It’s Ok to Be Neutral!

Black dress, khaki trousers, tailored white button down shirt. Timeless staples in a wardrobe.

Add a color scarf, belt or interesting jewelry and the basics are transformed into something more.

A well built transitional sofa in a neutral color can be a great option for your home today.

A quality sofa can last for years. Since I've been at Stewart & Company I can’t tell you how many times people come in to replace a sofa that they have had for many years! The sofa is in great shape but they are tired of the fabric.

No matter what fabric you choose, neutral or patterned, selecting a quality brand sofa like Smith Brothers will help it stand the test of time.

We do tend to put a lot of neutral colors in living rooms and that’s just fine. Like our neutral clothing basics, a neutral color scheme we can transform them with more bold accessories or, what I like to call the jewelry of a room.

I personally like lamps. Many are like sculpture and updating them occasionally can really keep your rooms interesting and fresh.

Area rugs are another way you can add a layer of color and texture and don’t be afraid to put one on top of carpeting to define and anchor seating area. This is especially helpful if your room is large and has more than one conversation area.

We all love throw pillows but they can sometimes be rather basic. Here at Stewart and Company a decorative throw pillow can be your own customized work of art by choosing something larger than the average size and adding fringe, contrast welt, tassels or more than one fabric.

Art is another accessory that can be changed out occasionally. Where is the rule that the same picture has to stay on a wall in the same spot forever?

And don’t forget a plant. They can add an organic element to your room but…if you are like myself, keeping one alive is difficult. There are so many things in life that demand my attention more than remembering to water a plant. This is only brought to mind when I notice that it has basically been reduced to a thin stem with dried up leaves around its pot. So yes I have a fake plant. I give it an occasional shower to remove dust. That’s all the water it will need.

I have to face it, as much as I personally would love a daring sofa with a zebra print fabric it’s not practical for my lifestyle. Instead I can have a big accent pillow in a zebra print fabric with forest green fringe.

So, don’t be afraid to be neutral!