Summer VIBE
Here are some summer colours to revitalise your interior
Wwarm days of summer, and colours that replicate the season, whether simple hints or a broader expanse, lift our spaces in a resonating fashion.
“They give you a sense of warmth that can be inviting,” says Resene colour consultant Amy Watkins.
Although there isn’t one undertone that underlies these colours, they can have a common thread. “They can all have pastel undertones that can be used to lighten the space. This will prevent them being too strong and overpowering the room.”
To create an uplifting, on-trend summery interior that’s feel-good, look to warm neutrals. Pick your hero colour and from there layer with coloured surfaces such as shelves and doors, ceramics in fluid shapes and items made from natural materials. The dusty orange of Resene Terracotta Pink, the cream brown of Calico and the pale brown-pink of Pearl Bush are some of the on-trend neutrals gathering attention. Take a stairwell, for instance, coat your handrail in the bold sugary caramel of Chelsea Gem with vertical railings and stairs in the biscuit beige of Sand. Add to this the warm limestone beige of Coral on the surrounding walls.
“Sunset tones are very on-trend at the moment,” Watkins says. “Anything from blushed pink tones like Resene Blanched Pink or the pale terracotta tones of Beethoven. These tones are great for both the living areas and in your bedrooms.”
Think sun-kissed gatherings in the evening light, amid tones of peach, apricot and brick red in the skies above, feel-good decorating at its utmost!
Be bold and have fun by pairing walls in warm neutrals with soft furnishings in baby or navy blue check, pale pink patterns, sisal rugs and black and white stripes.
Extend your neutrals outdoors, onto a patio with bamboo screens, climbing plants and relaxed seating.
Step out further and embark on a 1970s vibe, blending pinks with caramels and soft browns, evoking a summer sunset feel with added pops of orange.
“Another trend is bringing in small hints of colour with the stronger yellow tones,” Watkins says. “The key with the yellow tones is if you’re putting it on the whole wall, make sure you enjoy it as that colour can often reflect onto the remaining walls in the room. An example of a fresh, clean yellow is Resene Turbo.”
If you feel some summery tones are too sugary for your taste, there is an array of hues that aren’t so candy-like.
“When colours have another undertone that comes from a different base, then it can help to soften the colour tone,” Watkins says. “For example, when choosing the colours from the yellow palette then introducing a slight orange edge to it helps soften the colour tone. Resene Tulip Tree is a golden yellow with a slight orange edge to soften the colour for large-scale projects.”
Select a hue that feels just right for you for bold and bright spaces, bringing new life to your interior. Next, apply your layers on top, be they in the form of furniture, murals or artwork.
Clear-sky blues and Mediterranean turquoises make for a calm, tranquil mood and casual elegance. This colour represents mental calm and serenity. Bask in a coastal interior reminiscent of seaside sanctuaries with the muted grey pastel of Resene Nepal, the dusky blue of Blue Moon or the fresh mid-range blue of Moby. Coat your kitchen cupboards, bathroom vanity or even your window frames in these seafaring hues.
If a richer interior is what stirs you, then go a touch deeper and embrace the colours that adopt a taste of the tropics. Contrast rich, teal tones with soft lavender and deep azure; think a hothouse garden, rich and inviting to the senses. Resene Teal Blue, Undercover and Lucky Point resonate equally in a luscious, sumptuous way.
Or go with a classic botanical look, bringing in textiles in leafy prints and a colourway built on soft pink, greens and yellow and cream.