b'Natural updateAs a designer who specialises in bathrooms and kitchens, Debbie Abercrombie couldnt help but choose a tile on which to base her colour schemea Multi-Stick from European Ceramic & Stone. When it comes to the hard surfaces of a bathroom, for example, there is less variety, less choice, so its best to start with tiles or flooring you love and build a paint scheme from there, she says. These are also the rooms of the house on which you spend the most money so while its always tempting to play it safe with all pale colours, Debbie sees this scheme as a progression from absolute safety. With the deeper, richer browns and unusual tile [thin strips of mosaic], its a little different but still elegant and timeless. She has Resene Quarter Silver Sand as the main colour, accented witha metallic paint (Resene Bandit) for a bit of fun. If the metallic is too adventurous you could always substitute Resene Nest Egg, she says. Itsanearthyschemewithwhiteto freshen it up, very much at home in our land of nature and sea. It reminds me of pumice and sand, and could easily be used in the rest of the house with shades of blue and green.Tocomplementtheschemeina bathroomorkitchen,Debbiewould choose pale timber cabinetry.ReseneQuarter Silver SandReseneStowawayReseneBanditReseneNest Egg44 words Sharon Neweypictures Mark Heaslip'