Nicole Kidman’s living room features the biggest 'new neutral' color trend of 2023

Move over gray, beige is the new neutral on the block, and Nicole Kidman agrees. The actress, who is starring in Yellowstone creator Talor Sheridan’s latest show Special Ops: Lioness with Zoe Saldaña, showed off her brown-beige living room on Instagram.

The photo shows Nicole, perched elegantly on a taupe upholstered chair wearing a chic all-black ensemble. A caramel and chocolate-colored carpet lies beneath The Northman star’s pointed ballet flat. Behind her, wheat-toned curtains and a beige sofa steal the show. 

Nicole Kidman’s post illustrates a movement our designers have been discussing for months: the rise of beige as the new default neutral color. The tone is versatile, ranging from beige shades with earthy brown undertones, to those with a cream base. It is timeless and classic, perfectly capturing the understated elegance of the ‘quiet luxury’ trend.

Beige is popular because it falls into the category of ‘warm neutrals.’ Warm neutrals are neutral colors with a base of yellow, red, or orange. Common examples in interior design include beige, tan, and cream. ‘Warm neutrals are great because they make a room feel cozy and inviting. As opposed to cooler neutral colors like gray, warm neutrals have a friendlier feel. They allow a room to be both understated and comforting’ says Homes & Gardens deputy editor, Jennifer Ebert.

If you are interested in decorating your own beige living room, Jennifer recommends layering textures to keep the tone interesting. 'When decorating with beige, mixing textures keeps the look layered and complex, rather than falling flat. Varied textures add depth and make the room look more interesting.’ 

Nicole Kidman’s design perfectly captures this principle. In the actress’s living room, each piece is made of a different material. From the rough stripes of the rug to the smooth velvet of an army green throw pillow, the texture keeps Nicole’s neutral look visually stimulating.

Homes & Gardens deputy print editor, Jo Bailey recommends layering with off-white, black, or warm accent colors to keep the look fresh when decorating with beige. She suggests choosing warm white if you want the space to look brighter, black for a more contemporary look, and warm accents to add depth.

Shop Nicole Kidman's look

Let this underrated shade be the star of your next living room redesign, and you’ll be in great company.