Decorating down to earth

From the Resene decorating blog

Many of today’s trending tones are rooted in nature.

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 undeniably worthy of our close attention when decorating our home interiors. Earthy tones are warming, welcoming and – as their name suggests – wonderfully grounding. While these hues often contain hints of brown, if you think they sound a bit beigey, think again.

Hawke's Bay-based stylist and curator of homeware store Blackbird Goods Gem Adams is renowned for her skilled use of such colours and says if you believe earthy hues are boring “you may just love brights – no judgement here! Or maybe you haven’t found ‘your’ earth tone. The antidote to boredom is accessing a broad range of neutrals, avoiding flat colours and looking instead for those with more depth.”

As a busy mother, Gem says she’s forever aiming to encourage a calm atmosphere in her household. She finds that as well as fostering a nurturing connection to nature, warm, soothing, muted earth tones help to do just that. “They create mental breathing space, and not being overstimulated can really help your overall wellbeing.”

Natural selection

Homely or sophisticated, depending on which way you play it, 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.

“I’m so inspired by nature,” says Gem. “I’ll find an item outside or take a photo of a scene I love, then search for its colour match against a Resene fandeck or with the free online Resene Colour Palette Generator. I’m always surprised at what pops out.”

Following the lead of sun-kissed French and Italian dwellings that wear this look so well, in terms of current trends, Gem says she’s seeing a resurgence in Tuscan tones, with clay colours having their time in the sun. “I've been enjoying seeing warm terracotta and brick hues used in bedrooms and even bathrooms,” she says. “They’re fun for a cosy outdoor space too, with floor cushions, a fire pit and cacti.”

Gem’s current earthy favourites include raw terracotta Resene Tuscany, sun-baked clay Resene Wild West and determined red Resene Raging Bull for on trend looks that communicate cocooning luxury. She says she washed her daughter’s bedroom with light sandalwood Resene Rascal mixed with Resene FX Paint Effects Medium, “for a sweet play on a girlish tone without going full princess”. Try Resene Wafer or Resene Cashmere as other options.

A world of ideas

Earth-tone love really is all around, so when sussing out which colours play well together, simply mimic the combinations found in natural settings. Unobtrusive yet inviting, Gem says you can’t beat a good warm white in an earthy scheme. “Lately I've been loving Resene Quarter Spanish White in main living spaces, and for me warm whites also create a lovely feel for hallways, master bedrooms and bathrooms,” says Gem. “Use classics like this and off-white cream Resene Cararra to lighten up your spaces and create a simple backdrop against which you can showcase your homeware. With warm whites, it’s all about bringing in the texture. Concrete, terrazzo, walnut tones, sheepskins, Indian cotton and dried florals work wonders.

“Greige can team beautifully with whites, deep greens and a variety of muddied blues. I love it next to pale timber, brass fixtures, linens and handmade tiles,” she continues. “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.” For complementary blues, look to serene blue-green Resene Thor, subdued mid-blue Resene Awash and Scandinavian blue Resene Seachange. For greens, consider pastoral Resene Clover, shadowy Resene Cabbage Pont, Spanish moss Resene Edward and greyed Resene Xanadu. Desert orange Resene Ayers Rock and mustard beige Resene Laser are contenders too. Did someone say lasers? Ain't nothing boring about this.

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 such as Resene Edward, Resene Half Barely There and Resene Double Cod Grey together.

• 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. Try Resene Vanilla Ice with Resene Urbane, Resene Quarter Frozen with Resene Nepal, or a combination of Resene Blank Canvas, Resene Coral Tree, Resene Quarter Spanish White and Resene Quarter Bison Hide to get the look.

• 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.

July 29, 2020

For more colour and paint ideas and inspiration, visit your local Resene ColorShop or get inspiration from other DIY decorators in the online Resene Inspiration Gallery.

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