Beige Color – Shades of Beige and Color Combinations

The beige color may be considered a boring color by many, however, there is much more that goes into the versatile hue. Beige has become quite a popular color in home designs, as it creates a calming and welcoming atmosphere. Read further to discover the various shades of beige, and what beige color combinations are best.

What Color Is Beige?

There are quite a few descriptions for the beige color, from a grayish tan and pale sand color to a yellowish brown, light brown, and grayish yellow. Beige is not considered off-white or cream. Beige belongs to the neutral color family, which are hues that lack color and are not found on the color wheel. Along with beige, neutral colors include white, black, cream, and gray. Beige is also seen as a metaphor for bland things. However, the beige color can be something more than neutral, as it can also contain undertones of color, and this is what provides so many shades of beige.

Beige Color: A Brief History

The word beige is from the French language and means “natural wool” that has not been changed by dyeing or bleaching it. So, whenever you are out and you see some sheep that has not been sheared yet, it will not be white, but it will appear beige. The word beige was used to describe raw wool as far back as the mid-19^th century.

The word also appeared in the novel La Fille Elisa (1877) by Edmond de Goncourt. However, it was only documented as a name in English a few years later in 1887. Way before this, beige was also used in prehistoric cave paintings in France. It was discovered that brown, yellow as well as gray, and white pigments were blended to create darker and lighter shades of brown.

Later, in the 21^st century, with technology, many other shades of beige came into being. Beige is also synonymous with the office and computers, as many of the older computers came in beige. Today, beige is a popular color in fashion and interior design because of its neutrality, calmness, and comfort it provides.

Meaning of the Beige Color

Beige is generally seen as a warm color, meaning it leans towards brown and red. However, it also has the freshness and crispness of white. This makes beige a relaxing and calming color to use. Beige is also a neutral color and dependable, it does not stand out or demand attention like some other bolder colors. The beige color is also considered strong but modest, grounding, healing, stable, and honest. Traditionally, beige can be used as a background color to help other colors stand out more. In a few cultures, the beige color also symbolizes simplicity as well as piousness.

Shades of Beige

There are now many colors that match beige, but if beige is a neutral color, how is this possible? Beige is a neutral color; however, it can also have a color undertone, and this is what you need to consider when creating designs. So, if you have a shade of beige with an undertone of orange, it might not go so well with purple. We have mentioned that beige is inherently warm, however, it all depends on the undertone.

Cream

The beige cream color can be described as being an extremely pale yellow and refers to the cream that cows produce. The yellowish tinge of the cow’s milk is from the plants they eat, which contain yellow carotenoid pigments. The beige cream color name was documented in 1590.

Desert Sand

This color is a soft orange color that is a deeper shade of beige that is similar to what sand looks like in the desert. The color name was first documented in 1920. In the 60s, the American telephone and telegraph company promoted their sand-colored telephones. They described the color as beige, which is why many still refer to desert sand as beige.

Ecru

The color ecru is also known as “sand” and can be described as a slightly desaturated yellow. The color can also be grayish yellow and is a shade of beige that often refers to the linen fabric or silk when it is in its unbleached form. The word ecru is borrowed from French and means “raw” or “unbleached”. For many years, ecru was seen as the same color as beige. However, in the 20^th century, the ecru color began to stand on its own as a color.

French Beige

This color is also referred to as “café au lait” as well as “Tuscan tan” and is a dark to moderate orange. French beige is also described as being what natural, fresh-shorn wool looks like. The color name was first documented in English in 1927.

Khaki

Khaki is a slightly desaturated orange or can also be described as a light brownish yellow. The color became popular when it was used in army uniforms as it works great for camouflage purposes. Today, khaki is also popular in mainstream fashion, especially khaki pants. The khaki color name was first documented in 1848 and was a color chosen to be added to A Dictionary of Color, which was the book of color classifications in 1930.

Beige Color Combinations

As we have mentioned, beige is part of the neutral color family and neutral colors go with almost any color. However, it does go nicely with other neutral colors like gray, white, and black. However, if the beige color has an undertone, then you will need to use the color combinations available for the best results. Colors that match beige well are other earth tones like green and darker shades of orange and red.

The beige color is also difficult to print using the CMYK color code model. This model uses various ink colors to print, which include cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. All of these colors are used in various percentages to create the printed image. However, beige uses such low levels of ink, and in most cases, the printer will print in green or purple, which can vary each time.

The RGB color code you see below are the colors used when creating graphics online, and the hex code identifies each color. Below, we are going to use the beige color we have chosen in the beginning to explain color combinations. If you know the color undertone, you can use color theory to determine the hues that work best together. Since beige does not appear on the color wheel, it all depends on the undertone color.

Complementary Colors

Many shades of beige are considered warm and, generally, will have a yellow undertone. Warm simply means colors that remind of warmth, like red and yellow, while cooler colors like blue tend to remind you of water and cooler things. Our beige is a light grayish yellow, so to find its complementary color on the color wheel, you need to look on the opposite side. Below, you will see it is a light grayish blue.

Analogous Colors

This color combination includes colors that are all lined up next to each other, on the same side of the color wheel. These colors are pleasing to look at and are quite similar to each other. Yellow-orange and yellow-green are some examples.

Monochromatic Colors

Monochromatic colors use a single color, which can be divided into variations of this color. So, you will have lighter and darker versions of beige. Using monochromatic colors can help to create more depth in a design.

Triadic Colors

This color combination uses three colors, all creating a contrast like the complementary colors. In other words, all these colors stand out from each other. When using this type of combination in a design, you should select a single main color and use the other colors as accent colors, so that they do not compete with the eyes for attention. Triadic means the three colors can be seen as a triangle outline on the color wheel.

How to Make Beige-Colored Acrylic Paint

The most basic method for creating a beige paint color is to lay down some white and then slowly add small amounts of brown. To this, you can also add some light-yellow paint, in tiny amounts, until a beige color is achieved. The most common white paint you can try is titanium white and for the brown, you can try raw sienna or burnt sienna. Three parts white and then one part brown should produce a medium color beige. Always read on the paint label to see what the paint contains, which helps prevent any contamination of colors.

You can also achieve a shade of beige by only mixing some white paint and only small amounts of yellow paint or using something like yellow ochre. The yellow added to the white will create a cream or beige color. Remember to always add the color paint to the white, and only in small amounts.

You can either use brown paint from the shop, or you can try mixing your own brown. Mixing all three primary colors, yellow, red, and blue will give you a basic brown. You can then adjust the proportions, which gives you more control over the final color produced. There are also various shades of beige acrylic paints available to directly purchase.

Beige Color Palettes for the Home

Beige, like all neutral colors, is versatile and easy to work with. The color is classic and calming and can be used in any room in the home. There is also more than one beige color, and you can choose from a variety of beige shades.

The most popular beige color palette includes gray and white. These colors work seamlessly together alone as beige will add a little warmth to the white, or you can add pops of accent colors to brighten up the look. Make sure to pair warmer beige colors with off-whites or if you use a cooler white, pair it with a cool beige.

Beige is a well-liked base color that can be added to walls, however, it can also successfully be used as an accent color. Beige sofas are quite popular and less stark than white and can fit into many design ideas. A beige sofa in the living room can bring about an interesting beige color palette. Many colors can work with beige in this case, think colorful pink, red, brown, or yellow cushions, and accessories.

Otherwise, use black and other earth tones to add contrast. Beige is a warm and light color and is just right for rooms where you want to relax. So, beige will make the perfect bedroom color that will work great with a soft color palette. Below are a few ideas for using beige in your home.

Incorporating Texture

Beige can also make a wonderfully relaxing living area, but to make the space more interesting, you can bring in some texture. This can be in the form of a patterned fabric or wallpaper. You can add matte paint to the wall while adding a gloss finish to the ceiling. Adding in these elements creates more depth and interest, especially if you are going for a monochromatic look.

Using Beige With Metallics

Beige as a warm color can work wonderfully with warm metallics like brass or gold. For example, you can easily bring in brass fixtures, pipes, or towel racks into the bathroom. Pair this with a beige background and more white features for a warm, sophisticated, and luxurious look.

Beige in the Kitchen

The kitchen is another central space in the home, where many families spend a lot of time. You want to go for a look that stands the test of time, as it a kitchen can be a big investment. A beautiful and warm neutral finish you can tweak can be both functional and stylish. You can easily include accents of color if you want with accessories and appliances. Beige is also a great color that goes with wood finishes.

Layering Your Look

When using any color, there are usually many shades of color available. You can take the various tones and shades of beige and layer these colors. Using a few different warm shades of beige can help to create a more harmonious look and can add more depth as well as interest to a space.

Using the Beige Color as a Setting for Art

Being a neutral color, beige can act as the perfect backdrop for adding bold colors. This can be done by using a shade of beige on a wall and then placing more striking paintings on the wall. The color can help to showcase the art. Besides paintings, you can also use other forms of art or collectibles, or even make a statement with the furniture.

Conclusion

The beige color has become more popular over the years for its warmth and versatility. However, some may still consider it boring. No matter what your view of beige is, it still has an important place in design.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Color Is Beige?

Beige can be described as being a shade of brown, which can be anything from a pale sandy color to a light grayish yellow, or even yellowish brown. Along with white, it is considered a neutral color.

Is Beige a Fashionable Color to Wear?

Beige is a popular color for interior design, but it is also a well-liked color in the fashion industry. The color is conservative and may even be considered a so-called timeless look. The color can easily be dressed up or down, and you can easily pair it with colors like brown or green, or blue.

How to Make Beige Paint?

A quick way to create beige paint colors is to lay down some white paint and then add int tiny amounts of brown or yellow to create a shade of beige.

Charlene Lewis( Content Creator and Creativity Writer )

In 2005, Charlene completed her Wellness Diplomas in Therapeutic Aromatherapy and Reflexology from the International School of Reflexology and Meridian Therapy. She worked for a company offering corporate wellness programs for a couple of years, before opening up her own therapy practice. It was in 2015 that a friend, who was a digital marketer, asked her to join her company as a content creator, and this is where she found her excitement for writing.

Since joining the content writing world, she has gained a lot of experience over the years writing on a diverse selection of topics, from beauty, health, wellness, travel, and more. Due to various circumstances, she had to close her therapy practice and is now a full-time freelance writer. Being a creative person, she could not pass up the opportunity to contribute to the Art in Context team, where is was in her element, writing about a variety of art and craft topics. Contributing articles for over three years now, her knowledge in this area has grown, and she has gotten to explore her creativity and improve her research and writing skills.

Charlene Lewis has been working for artincontext.org since the relaunch in 2020. She is an experienced writer and mainly focuses on the topics of color theory, painting and drawing.

Learn more about Charlene Lewis and the Art in Context Team.