Trending to terracotta

From the Resene colour inspiration – latest looks gallery

While show-stopping bright reds may have been having a moment last year, the trend has shifted sharply and swiftly toward ruddier and muddier variations.

Now, terracotta ranging from slightly lighter Resene Tuscany and Resene Sante Fe to browner Resene Moccasin and Resene Raging Bull have become the hottest trending hues around.

Bitter orange shades, in particular, have been experiencing a sharp upswing in popularity and are perfect for stylish autumn decorating – especially when used with other spicy shades. The hue adds warmth and creates cosiness in the rooms, bringing with it a sense of optimism and dynamic energy.

Beautiful, fresh and contemporary, dusted greens, browns, pinks, blue and grey tones look lovely when mixed with bitter orange hues. Rooms painted and decorated entirely in warm colours look dramatic, but layering them with muted greens, romantic pinks, yellowish brown and elegant greys adds next-level sophistication to a modern interior.

In this decadent-looking lounge, the back wall is painted Resene Dark Buff while the shelf wall in front of it is painted Resene Korma to provide depth. To provide levity, the floor has been kept light in soft Resene Eighth Drought, a taupe stone hue, while the coffee and console tabletops have been painted Resene Twine, a fibrous brown.

To keep the tonal look from looking too ‘matchy-matchy’, each accessory has been painted a different contrasting colour. From the tall vase in Resene Alpaca to jug vase in Resene Raptor to the short vase in Resene Gold Coast, the ladder in Resene Chelsea Gem, the peg stool in Resene Sante Fe the candle sticks in Resene Mai Tai and the large bowl in Resene Cod Grey, there is plenty of variation. Yet, because their shapes are simple and the hues all fall within an ‘earthy’ palette, the scheme feels cohesive.

Similarly spicy shades like Resene Rusty Nail and Resene Café Royale lend themselves beautifully to desert pinks, beigey blushes or earthy olives like Resene Just Right, Resene Bone and Resene Hemlock balanced with toasted browns like Resene Lone Ranger, Resene Jambalaya and Resene Sambuca. Combine them all in a bedroom, lounge or dining area for a scorching hot look that’s the epitome of what’s ‘in’.

For something completely different, go for grown-up navy blue or antique oxidized red with your spiced browns and bitter oranges such as Resene Blue Night, Resene Biscay, Resene Persian Red or Resene Rustic Red instead. Use these colours on key accessories and artwork then bring in some cultured accents like a large kilim rug and plenty of natural woven textures for a sophisticated yet laid back look.

Even if you don’t consider yourself to be much of an artist, creating a simple artwork yourself using Resene testpots in colours that match your scheme on some high-quality paper will add a unique touch to your lounge. It’s also an easy way to tie a colour scheme together. The piece in this room was created using testpots in Resene Korma and Resene Gold Coast with details in permanent marker. If you feel too self-conscious to create something yourself, you can always get your kids to help. Even very young children, when given colours to match your space, can create some pretty spectacular abstract artwork. Who knows, it might even be worth something one day!

Accessories: Sunday Armchair in Velvet from Me & My Trend; Lodge Wool Throw from Paper Plane; Bloomsbury Cushion Cover, Bento Woven Cushion Cover, Twill Throw with Fringe, Moon Table Lamp, Veranda Candle, Fenris Rug from Citta; Books from Paper Plane & Father Rabbit; All other props are stylist’s own.

Styling by Gem Adams. Photography by Wendy Fenwick. 2020