If you aren’t on the minimalist trend bus, you may find yourself utterly confused when you look at the homes of those who are.
From tiny houses to neutral colors, they’re signs of someone making an active choice to tone things down, and for those who’ve lived without enough space, or with limited freedom of expression, it can seem unappealing.
Regarding parenting, this hits another level entirely, and an entire snark community has risen to respond to “sad beige” nurseries, baby toys, and decor. Now a doctor is responding, and says that the style choice won’t damage kids, as long as parents follow certain limits.
The “Sad Beige” Trend
For those who like the neutral aesthetic, it looks like clean lines and calm colors—it’s sort of like someone pointed a remote at all the colors in the room and hit “mute.” It’s very relaxing, and it’s easy to see if anything is out of place because anything that doesn’t belong in the room will contrast sharply.
For those who don’t like it, it’s like someone pointed a remote at all the colors and hit “mute,” and they can’t stand it. They find it dull, draining, dreary.
In particular, these folks can’t stand beige in a baby’s room. We all know that babies need bright, exciting colors to stimulate their little brains and grab their interest, right? One doctor says that’s true, but not to the extent we may think.
The Sad Beige Snark Community
Making fun of “sad beige,” especially when advertised as an aesthetic for children, has become a trend to rival the neutral trend itself. One TikTok account that satirizes such advertisements is even named @sadbeige and posts videos about the dullness of children’s clothing, decor, and toys that are all in neutral tones.
It comes up in parenting discussions everywhere. In fact, some parents have named the ‘sad beige nursery’ one of the parenting trends that needs to fade out (no pun intended) sooner rather than later.
What’s The Real Damage?
Okay, so many parents (and non-parents) agree that beige is boring, but then there are also people who don’t like rainbows, bookshelves, pastels, or sports memorabilia. We do all recognize that our rooms should suit our own tastes and that other people have no obligation to choose our preferences over their own.
But is it okay for babies? It’s true that many of the kids in those very beige ads seem pretty sad.
Dr. Lisa Diard, a pediatrician at the Cleveland Clinic, says it’s just an aesthetic choice. While it may be unappealing to some adults, infants really don’t care.
What Infant Eyes Really Need
Dr. Diard says that newborns aren’t looking at much anyway, and in their early months, babies are more sensitive to contrast than to specific colors.
In other words, while bright reds can be very appealing, black and white, as can black and beige, can also meet this need for visual contrast. So, while it’s important for babies to see contrast, that doesn’t necessarily have to be a very colorful palette.
She also says that what interests young babies most isn’t their bedroom wallpaper or the cartoon nursery theme—it’s real human faces. They’d rather see mom and dad (and siblings!) than a rainbow-filled Noah’s Ark menagerie.
Getting Out Of The Nursery
Another key point is that most babies should see more than just their nursery anyway. Sure, Dr. Diard says, the nursery may be neutral, but once the baby is interested in looking at things, he’s on the go a bit more.
Baby gets to see bright green trees, flowers in the garden, houses, and cars of all colors on his street, bright clothing, colorful books at the library, and an overwhelming array of eye-catching colors at the grocery store and anywhere else that advertising exists.
As long as he’s experiencing colors, they don’t necessarily have to be in his nursery.
The Freedom Of Being Beige
The pediatrician also says that while outsiders may see the neutral colors as limiting and dull, to those who choose them, keeping to that color scheme is a sign of freedom. It’s one example of a parent choosing to focus on their own needs instead of always supplanting them. She says:
“Becoming a parent involves a lot of sacrifices: Sleep, money and time are just the start. Sensory overload is basically a way of life. Many so-called sad beige parents describe their home aesthetic as a form of self-care — as a way of both asserting their identity and creating a calm, relaxing environment. Sure, most things about life are changing. But their décor doesn’t have to!”
We all know moms need self-care where they can get it, especially now that we’re so stressed. The Surgeon General is trying to step in and provide some relief for parents who are collectively over our limit.
When To Pump The Brakes, Though?
Dr. Diard sets two limits on beige-ing the baby.
First, don’t paint the toys. If the blocks are rainbow-colored, either let them be or put them in a cabinet when not in use. There’s too much risk, she says, in adding more chemicals to something that you know an infant is going to chew on, so don’t try it.
Second, she says, once your child is old enough to have their preferences, they should be allowed to have them. She says that once your kid gets a taste of color, they’re going to want what they want, and it’s appropriate to find compromises.
She suggests letting your child have their own room in the colors they prefer, and keeping other areas neutral, and allowing seasonal decorations, for example, but setting a limit on how long they can stay in shared parts of the house.
And if you’re still disturbed by the decor in other people’s houses, there’s a community on social media waiting to share the humor with you.