America Ferrera's innovative living room color scheme makes this 'outdated' shade look so elegant

In recent years, the popularity of gray has been fading in favor of warmer neutrals like brown, tan, and beige. Luckily for lovers of the shade, the versatility of neutrals means they will always come back in new forms. 

America Ferrera's gray living room is perfect evidence for this. The Golden Globe-nominated Barbie actress's living room makes this 'outdated' hue look undeniably modern and chic. Her space features light gray curtains and watercolored green and gray wallpaper. Textural accents like a mohair shag chair, cream and brown carpet, and warm lighting give the color a cozy and elegant energy.

'Paired with the wrong accents, gray can look very outdated,' says Jennifer Ebert, digital editor of Homes & Gardens. 'America's decor avoids this pitfall.'

'When put together with only cool whites and blacks, a gray room has a very cold energy. However, the pinks, greens, and browns in this space create an organic look. The naturally-inspired color palette turns the shade timeless.'

Jennifer Ebert

Jen is the Editor (Digital) of Homes & Gardens. Before starting this position, she had completed various interior design courses at KLC Design School, as well as working across Ideal Home, LivingEtc, 25 Beautiful Homes and Country Homes & Interiors as an interiors writer.

Interior designers swear by America's green-gray color combination, as seen in her marbled wallpaper. 

Carlin van Noppen, interior designer and founder of Fig Linens and Home, states: 'Regardless of which neutrals are trending, green and gray together are always a classic. It's a combination that appears constantly in nature; think rocks on the river. The addition of pink in America Ferrera's space adds an additional warmth and surprising color that adds visual interest.'

Carlin Van Noppen

Carlin Van Noppen is a Connecticut-based interior designer, and the founder of Fig Linens and Home, a luxury linens boutique based in Westport. She has over 20 years of experience providing design expertise for beautiful homes, hotels, yachts, and private planes.

Carlin adds that the way America has used texture in her interior design endows the room with its elegant feel. 'The brown, organically textured carpet paired with the chic, mohair chair creates a visual contrast that makes the design of the room feel much more complex and striking. These varied materials add dimension to the classic color palette.'

As colors cycle in and out, finding innovative ways to transform them can help you avoid frequent redecorations. America Ferrera's home is the perfect example of turning an unpopular shade like gray into something ultra-cool and elegant.