How to give your home the natural look

How to give your home the natural look

 
Combine harmonious shades

Creams and neutrals always look better when two or three shades are teamed together, rather than using a single shade throughout the room. Use complementary colours, whether on the walls, woodwork or floor, to give the scheme depth. In this living room, painting the lower third of the wall in a warm caramel colour and the top section in a light cream creates a wonderfully cosy look while still retaining the light and airy feel.

 
Good for: Dark hallways, north-facing living rooms, small spaces, compact home offices.

 
Left Top section painted in Lead White emulsion, £21.60 for 2.5 litres; bottom section painted in Stone Dark Cool emulsion, £21.60 for 2.5 litres; woodwork painted in Lead White acrylic eggshell, £29 for 2.5 litres; all The Little Greene Paint Company

Add light to a room

A room decorated in warm natural shades, such as yellow or gold, will have a welcoming atmosphere. The perfect contrast to our often cold, grey light, yellow has been a firm decorating favourite in the UK for years. To give it a new twist, this hallway is decorated in soft buttery shades, teamed with rich chocolate.

Good for: Gloomy hallways, modern kitchens, sunny bedrooms.

Left Back wall painted in Wild Primrose, £16.99 for 2.5 litres; side wall painted in Egyptian Cotton, £16.99 for 2.5 litres; stairway treads painted in Totally Cocoa satinwood, £13.99 for 1 litre; skirting and woodwork painted in Daffodil White, £13.99 for 1 litre; all Dulux

Combining natural colours

Louise Smith, Dulux\'s Colour and Design Manager, advises on mixing different shades in one scheme

To prevent a room looking muddled, never use more than three colours for walls, floor and woodwork.

Always have one dominant colour in your living room scheme, to take the lead.

Greens are an ideal colour for living rooms as they provide a welcome respite from our busy lives. For a modern twist, try yellow toned green with a cool grey.

Natural schemes: calm bedroom

Fabrics from left: Fleur de Lys Court, £38 a metre, Nina Campbell. Malmo in Mink, £27.25 a metre, Villa Nova. Paint from left: Rusling and Mirage II, both £21.60 for 2.5 litres, The Little Greene Paint Company

Natural scheme: classic living room

Fabrics from left: Botanical Trellis in charcoal, £38 a metre, Vanessa Arbuthnott. Valerie Honey, £34.95 a metre, Warwick. Paint from left: Mineral Haze 1 and Grey Steel 2, both £16.99 for 2.5 litres, Dulux

Natural scheme: family kitchen

Fabrics from left: Chequers, £36 a metre, Nina Campbell. Antigua Linen, £14.10 a metre, Kai. Paint from left: Green Tea and Apple White, both £16.99 for 2.5 litres, Dulux