Beige is a pale, light brown color that can be described as a pale tan or a grayish-yellow. It’s a neutral and versatile shade that has been popular in interior design and fashion for many years. Many common household objects and materials come in beige and shades close to it. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most common beige objects found around the home and in nature.
Furniture
Beige is a popular color for furniture, especially in living rooms, bedrooms, and offices. It creates a light, airy, and calming effect. Some examples of beige furniture include:
– Couches and armchairs
– Coffee tables and side tables
– Dressers and nightstands
– Office desks and bookshelves
– Dining room chairs and tables
Upholstered furniture like couches and chairs often come in light beige fabrics made of linen, cotton, or microfiber. Wood furniture like dressers and bookshelves can have a warm beige stain or paint finish. Wicker and rattan furniture also commonly comes in natural light beige tones.
Walls and Ceilings
Painting walls and ceilings a soft beige is also a very popular decorating choice, as it makes a room feel open and serene. Different hues like sand, tan, almond, and khaki can vary the look while still giving a neutral beige effect.
Beige is recommended for nearly any room in the house – living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, and offices. It complements both light and dark furniture excellently. Lighter beige shades even work well with white trim and decorate elegantly.
Carpeting and Rugs
Plush beige carpeting and area rugs are common sights in many homes. Their versatility and ability to hide dirt and stains make them practical flooring choices.
Carpets come in endless neutral tones from light biscuit to deep umber beiges. Berber carpeting with its flecked two-tone beige pattern remains widely popular as well.
Beige shag rugs are a classic and cozy addition to living rooms and bedrooms. Larger area rugs come in subtle patterns and hues like stone, tan, or cream beige. The soft neutrality pairs with any style.
Kitchen Appliances
In the kitchen, many appliances like refrigerators, dishwashers, and ovens come in – you guessed it – beige! The light, clean look blends in with most kitchen designs.
Some examples include:
– Refrigerators in shades like almond, bisque, or champagne
– Ovens and ranges in tan, cream, or sandy beige
– Microwaves with a warm almond finish
– Dishwashers in light sand tones
These beige appliances have an unassuming, neutral presence that fits well in both traditional and modern kitchens.
Bathroom Fixtures
The bathroom is another place you will find beige equipment like:
– Toilets and bidets in almond, sand or biscuit colors
– Sinks in shades of ivory, manila, or peach beige
– Bathtubs with a matte bisque or tan finish
– Shower tiles in light stone or cream beiges
These muted tones help make small bathrooms feel more open and relaxed. Beige bathrooms also avoid looking dated, as very white bathrooms sometimes can.
Bedding
From sheets to blankets to pillows, beige bedding creates a calm, welcoming look in bedrooms. Some specific examples include:
| Sheets | Light tan, stone, ivory |
| Comforters | Khaki, oatmeal, biscuit |
| Blankets | Fawn, buff, sand |
| Pillowcases | Cream, camel, linen |
Crisp white sheets paired with beige blankets and shams makes a lovely combination. Beige bedding also complements wood furniture nicely in a bedroom.
Blinds and Shades
Window treatments are another place beige shows up around the home. Light filtering vinyl or wooden blinds often come in neutral beige tones. Some examples:
– Almond colored vinyl mini-blinds
– Faux-wood blinds in wheat or tan
– Natural bamboo shades in beachy beige hues
– Roman shades in creamy ivory tones
These provide soft light control without strongly impacting the room’s color scheme. Beige window treatments blend in but still add decorative interest.
Office and School Supplies
Beige makes a frequent appearance among common office and school supplies as well:
– Manila file folders and envelopes
– Wide-ruled notebook paper
– Corrugated cardboard boxes
– Craft paper bags
– Post-it notes and sticky pads
– Pencils and pens
– Highlighters and markers
– Rulers and erasers
The natural kraft paper and cardboard material used in many supplies lends itself to beige, tan, and cream shades. Pencils also often come painted in warm beige tones. These muted colors have a clean, professional look.
Foods and Beverages
Some foods and drinks have beige colors as well. Baked goods, grains, and creamy or starchy items commonly have beige hues. A sampling includes:
| Breads | Dinner rolls, biscuits, crackers |
| Grains | Oatmeal, cream of wheat, grits |
| Produce | Mushrooms, potatoes, cauliflower |
| Dairy | Milk, butter, cream cheese |
| Meats | Cooked poultry and fish |
Warm, neutral beige tones are also found in coffee drinks like lattes, cappuccinos, and cream-filled pastries. Overall, many comforting, staple foods share this earthy hue.
Pets
Some animal species commonly have beige-colored fur, feathers, or skin, including:
– Dogs – Beagles, pugs, French bulldogs, wheaten terriers
– Cats – Siamese, ragamuffins, some mixed breeds
– Rodents – Chinchillas, hamsters, dormice, jerboas
– Birds – Pigeons, doves, sandpipers, quails
– Reptiles – Geckos, some snakes and turtles
This neutral beige tone helps these animals blend into natural landscapes well for camouflage. It’s one of the most common fur colors across many domestic pets too.
Vehicles
While brighter colors have grown in popularity, some cars, trucks and motorcycles still come painted in beige tones:
– Sandy gold metallic
– Desert khaki
– Champagne silver
– Desert sand matte
– Cream pearl coat
– Taupe glaze finish
These neutral beiges have a classic, understated look. They also hide dirt well compared to darker colors. Some automakers offer beige leather upholstery to match a vehicle’s exterior paint.
Clothing and Accessories
In addition to interior decor and everyday items, clothing and fashion accessories are available in a wide spectrum of beige hues:
– Jackets in stone, khaki, dune, oatmeal
– Pants in tan, ecru, fawn, buttercream
– Dresses and skirts in ivory, buff, champagne, honey
– Sweaters in oat, camel, nude, almond, wheat
– Scarves in linen, chestnut, biscuit, cream
– Hats in sand, pecan, taupe, desert rose
From casual wear to office attire to formalwear, beige clothing flatters most skin tones. It became especially trendy in the 2010s with the rise of “millennial beige.” Shoes and handbags also commonly come dyed or stitched in natural-looking beige.
Fabrics
Many fabrics and textiles are woven or knit using beige threads and yarns:
– Cotton in ivory, stonewashed, oatmeal, khaki
– Linen in flax, fawn, buff, straw
– Wool in oat, camel, taupe, shell, tan
– Cashmere in blond, sand, stone, pecan
– Silk in champagne, biscuit, desert sand
– Suede and nubuck leather in mushroom, tan, sandstorm
From casual T-shirts to tailored suits to cozy blankets, beige fabrics have a soft, relaxed aesthetic. They feel light and breezy in warm weather but also look great layered in winter.
Makeup and Skin Care
Many makeup and skin care products come formulated in beige tones to match a wide range of skin tones:
– Foundations in shades like nude, sand, warm ivory
– Concealers in wheat, cream, almond, khaki
– Powders in buttercream, cream tan, pale olive
– Lipsticks and glosses in mocha, latte, biscotti
– Blushes in sandstone, taupe, desert rose
Cosmetics use beige hues to create soft, neutral looks. The tones are versatile for contouring and highlighting different complexions as well. Beige-toned makeup aims to look clean and natural.
Flowers
While bright and vivid blooms get more attention, some flowers and plants have subtle beige petals and leaves:
– Orchids in cream, khaki, sand, nude
– Asters in tan, stone, beige, champagne
– Chrysanthemums in ivory, mauve, buff, gold
– Tulips in rustic provincial, pink buffoon, beige impressions
– Succulents like sea pork, mini pine trees
These muted blooms work beautifully in floral arrangements of all styles. They provide an earthy, soothing contrast to more colorful flowers. Dried beige flowers are popular in potpourri too.
Nature
Looking around the natural landscape, beige hues exist among:
– Sand – fine crushed pale stone and seashells
– Pebbles – small smooth rounded rocks
– Tree trunks – weathered oak, birch, pine bark
– Seashells – clams, scallops, empty sand dollars
– Desert rocks – limestone, siltstone, sandstone
– Grasses – dried hay, wild oats, buffalo grass
Mother Nature provides endless inspiration for beige colors. You can find various beige minerals, vegetation, and critters across different ecosystems as well.
Conclusion
As we’ve seen, beige is far more than just “boring” – it’s actually one of the most ubiquitous colors found on everyday objects, materials, foods, animals, and nature. The neutral tone blends in yet adds subtle visual interest. From the sheets on your bed to the computer paper on your desk, beige surrounds us more than we may consciously notice. Next time you spot a beige item, take a moment to appreciate the nuances of its unique shade. The versatile color is sure to remain a popular choice across many domains for years to come.