b'burnished oranges, earthy and tan browns, nature-inspired greens,With an understated chic and an environmental underpinning, the vivid reds and reddened purples meet slate blues and soft neutrals. hues of The Range 2009 are brought together in a warm palette of Hues in The Range 2009 seem familiar and comfortable, with fewerwellbeing.daring bolds compared to earlier in the decade. While colours may be becoming clearer, the prevalence of mid tones The excitement of the internet revolutionised the last decade andmeans that we are using colour in gentle harmony rather than as a brought with it a bevy of hi-tech advances. As we have becomedramatic contrast. Again, this points to our need for comfort and increasingly surrounded by gadgets there has been a partial rebellion,relaxation in a jarring, busy world. Varying sheen levels and textures a desire to reach back to artisan and natural designs to make modernprovide visual interest rather than strong chromatic contrasts.day life more emotional and less hi-tech and untouchable. New Zealanders and Australians are well-known for their desire to This yearning back to the simpler life, has also been seen in thechange homes regularly but in these days of economic uncertainty move towards organic foods and handmade products. Electronicand flattening real estate markets, many of us are deciding to stay gadgets once seen as a luxury, are now commonplace, so much soput and change what we already have. Paint is an affordable way that handcrafted items are the new luxury. Handmade, thoughtful,to quickly change the look of an interior, and colour can instantly one-of-a-kind home furnishings and accents balance our feelingschange the character of a room. in a world we cannot control.Consumers are looking for productsColours power to lift the human psyche is well recognised and a that look old and handmade, not mass produced, for an emotionalkey driver along with growing consumer demand for choice towards connectiontotheirpossessions.Urbansophisticationhasbeengreater colour use in all areas.reinvented with the melding of technology with nature.Its no surprise then, that green continues to anchor the palette, ranging from healthy greens drawn from landscapes and agricultureWith an understated chic and to clean greens.an environmental underpinning, In The Range 2009 we see this environmental focus underpinning the hues of The Range 2009 are avarietyofhues,aseventheredsandpurplestendtowards brought together in a warm palette vegetal colours.of wellbeing.That trend also continues into timber colours, with dark shades like wenge, being replaced by paler varieties like bamboo. We have done dark timber cabinetry to death, says Debbie. Even the kitchen is becoming more colourful, after years of white Neutral schemes will always have their place, says interior designercabinetry. Appliances are no longer necessarily stainless steel or Rachael Buxton. Some people will always feel more comfortablewhite,asleadingmanufacturerstemptourpalateswithwider using mostly neutrals but will bring colour in through accents, suchcolour choices. as a colourful chair or ornaments or patterned cushion.ThekitchencontinuestomorphfromaplaceofcookingtoThere is a definite resurgence of the use of colour, moving awaya family haven, where families come together to assemble, socialise fromblandinteriors.Also,cleaner,clearercoloursarecomingand eat.through rather than the sludgy, greyed tones weve been using, says Rachael.46'