Define 'taupe'.

[StellaBlue]

I am ordering a comforter/duvet cover/quilt online today or tomorrow. I am decorating my bedroom as follows:

Taupe (I think - light brown with a touch of grey but not at all greenish - warm) walls with white doorjambs, baseboards, etc.

Maple 1950s bed with shelf headboard

Crystal lamps with like four tennis-ball sized orbs making up the base, either white or dark platinum/brown shades (not sure yet)

These pillows:
http://www.target.com/gp/cart/view.html/ref=gp_de_detail/602-0904213-1547059





Can I safely buy a comforter online that is described as 'taupe' and expect it to match?

Like this?


And - what is 'matelasse'?

Thanks for reading my offbeat post.

[StellaBlue]

1. please...

?

[Floogeldy]

2. Taupe is tricky.

You have to figure out the base color.

For example, I easily recognize blue-based black, brown-based black, and grey-based black.

I have owned taupe slacks that have just the slightest hint of a purple or blue base, in my opinion.

Taupe is complicated.

I am no expert and I wish I could help you further. Not to mention the subtle differences between our eyes and abilities to see colors.

[StellaBlue]

4. thanks!

[Floogeldy]

5. You are welcome and I left out green-based black.

It is out there.

;)

[Starlight]

3. Cool grey-beige

But I've seen some very non-taupe colors labeled "taupe". :shrug:

[KT2000]

6. matelasse is

a double fabric with raised woven designs, often jacquard, having a surface that looks puckered or quilted.

Taupe can be lots of things so it would probably be really difficult to match. The dictionary says it can be tinged with purple, yellow or green and I would also say pink.

If they take returns - you could just give it a try.

[StellaBlue]

7. thanks

That makes sense... I am looking for a taupe (I was thinking brown-grey) bedspread or duvet cover that has squares of stitching, as seen above. I am just concerned about whether it will match the pillows, as they are not a set... but I think I might order it and then send it back if not, as you suggest. They had a very similar one on sale at Wal-Mart for $20 two months ago, but I wasn't in the market then! The above one is from Target, and I would rather shop there, anyway.

Thanks!

[Midlodemocrat]

8. I think you could safely purchase it from target and then

return it if it wasn't what you were looking for.

[NV Whino]

9. Taupe can sometimes be a bit on the yellow side

If you are only worried about things matching, it's probably not a problem. Most things that come out in the same year use the same dyes. Matching stuff from different years can get really tricky.

[Taverner]

10. Soap in a toaster of course!

[Callalily]

11. I would describe taupe

as a whiter shade of pale.

[Deja Q]

12. Dark grayish-beige

[Cannikin]

13. taupe fabric

[Sanity Claws]

15. I would have called that "linen"

and would expect taupe to be deeper and with more gray.
People do define that color differently.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

14. beige with a touch of pink. It is a neutral color and goes with

just about everything. Matelesse" is a heavy brocade woven cloth, usually white, but not always. The edges are scalloped and not hemmed. There is usually a floral or geometric pattern woven in. The fabric is very heavy.

[StellaBlue]

16. Thanks guys!

I would've given this as an example of taupe, before all the answers above: