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Down to earth


From habitat plus - decorating and colour trends 2022

The decade long obsession with motifs, colours, materials and silhouettes popular in the 80s has waned and made way for 1970s influences.

This new trend is playing out through both colours but also with textures through earthy, handmade artisanal elements like pottery, macrame and dried floral arrangements.

When it comes to colours, look to browns from suede to espresso like Resene Dusty Road and Resene Felix, rich adobe terracotta like Resene Sante Fe and Resene Tuscany, avocado greens like Resene Avocado and Resene Lichen and biscuit beiges like Resene Double Biscotti and Resene Half Akaroa to bring today’s tones to your walls, flooring and furniture.

A warm Mediterranean style lounge

A palette of soft, baked earthy tones

Lounge: Channel the warmth of the Mediterranean with a subtly mottled paint effect in earthy hues. Wall and large vase in Resene Wild West with Resene FX Paint Effects Medium coloured with Resene Sante Fe, floor in Resene Blank Canvas, table and daybed base in Resene Korma, arch in Resene Wild West, plant pot in Resene Sand, pendant lamp in Resene Alabaster and artwork in Resene Nero. Rug, cushions and glass from Città, bag from Blackbird Goods. Moodboard: To reduce stress in the home, look to a palette of soft, baked earthy tones. These hues elicit feelings of warmth and comfort through the psychological and emotional response they trigger. Background in Resene Pearl Bush, plate in Resene Half Doeskin, rolling pin in Resene Lone Ranger, bowls in Resene Chelsea Gem (centre) and Resene Twine (with eggs), pinch pot in Resene Rebel and wood board stained in Resene Colorwood Natural.

Toasty terracotta

The word terracotta is borrowed from Italian and translates to ‘baked earth’, so it doesn’t get much toastier or earthier than these clay-coloured hues. It’s the oxidisation of the iron rich soils used to create the porous pottery which shares the moniker that you can thank for the colour, which is undeniably warming when used in quantities both large and small.

Tap into a Tuscan vibe with walls and ceilings in popular varieties like Resene Wild West, Resene Crail, Resene Korma or Resene Sante Fe paired with warm off-white flooring in Resene Blank Canvas. Or invert the palette with walls in Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta and painted ‘terracotta tile’ flooring in Resene Tuscany with painted ‘grout’ in Resene Raven.

An elegant and warm colour palette

Painted tile effect in room with a brown/orange colour scheme

Daybed: Bring a touch of elegance to your warm paint colours by pairing them with brass or gold metallics, white marble finishes and rich fabrics like leather, velvet or raw silk. Wall and floor in Resene Half Scotch Mist, vases (from left) in Resene Half Scotch Mist, Resene Leather and Resene Lemon Twist. Table and daybed from Contempa.  Tile effect: Wall in Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta, ‘tile’ floor in Resene Tuscany with grout in Resene Raven, door in Resene Felix, cabinet in Resene Blank Canvas with inset door panels in Resene Gold Coast (background) and Resene Double Dutch White (hatching), hook racks and shelf in Resene Double Dutch White, pendant lamp in Resene Dutch White and artwork and small accessories in Resene Tuscany, Resene Gold Coast, Resene Blank Canvas, Resene Eighth Pearl Lusta and Resene Double Dutch White.

Top tip:  Stain timber in Resene Colorwood wood stain to enhance the visual texture in your space and reinforce nature’s touch.

Brown comes back around

Not since the 1990s – and, before that, the 1970s – has brown been as big a deal as it is right now. Hues like Resene Leather, Resene Dusty Road, Resene Brown Sugar and Resene Brown Pod are skyrocketing in popularity, likely for their ability to simultaneously ground and warm the spaces that they’re used in – both highly desirable qualities to bring into a busy, contemporary home. But unlike the one-dimensional browns of the 90s, these variations are richer and more complex with spirited undertones that love to be layered with one another or blended with greys, beiges and taupe, such as Resene Mondo, Resene Half Akaroa and Resene Half Nomad.

A warm brown lounge
Wall in Resene Double Biscotti. Furnishings from Nood.

A brown and beige colourn scheme

A rich brown colour scheme

Brown/neutral room: Back wall in Resene Quarter Linen, right wall in Resene Leather, skirting board in Resene Coral and floor stained in Resene Colorwood Dark Ebony. Stool and white vases from Domo, artwork from Mood Store, dark vase from Republic Home.  Brown room: Wall in Resene Leather, cabinet in Resene Coral and ribbed vase in Resene Calico. Shelf from Città, white vase from Domo, face sculpture from Republic Home.

Two ways with rugs

If you’re having a big party – especially one where there might be a number of little ones running around the house – there is the potential for your rug to become a tripping hazard. If pulling it out before the party will leave your space a little lacking on the style front, try painting a ‘rug’ underneath to carry on your colour scheme while removing the risk. This strategy can also be helpful if your rug is too chunky or cosy for warmer weather but is a necessity for keeping toes toasty during the colder months.

A brown and neutral dining room with a rug

A painted rug effect

Wall in Resene Half Akaroa, floor in Resene Mondo with painted rug (right) in Resene Lichen, Resene Dusty Road, Resene Brown Sugar and Resene Brown Pod, large vase in Resene Lichen, small vase in Resene Mondo and DIY artwork in Resene Quarter Akaroa with shapes in Resene Mondo, Resene Brown Sugar, Resene Half Akaroa, Resene Half Nomad, Resene Lichen, Resene Dusty Road and Resene Brown Pod. Table from Nood, chairs from Mood Store, rug from Freedom, dishes from Briscoes, tea towel from H&M Home.

Top tip:  Add tactile earthy Mediterranean-style texture with Resene Sandtex or Resene Resitex. Or use Resene FX Paint Effects Medium to create a limewashed look.

Timber touches

Given the natural beauty inherent to wood grain, it’s no wonder that timber walls, ceilings, flooring and joinery are all trending. But even if you want to embrace a natural look, timber needs to be properly protected and maintained to keep it looking great for years to come. It’s important to protect your timber from harmful UV rays, inside and out, so it’s recommended to use Resene Woodsman stain outside and Resene Colorwood stain inside to help block out some of the sun’s harsh radiation.

For the most natural look, choose a Resene wood stain colour that’s most similar to your wood’s natural colour. Or for a more dramatic look, opt for a popular darker colour like Resene Colorwood Bark, Resene Pickled Bean, Resene Colorwood Iroko or Resene Pitch Black.

Timber walls and ceilings

Timber wall and ceiling finished in Resene Aquaclear, right wall in Resene Alabaster. Design by Totem Studio Architects, image by John Foster.

Did you know?  Resene has a range of stains and oils so that you can stain both interior and exterior timbers? Check out the Resene Woodsman range for exterior use and the Resene Colorwood range for interior use in colours ranging from natural to bright.

Layering warm and cool timber tones

Try layering a mix of warm timber tones and cool neutrals together for a rich and cosy look that doesn’t feel too ‘matchy-matchy’. Back wall in Resene Triple Merino, timber wall (left) stained in Resene Colorwood Pickled Bean, grooved wall (right) in Resene Quarter Karaka, shelves in Resene Settlement, floor stained in Resene Colorwood Uluru and desk in Resene All Black. Artwork from endemicworld.
 

Resene Iroko

Resene Uluru
 

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Colours shown on this website are a representation only. Please refer to the actual paint or product sample. Resene colour charts, testpots and samples are available for ordering online.   See measurements/conversions for more details on how electronic colour values are achieved.

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