What Is a Neutral Color?

By Staff WriterLast Updated March 30, 2020

Neutral colors include hues like beige, black, gray, ivory, taupe and white. Neutral usually means without color, but these hues sometimes have faint undertones of blue, gold, peach, pink, tan and yellow.

Neutral colors do not show up on the color wheel. People in fashion, decorating and other professions that use colors prominently refer to neutral colors as earth tones. These colors have a flexibility and visual balance that works in a number of settings. They also have a classic, subtle feel in rooms, clothing and furniture that also make use of bolder and more vibrant colors in their designs.