Decorating With Natural Colours and Textures

Decorating With Natural Colours and Textures

Decorating With Natural Colours and Textures

Colour can be one of the most exciting aspects of decorating. These days there are no real boundaries and recent trends have broken every rule so that any shade is acceptable. This can make finding the right colours for a room a daunting task because there is literally an infinite number of choices. Sometimes it is best to take a step back and perhaps look for a colour scheme where no single colour is dominant and a harmonious balance is achieved.

One idea is to use a natural palette of colours. These are rustic tones which conjure up savoury images of the good things in life; simple things that give pleasure to our senses such as home-baked bread and home-grown produce. Natural colours go hand in hand with different textures and the sense of touch takes on an important role.

Natural colours work well in rooms with good natural light as this enhances the connection with nature. Subtle and muted shades of natural woods, white and cream make calm and relaxing backdrops for living.

It can be quite difficult using such a colour palette to its best advantage and it can take some skill to do well. Natural shades are not always strong enough to work as flat colours and that is why a variation and contrast in textures is also needed. Rather then just choosing a pleasant natural shade for a wall, thought should also be given as to whether the wall should be rough or smooth, or even draped with fabric. Done well, this type of colour scheme can be quite sensual and very beautiful.

A natural palette will help you to bring a sense of calm and serenity to your home. It is because of this that many people favour this style as a focus for a bedroom. Thinking in terms of a few muted natural shades and a selection of textures can help you to produce an interior which is uncluttered and quite serene. Once you have decided upon the underlying colours then choose some furniture to match. If you select items with clean and simple lines then you will find it easier to achieve a sense of harmony. Furniture made from natural wood will work together with the understated natural hues and give a zen-like balance to your environment.

In such a scheme it is often worthwhile to pare down your belongings and pick out one or two objects of beauty for your eye to focus on. In the Western world this may be viewed as a modern contemporary scheme but the philosophy behind it is thousands of years old and is familiar throughout the East. It is not always practical to turn your whole home over to this style but it is a good idea to have at least one room in the house which has a calm and inviting space.