I Thought Neutrals Were Cold Until I Saw Olympic Medalists Madison Chock and Evan Bates’ Chic Home – This Palette Finally Feels Cozy
The medalists keep their Montreal living room light and airy with neutral furnishings and an open-storage coffee table (for a timeless look)
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Twice a week
Homes&Gardens
The ultimate interior design resource from the world's leading experts - discover inspiring decorating ideas, color scheming know-how, garden inspiration and shopping expertise.
Once a week
In The Loop from Next In Design
Members of the Next in Design Circle will receive In the Loop, our weekly email filled with trade news, names to know and spotlight moments. Together we’re building a brighter design future.
Twice a week
Cucina
Whether you’re passionate about hosting exquisite dinners, experimenting with culinary trends, or perfecting your kitchen's design with timeless elegance and innovative functionality, this newsletter is here to inspire
Representing Team USA in figure skating at this year's winter Olympics, Madison Chock and Evan Bates will find themselves in Milan's athlete village shortly. However, when it comes to their own home, they like to keep things calm, cozy, and neutral.
As seen on their Instagram page, the couple and gold medalists decorate their Montreal home with modern, minimalist decor, and it's a look we can get behind (even if you don't think you like neutrals, as I initially did).
Shop the Neutral Living Room Edit
I think that this luxurious piece offers the same sense of coziness as the couch in Madison Chock and Evan Bates’ photo. It's soft and undeniably chic, but it still carries a sense of warmth that makes me want to curl up with a cup of coffee.
This sleek, marble coffee table is a perfect piece for displaying books and decorative objects. The open construction features six intricately designed columns and sits between the circular foundation and top, exuding a retro elegance that upgrades any living room.
Soft furnishings are the simplest ways to bring texture into your space without breaking the bank – and this bouclé pillow is my top pick. It's available in a variety of neutral shades, from camel to cream.
Dial up the cozy charm with this throw blanket. Combining chunky knit fabric with a fringed trim, it's rustic and yet refined, with a blend of textural details that create instant visual interest.
These fuzzy blankets are crafted from 100% premium polyester microfiber. The design features a 4 cm long-hair fabric on one side and a soft, skin-friendly mink fleece on the reverse, seamlessly stitched together with durable seams. It's a must-have for any textured living room.
This bowl celebrates the centuries-old tradition of Portuguese ceramics. Inspired by the five-pointed shape of its namesake fruit, each piece brings a touch of nature into your home with subtle elegance and refined detail.
David Harris, design director at Andrew Martin, understands the subtle power of neutrals and how, against conventions, they can bring the perfect amount of interest to a room. He begins with an accent chair, but you can get the same effect with a living room sofa like Madison and Evan's.
'A neutral accent chair can create a soft yet striking focal point, effortlessly updating the look and feel of a room. It's a simple yet powerful way to introduce style and personality into any interior, from living rooms and bedrooms to home offices and reading nooks,' he says.
Harris continues, 'Paired back linens offer a timeless and understated elegance, while boucle brings an element of texture that remains timeless and cool without overwhelming the space. Each fabric selection can dramatically alter the room's ambiance, making accent chairs not just practical seating, but a key aesthetic element of the design scheme.'
To recreate the look, add light furniture and accessories to your space, like this fuzzy throw from Amazon, and a sculptural bowl from Wayfair, which both add some fabulous texture to even the most neutral of spaces (especially when the latter is placed on a coffee table like theirs).
Who knew neutrals could feel this inviting? Madison and Evan show how minimalism can be both effortlessly cozy and endlessly stylish, turning understated shades and simple textures into a living space that (against all odds) feels warm, welcoming, and full of personality. They've changed how I see this palette for good.
