Is leopard print a neutral?
My whole family is a little ga ga for interiors. My older brother designs home theaters with his interior designer wife. My younger brother is a real estate lawyer and peruses the residential listings on a regular basis even though he and his wife are not planning on moving. We used to go to the Parade of Homes as a family, just for fun. So perhaps it is no surprise that my mom brought a fabric swatch to Mother's day brunch, and a debate about animal print ensued. (the swatch in question: a grey and white small scale leopard print, in consideration to reupholster a pair of slipper chairs in her den.)
My mother and I insisted that leopard is a neutral.
Everyone else disagreed.
Here's what dictionary.com says (after a whole bunch of definitions having to do with war and not taking sides, which, actually kind of relates to where I am going with this): "matching well with many or most other colors or shades, as white or beige."
This is, of course, the beauty of animal prints: they go with anything. From Victorian to Midcentury, Regency to Global, leopard print really never looks out of place.
I thought I'd do a little research on the matter, because the pictures don't lie.
For some reason, I especially love leopard print carpet as a "neutral". Check it.
My conclusion? Like anything else in design, so much depends on the context. Let's compare two entires that use leopard.
Leopard is an indisputable neutral when you live in a crazytown of color, pattern, and styles because the color palette and earthiness can ground a room and the small scale organic pattern of it can keep things moving.
But put animal print into a pared down, neutral palette space? Suddenly it is the star of the show.
Not so neutral now.
How about you: would you use leopard as a neutral?
And watch for a roundup of zebra. Coming soon.
My mother and I insisted that leopard is a neutral.
Everyone else disagreed.
Here's what dictionary.com says (after a whole bunch of definitions having to do with war and not taking sides, which, actually kind of relates to where I am going with this): "matching well with many or most other colors or shades, as white or beige."
This is, of course, the beauty of animal prints: they go with anything. From Victorian to Midcentury, Regency to Global, leopard print really never looks out of place.
I thought I'd do a little research on the matter, because the pictures don't lie.
[Miles Redd]
[Domino]
[House Beautiful]
[Domino]
[Domino]
[Traditional Home]
[Traditional Home]
[New York Living]
[Muriel Brandolini, New York Living]
For some reason, I especially love leopard print carpet as a "neutral". Check it.
[Domino]
[Domino]
When I first embarked on this leopard print journey, one of the first spaces I thought of was this apartment of Hamish Bowles in his days at Vogue (maybe he's still there? I didn't see him in The September Issue, a documentary about Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington which is a MUST see.)
Leopard carpet PLUS accessories.
[Hamish Bowles, New York Living]
My conclusion? Like anything else in design, so much depends on the context. Let's compare two entires that use leopard.
Leopard is an indisputable neutral when you live in a crazytown of color, pattern, and styles because the color palette and earthiness can ground a room and the small scale organic pattern of it can keep things moving.
[Hamish Bowles, New York Living]
But put animal print into a pared down, neutral palette space? Suddenly it is the star of the show.
[Jeffrey Bilhuber's Design Basics]
Not so neutral now.
How about you: would you use leopard as a neutral?
And watch for a roundup of zebra. Coming soon.