Natural healing

From habitat plus - decorating and colour trends 2023

For most of human history, our connection to nature was a given as our daily lives were intimately tied to the cycles of the sun, the seasons and the natural world around us.

It’s only in more recent times that we have started to earn a living, go shopping, enjoy endless entertainment and even socialise without ever leaving home. While convenient, this separation from nature may be taking a toll on our health. Although no indoor environment can replace the experience of the natural world, research is showing that incorporating nature into the built environment – whether in the form of sunlight and fresh ventilation, decorating with plants and organic materials or painting your space in earth-inspired hues – can improve comfort, reduce stress and potentially contribute to improved health indicators. This principle is known as biophilic design.

top tip  Create a textured wall by applying Resene Sandtex using a wide brush and criss-crossing brushstrokes.

As more of us have begun to understand the benefits of biophilic design, natural colours like Resene Bone, Resene Copyrite, Resene Castle Rock and Resene Stonewashed have become increasingly popular. But today, there is no earthy hue more desirable to decorate with than green. From olive and army like Resene Olive Green, Resene Waiouru and Resene Siam, deep forest greens like Resene Black Forest, Resene Jurassic and Resene Raptor to grey greens like Resene Paddock and Resene Finch, the choices for on-trend greens are as broad as the ways you can use them in your home.

Trend: texture - see slow spaces

Earthy elegance

Leveraging the potential health benefits of an earthy look doesn’t mean you have to forgo an air of glamour. In this sophisticated space, the deliciously saturated Resene Waiouru headboard wall oozes earthy yet refined charm and effectively grounds the space. But rather than take the colour all the way from floor to ceiling in the ensuite, the colour drenches the lower half of the wall while Resene Eighth Black White on the upper half of the wall helps reflect more light onto your face as you’re looking in the mirror getting ready for the day. Finish off your palette with details in a classic black like Resene Nero, a blackened white like Resene Black White, brass finishes and soft bedlinens in a mix of white, olive and forest greens for an extra chic look.

Trend: check - see fortune favours the bold

Out of the woods

Earthy greens like Resene Wilderness have skyrocketed in popularity as the base hue of choice for grounding colour schemes – and with good reason. This warm and welcoming tone has nature written all over it, and what could be more relaxing than being cosily tucked away in a cabin in the woods? Bring this bedroom look home with walls and a lamp painted in Resene Woodland, timber flooring stained in Resene Colorwood Rock Salt and furniture stained in Resene Colorwood Natural, then layer in small accessories painted in Resene Scotch Mist, deliciously soft bedding in hues inspired by Resene Brown Sugar and Resene Vista White and a few literal nods to nature like fresh greenery or dried florals.

Back to nature

Biophilic design makes ample use of materials like exposed wood to create a warm, natural aesthetic that supports a home’s healing objectives. So if you’re including timber flooring, walls or ceilings as part of your design, you can create a positive biophilic response by choosing Resene wood stains or washes that allow the natural beauty of the timber grain to show through, such as Resene Colorwood Whitewash. Choosing paint colours that evoke nature can also provide a positive biophilic response. Resene Copyrite is a wonderful choice for walls and ceilings because it’s a chameleon, making it a flexible option for the base of your palette. While not overtly green, this warm grey has a green undertone that becomes more or less pronounced depending on what it's paired with. Clay colours like Resene Tuscany and Resene Chelsea Gem have earthy warmth baked right into them and make a welcome addition to a restful living space through accents like vases, bowls or smaller pieces of furniture. And woody browns like Resene Triple Dune and Resene Wood Bark can bring added contrast and depth without the starkness of a black or charcoal.

A place amongst the pines

There’s renewed popularity in wall panelling, including batten and tongue-and-groove looks as well as more traditional wainscoting – but with a creative twist. While it may sound counterintuitive to add formality to an earthy space that’s meant to be a casual, restful retreat, minimalist timber wall panelling can actually enhance its tranquillity by creating a sense of order. Rather than standard wainscoting, which often includes ornate trims to create a recessed effect, opting for simple, linear panelling that protrudes from the wall puts an interesting, contemporary twist on a traditional idea. With little more than a tape measure, a level and a power drill, you can install MDF panelling yourself over the course of a weekend. Prime your panelling and trims first in Resene Quick Dry primer before painting both them and your walls in two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen tinted to Resene Jurassic or another favourite earthy colour of your choice. Incorporate a shelf into your panelling design to give you plenty of space to display books, accessories and DIY artwork in popular pastel tones like Resene Emerge, Resene Urbane, Resene Half Rakaia, Resene Double Rakaia and Resene Alpaca to offset the depth of your new wall colour. Finish the look with a whitewashed timber floor in Resene Colorwood Whitewash for balance and levity.

Tap into texture

Take a woven texture to your walls in an earthy green hue with Resene Wallpaper Collection ORB105. Evocative of a grass cloth but with a tighter weave, this design lends a touchable, organic feel and rich colour to a space. Pair it with décor made from natural materials like granite, soapstone and clay with a few painted accents in brick red like Resene Hot August, sandy brown like Resene Desert Sand and green grey like Resene Grey Olive for a warm and grounded look that’s rooted in nature.

Taking shape

Double down on your earthy look by using organic hues to paint a wall design made up of organic shapes. To create an ombre-style design that fades from darker Resene Pewter to lighter Resene Pumice, first divide your wall up into a grid using a ruler and a pencil. Then, draw different shapes within each square – with smaller/fewer shapes on your outer squares and larger/extra shapes in your inner squares. Then, handpaint your shapes and backgrounds in two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen using a high-quality angled paintbrush – available at your local Resene ColorShop. Use your darker colour for the backgrounds on the right side of your wall and your lighter hue for the backgrounds on the left and use the opposite colour to fill in your shapes. Because there is no taping or masking involved, the process of painting this design is very therapeutic and can be done at your own pace, in your own time – it’s the imperfections that give it its charm.

Nouveau chic

Popular in parts of Europe during the first two decades of the 20th century, there have been a few noticeable nods to Art Nouveau-inspired design popping up. While this trend could be attributed to the recent revival of Art Deco colours, shapes, materials and finishes – the design movement that immediately followed – it may also be tied to the resurgence in nature motifs as Art Nouveau was renowned for its flowing, vine-like shapes. Décor as simple as this headboard design, which echoes the period details from the Paris Métro station entrances, a lamp that resembles a calla lily and a painted mirror that emulates Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s famous rose design are all you need to add an Art Nouveau touch to your space. But don’t overlook a period-appropriate colour palette of Resene Finch, Resene Black Forest, Resene Lime White and Resene Nero to support your more overt motifs.

Trend: nature - see natural healing

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