Bring nature in boldly by combining natural tones with contemporary colour.

Natural tones meet bold colours

Go bold: new ways to bring nature in

Using natural tones and textures alongside contemporary colours can give your home a bold new look.

There’s something soothing about the soft and subtle colours found in nature. The gorgeous greens of plants, the chocolatey browns in wood and the moody greys in stone. To give these classic hues an update, sometimes a touch of boldness is all it takes.

So follow our lead and add drama to your décor by contrasting natural tones with more daring colours. The beauty of this effect is in the unexpected – so be brave and experiment!

Work with the natural materials in your home

Contrast cool and calming colours from nature with bright and bold tones.

Contrast natural materials with bold tones

Natural materials, such as stone and wood, work well to bring the outdoors in. But to keep things modern, contrast their cool and calming colours with bright and bold tones.

Why not paint half of a pale wooden wall electric blue for a look that’s part country, part city? Or set off a natural stone fireplace with burnt orange and emerald green? Complement with colourful contemporary furniture made from natural materials to complete the picture. It’s elegance at its most eclectic.

Furniture and accessories made from renewable natural materials like wood, cork and wool create the perfect backdrop for a bold colour palette and are also environmentally friendly.

Which paints?

Q1.31.49 / 10BG 22/248

D1.58.49 / 50YR 25/556

Contrast the classic with the contemporary

Cut through the clean white walls of a kitchen with a daring dash of lime

Contrasting colours

There’s nothing more neutral than an all-white kitchen. Clean and crisp, it’s a blank canvas that allows the food you cook and the drinks you serve to shine. But, to avoid it looking too cold and serious, try painting the splashback a vibrant and surprising shade, such as lime green. A pop of colour breaks up the room and combines the classic white look with the contemporary style of the green.

Which paints?

H2.55.65 / 94YY 46/629

Bring in natural furnishings

These are sometimes called tonal schemes because they involve layering up different tones of the same colour.

A monochromatic style scheme

Make the most of your natural furnishings by setting them off against look-at-me walls. A rustic wooden table really stands out against a rich green wall – nodding to its natural roots while giving it a modern look at the same time. And plants are brought to life when set against a striped wall showcasing a spectrum of greens or a wall divided into two distinct block colours.

Top Tip: Use our Visualiser app to play with paint and see how creativity can transform your most cherished natural pieces.

Which paints?

N7.31.40 / 90GG 21/219

K9.18.41 / 90GY 16/151

K9.60.43 / 90GY 21/472

Nature on nature

Use two natural tones to create something exciting. Modern turquoise and olive green create a unique new look.

Green on green

It’s easy to combine two natural colours in new and exciting ways. Create a calming reading space by painting walls in a soft olive green but adding a modern touch with a brighter turquoise border. The two colours work well together but also contrast with one another for a corner that’s unmistakably yours.

Top Tip: Carefully chosen colours and nature-inspired features can have a positive impact on you and your home. To help make a positive impact on our planet, choose our water-based, odour-free paints for a fresher atmosphere that is better for the environment.

Which paints?

N8.51.30 / 90GG 11/295

H0.35.29 / 90YY 13/17