Decorating Down to Earth
We’d do well in many areas of life to take notes from Mother Nature, and colours that remind us of her best work are worthy of our close attention when decorating our home interiors. Earthy tones are warming, welcoming and – as the name suggests – wonderfully grounding. While these hues often contain hints of brown, if you think they’re too beige, think again.
As well as fostering a nurturing connection to nature, warm, soothing, muted earth tones help to create mental breathing space and your overall wellbeing.
These adaptable hues have a down-to-earth appeal that makes them extremely accessible. Along with those soil-and-sand browns, stony greys, burnished oranges, muddied yellows, sea blues and leafy greens also fall into this category of naturally occurring colours, so before you visit your local Resene ColorShop for paint advice, head into the great outdoors to discover what hues you’re drawn to.
Many of today’s trending tones are rooted in nature
A resurgence in Tuscan tones, warm terracotta and brick hues, used in bedrooms and even bathrooms create a warm, cosy feel.
Dusty sage greens look lovely when layered together, and grey beige or ‘greige’ colours are especially good in kitchens. It’s a great shade for hiding marks, so wonderful for a child-friendly home, and greiges are so versatile: for cabinetry, a half wall feature or colour block, and for the outside of the house too.
A world of ideas
When sussing out which colours play well together, simply mimic the combinations found in natural settings. A good warm white creates a lovely feel for hallways, master bedrooms and bathrooms, and as a simple backdrop against which you can showcase your homeware.
Greige can team beautifully with whites, deep greens and a variety of muddied blues. It also works well next to pale timber, brass fixtures, linens and handmade tiles.
Terracotta tones work with a range of colours, from sage greens to deep blues, milky whites to hot yellows. They tend to love a good bit of greenery and dried florals, vintage rugs and wood.
Top nature tone tips:
• Extend your efforts to include a natural material palette too, by
bringing a veined marble benchtop and concrete flooring into your earth-toned kitchen, or teaming stone tiles and timber cabinetry with watery grey-green, snow white and coal-black accents in the bathroom.
• Texture in the form of furniture and soft furnishings (velvet cushions, woollen throws, linen bedding) helps make a tonal look more dynamic, while warm lighting will ensure an even more enticing effect.
• Another naturalistic scheme to try is one with sunset shades: dreamy pastel and lilac pinks, sky and sea blues, pale yellow and dusty coral could team with white and taupe in a bedroom or bathroom.
• Celebrate beautiful timber grain with Resene Colorwood wood stain inside, or Resene Woodsman for exterior timber. It will rejuvenate and enhance the timber colour while still allowing the grain to show through.
For more colour and paint ideas and inspiration, visit www.resene.co.nz/inspirationgallery.
Source: oneroof.co.nz