The extensive range of colors contains different categories: from primary to secondary and tertiary. The first ones are essential so that the rest can be given, since they are basic in its preparation. It is known that the secondaries are the sum in equal parts of two primaries, while the tertiaries are the result of the combination of a primary and a secondary. Despite the enormous variety of colors in these three categories, there are also other types of colors, such as neutrals. What are they? How can they be classified? If you want to know what are the neutral colors and delve into the aspects that characterize them, as well as the best ways to combine them, at UNCOMO we recommend that you continue reading this article.
What are neutral colors
Neutral colors they have some peculiarities that distinguish them from the rest of the color wheel. By definition, neutral colors are those that contain a low intensity and saturation. They also add up to the same amounts of the three most prominent primary colors, that is, red, yellow, and blue.
Another of the meanings they have is that the light they project lacks chroma, that is, they do not have a prominent tone. The neutral color scale it ranges from white to black, which are considered the most representative of this category.
White is the result of the sum of all colors, while black is the opposite, the absolute absence of color. An important feature that you should not forget about neutral colors to decorate and combine is that they are considered to induce reflection, providing low energy in rooms and other types of places painted in this way. Therefore, they help to improve concentration and, thus, to think deeply to all those people who frequently inhabit rooms painted and decorated with neutral colors.
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What are neutral colors – classification
The neutral color palette encompasses various pigments. In fact, all those gray tones that are found can be considered between black and white. The differences between them are found in the intensity of the light they contain. Neutral colors can be classified as follows:
- White: it is the brightest neutral color. It generates sensations of freshness and spaciousness in the places where it predominates. In addition, it is very easy to combine with natural tones, other neutral or more intense colors.
- Gray: retains the brightness that white provides, but creates a more modern and elegant environment. The range of dark gray colors have the particularity of absorbing a large part of the light, generating more sober but equally elegant environments. They allow you to make a great contrast with other accessories that contain more intense colors.
- Black: it is a color that brings calm and elegance in equal measure. It is capable of creating this type of sensation in those environments in which it predominates. So that it does not generate a depressing feeling, it is necessary to use it with soft grays or with white.
- Beige, ivory and cream: they provide characteristics similar to white, but the contrast they generate is significantly lower and they are slightly duller.
- Brown: it is the warmest within the group of neutral colors. Not all browns fall into this category: only the softest ones.
How to combine neutral colors
Once you know what are the neutral colors and their characteristics You will also be interested in knowing another of its great virtues: the great ease of combining them. They are ideal for decorating the home since they can be used alone, with other colors and also complemented with accessories. Taking into account that neutral colors go with everythingIn oneHOWTO we give you the following recommendations that will help you decorate your home:
- Black, white and gray: gray tones function as intermediaries within the set of colors between black and white. Therefore, they reduce the contrast and favor the creation of a modern and metallic-looking environment.
- Gray and intense colors: grays are also easily combined with more expressive colors, as they maintain their properties and brightness. In this way, you will be able to decorate any room giving it balance in every way. Orange, green, blue, pink or wine tones go perfectly with gray.
- Black: combined with more colorful tones, brown, gray or white it is ideal to create pleasant environments. Black is common on furniture and rare on walls. Along with beige, cream or gray walls, serenity and elegance will invade the room decorated with these colors.
If you need to use a specific neutral color to add elegance to the decoration you have in mind, go for black. Gray is perfect to replace white (lighter shades) and black (darker shades) if you want to change these colors, but not drastically. For its part, use white to soften heavily loaded decorations or to provide greater brightness and luminosity.
Here we leave you ideas to decorate and combine neutral colors at home: How to decorate a living room with gray furniture, How to decorate with a minimalist style and How to decorate a white house.
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