desert hue drenching, lush latte tones + tantalising layers of texture - zhuzh the boundaries of neutral home decor with the salt + sand trend.
While the hots and nots of the interior world often seem to change with the weather, neutral home decor is one style that’s invariably held firm. From the cool grey craze of the early noughties to the meteoric rise of stonewashed minimalism in the past decade – neutrals have always been front-running trends, simply donning different faces as they go.
The natural question, then – where are neutrals headed next? Massively inspired by fashion-led trends of latte luxe and mono-room colour drenching, we see neutrals taking an entirely new, entirely committed direction. Earthy sand and clay tones are here to stay, while soaking spaces with one neutral hue is wholly encouraged. Spare, striking pops of colour are by no means ruled out, and a rich tapestry of texture brings all the visual interest you’ll need.
Fitting seamlessly within boho, luxe and minimalist interior design – welcome to salt + sand, our take on neutrals’ next chapter.
creams.
If there’s one thing to be said about the salt + sand palette, it’s that rich, earthy neutrals are categorically running the show. While cool waxen whites aren’t necessarily ruled out, our attention is on their subtly sweeter counterparts.
Decadent creams, ivories, and natural linen shades are all set to thrive this season – keeping with the general trend that takes us from sterility to warmer, nourishing neutral home decor.
beiges.
Once again showing their ability to beat the ‘boring’ allegations – beige shades are primed to be big players in the coming year.
Tan, oatmeal and sandy beiges with brown undertones will be warming homes all over the world, expertly treading the line between sophistication and cosy comfort.
browns.
Even a brief exploration of brown – and its precarious place in the history of interiors – clearly shows just how much this hue has been overlooked.
With the advent of latte luxe in contemporary trends, however, it might just be at its strongest point since the ‘70s. Brown is back with a biscuity vengeance, poised to take its place among this year’s hottest hues.
Colour drenching is simply choosing one colour and using it everywhere across your home – from ceilings, walls and fixtures to accent pieces like sofas, cushions and throws. It’s used to create a sense of cosiness and cohesion, while making spaces feel larger and allowing selected statements to really shine.
The continuing rise of matchy-matchy ‘mono-rooms’ signals colour drenching as a big part of where neutral home decor is headed this year. Combine this with the pared-back pallet of salt + sand, and you really start to see just how far a neutral decor scheme can go. An eclectic mix of textures is key to keeping colour-drenched spaces from falling flat, so keep this in mind when choosing cushions, bedding and throws.
Don’t let the pared-back colour palette fool you – there are endless different ways to style salt + sand interiors.
Whether dressing it up with opulent accents, injecting personality with a pop of colour or keeping things as pure and simple as possible, we’ve got plenty of tips for giving a salt + scheme your own unique spin.
Whether we’re talking about interior design, philosophy or life itself, the core belief of minimalism remains the same – less is more.
Notice the strikingly simple colour scheme when salt + sand gets the minimalist treatment, from the Chunky Waffle Duvet Set in Linen to the layered selection of crisp white throws.
When styling a minimalist home with a subdued palette, the fear of your space feeling boring or falling flat is always looming. To avoid this, you’ve got to layer like your life depends on it.
A varied mix of textures brings more than enough depth to neutral home decor, effortlessly generating visual interest while keeping the eye – and the rest of your senses – guessing.
If you’re yet to be acquainted with boho interior design, the first thing to know is that it’s all about awakening your inner free spirit.
From tasselled trims to organic textures, quirky abstract prints to playful pops of colour – styling a boho interior is easy-breezy, and starts with throwing rulebooks out the window.
Just look at the immediate difference in our boho-style salt + sand scheme. The Crinkle Cotton Throw in Clay Pink is arguably the show-stealer, both contrasting and complementing the Natural Cotton Muslin Duvet Set beautifully.
A sandy selection of red and pink scatter cushions brings just the right amount of colour, while intermingled knits, tufts and embroidery keep the textural scheme interesting.
Luxe interior design is all about indulging in the finer things, whether that’s through use of rich hues, elegant textures or sculptural shapes that scream sophistication.
The clean Bouclé Duvet Cover Set in Ecru sets the tone for this luxury salt + sand scheme, boasting a premium looped-yarn pile that gives ‘sleeping on a cloud’ a whole new meaning.
You’ve still got plenty of colour drenching going on, just with slightly more saturated shades – notice the richer reds and sweet latte browns. The Vardan Chenille Jacquard Cushion in Bronze immediately draws the eye, showing the brighter side of sand tones while introducing a subtle geometric pattern.
A blend of bouclé and velvet cushions ensures the textures really shine, while the Empress Faux Fur Throw in Rust provides the perfect finishing touch to this luxe bedroom scheme.
While it might take on a few fresh faces in the years to come, it’s safe to say that neutral home decor isn’t going away anytime soon. The lean into creams, browns and earthy beiges seems likely to continue – forecasting the salt + sand aesthetic as an interior trend to be reckoned with this season.
You should now have a good idea of how to pull off the look in your own space, whether you’re planning to keep things pared-back and minimalist, boldly boho, or ready to embrace a touch of luxe.
Whichever style you’re obsessed with – head over to our neutral home edit, and discover a treasure trove of muted masterpieces today.
