BRING THE COLOURS OF THE COUNTRY HOME
Take inspiration from nature for your home’s colour schemes
ACOUNTRY HOME MEANS different things to different people, but when it comes to decorating, the goal is the same — choosing a colour palette that fits into the landscape. Whether you adopt the characteristically cosy charm of a traditional country interior or the sleek lines of a contemporary composition, there are ways of introducing colour to the home that can help it fit into its surrounds. These tips can also help an urban home to sit within its natural environment too.
“It’s not necessarily about blending in with the countryside,” says colour consultant Deanna Hills. “It’s about designing something to sit within those lush paddocks.”
Using a natural palette, like wood and stone, can serve as a connection between your interior and the surrounding landscape, but colours, too, can link indoors to out, and external walls to the landscape. Deep earthy exterior colours like Resene Ironsand and Resene Blackout, for example, will complement rural and bush surroundings, and works well in most situations. All of the Resene Blanc colours, which often throw a pink-mushroom undertone, have great compatibility with earthy colour schemes and would serve well on exterior trims or interior walls.
Resene Titania, a muted greyed greencream, works well for joinery, and is complemented by the smoky grey-green of Resene Ash, Resene Double Ash and Resene Tana, or the slightly greyer-green Resene Bone and Resene Quarter Taupe Grey, all complement a green landscape.
Materials as well as design techniques should be considered too; a mix of modern and traditional design can work well together.
There is no harm in playing on traditional and country styles and adding a modern twist. As they say, opposites attract, which means you can easily balance old with new, light with dark, and a mix of textures.
“Timber can help balance a house’s colour scheme, whether inside or out,” says Deanna. “For exteriors, for example, try a mix of light brick with a dark stain like Resene Woodsman Shadow Match and add a cedar soffit. Or the other way around — for a timber weatherboard house, try adding a traditional red brick to the chimney or a feature on the house.
Timber can help balance a house’s colour scheme, whether inside or out.
COLOUR CONSULTANT DEANNA HILLS
“For interiors, paint or whitewash those timber ceilings (try Resene Colorwood Whitewash) or add a timber wallpaper in the entry way.”
Wood stains allow the natural beauty of wood to shine through and, teamed with greens and greys, can pick out various elements of the landscape. Try Resene Woodsman Limed Gum (a soft, natural gumtree brown), Resene Woodsman Grey Green (a deep eucalyptus green) or Resene Woodsman Driftwood (a bleached, weathered, light brown).
How, though, can homeowners decide which colours will work for their house?
Resene colour consultant Jill Marsh advises homeowners to study their setting.
“If it’s a grand villa style set in the bush, for example, it can look stunning with a classic look of a Resene Karaka roof (a muddy, rainforest green), variations of Resene Lemon Grass (a smoky grey-green) on the walls, with Resene Half Rice Cake (a clean starchy white with a hint of yellow) on the windows.”
The Resene Whites & Neutrals collection is a great place to start, she says, but for new home builds or renovations, it’s important to plan first.
“I suggest that homeowners sit down and plan all aspects of the build or renovation. Look at houses similar to your own or the new build plans. Work out what you like and make sure you paint some large samples using Resene testpots to look at outside.”
For new home builds, consider the aluminium window frame colours too. “Lighter shades work best when there is a stunning view as they blend well with the glass.”
Bear in mind that there may be colour restrictions in certain areas due to local council guidelines. “New rural subdivisions quite often have control of colours for the exteriors and clients need to submit options for approval,” says Jill.
But neutrals and earthy tones are likely to be a safe bet.
A warm palette of neutral, earthy tones indoors can also help ‘warm up’ cold winters. Think Resene Sisal or Resene Double Sisal (a warm light beige with a hint of earthy green), Resene Half Craigieburn (an arid beige that has a touch more depth of green) and Resene Fossil, which has a soft earthy quality to it. Resene Truffle is a soft, warm light beige with a touch of taupe, and a complementary colour to this is Resene Arrowtown, a blend of olive and brown with a hint of yellow.
If looking for a richer, deeper neutral for accents, Resene Triple Friar Grey, a woven brown oxide, is ideal. Resene Grey Friars offers more depth, with its blue-grey reminiscent of a mountain range. Silveryblue greys are cooler, but they match stainless steel or the pale colour of natural stone.