing as too much. Studies found that overly colourful, bright and fast-paced children’s shows cause kids to be overstimulated. It affects their decision making, focus and overall cognitive development. Likewise, when interiors are too intense and novel, their brains can’t shut off. 

Yes, that doesn’t mean swinging the other way is better. But beige is biophilic and can help children connect with nature because it feels natural. Beige can remind them of the shells in the sand on their trip to the seaside. We must also credit children with an optimism that the world hasn’t yet drained them of. Beige to children is vanilla ice cream, towering city buildings and candles at Christmas time.

If you’re looking for inspiration, My Furniture have released a new lighting and seating range in neutrals with a textural focus, John Lewis’s 2025 Christmas Lookbook has two of four collections with muted colourways and Desenio has released a neutral art collection for autumn.

Minimalistic Neutral Styles As a Marker of Social Mobility

One of the reasons that I started Broke in Tweed is because I felt that there was no platform in the design community that represented people like me (don’t worry, I’m not calling for violins here.) People who pay attention to interiors are the opposite of broke—they are also predominantly white. This means that the loudest voices against neutrals, glam style and matchy-matchy homes (mine in the early days of my interior design journey included) aren’t aware of how ethnic minorities design their homes in response to their upbringing or child-rearing.

A lot of “black luxury” or “soft life black girl” content creators don’t explicitly have home decor or interior design content. However, their design style is clear—neutral or monochrome colourways and mid-century modern or glam style. This may also be a result of the quiet luxury trend in fashion seeping into interiors. 

My own experience of home growing up was bright colours and never throwing anything away but never refreshing tired pieces either. Perhaps that’s why I got into upcycling clothes and furniture a few years back and why I now have frequent declutter and donation days. Now that I and most of my siblings have flown the nest, my parents’ home also feels like a response to those days. It is glam style with chrome accents, mirrored furniture and a palette of various greys (Although, you don’t want to be too grey—it can make you feel out of control as it’s most commonly associated with rental design. I address grey rentals in response to a Dear Chey letter.)

What’s evident is that many people are in a better socioeconomic position and have chosen to change their space to reflect their financial and mental state—organised, focussed and intentional. 

There is a Method to the Muted

Beige is grounding. No, this isn’t something I learned at a spiritual retreat or corporate summit. Colour psychology widely accepts muted beiges, greens and browns as grounding because they occur in nature. Like children, beige to us means seashells. It also means clay, historically associated with homes and security. It also means natural fabrics like linen and cotton, historically associated with bedding, clothing and warmth.

Biophilic design aside, going neutral also forces you to think more about colour temperature and shade, adding more depth to your design. While coastal homes tend to lean cooler and lighter, I find that city or countryside homes use warmer and darker shades of beige.

Neutral design is a canvas for our bolder pieces and colour is not the only way to make a statement. If you think this, you’ve cut off your senses. What about touch? Smell? Sound? Neutral design can allow you to bring texture, scents and background music to the forefront and really highlight the pieces and experiences that communicate who you are and what you love.