Camel: The Timeless Color For Fall

by Randi Destefano

Timeless. A much overused word when it comes to color, but you can’t avoid it when you’re talking about camel. Its everlasting appeal, patrician good looks, and fresh attitude have long made camel a favorite for fashion and interior designers alike. Camel is a color that resembles the hair on a (surprise!) camel. The first recorded use of the word as a color name was in 1916, which is why “timeless” does seem so appropriate for this sophisticated semblance.

This fall on runways, Gucci, Chloé, and Dries all paid homage to fashion’s most decadent neutral. It’s now making it’s way into homes. Maybe it’s because Camel plays so well with other colors, or maybe because it can make even the most boisterous tint behave. Surely the fact that it is timeless, and won’t look outdated, is an excellent reason to think about adding this fall’s hottest color to your home.

Here are 4 tips on how to incorporate all that’s great about camel into your existing color scheme:

• Spice it up with red, or go elegant with Navy. Try adding a camel sofa or chaise to a red or navy blue room.

• Strike a balance. Tone down an bright orange or electric turquoise in your home with subdued camel mohair.

• Keep it classic. Use camel as your wall color and create some subtle contrasts with orchid velvets and white linens. White and blue with camel can give a classic, even nautical feel.

•  Get an edge. A black-lacquer table stands out surrounded by ebony chairs upholstered in a camel-colored leather the same way a black  turtleneck looks great under a camel hair coat. This is the most edgy and attention-grabbing way to incorporate camel, so before taking this leap be sure to consider how this color scheme blends with the adjoining spaces of your home.