Earth tones are one of 2023's best-known interior trends, and according to Vogue, fantastic designers, including Jake Arnold and Sarah Solis, are currently embracing them.
These earthy roots have arisen as a direct follow-on from the minimalist and industrial styles that have punctuated design over recent years, and they provide a great way to refresh any room. Earth tones are also a subtle and sleek way to introduce a pop of colour that will draw the eye while retaining the harmony of your overall interiors.
But, given that many of us have spent recent years opting for the stark, white walls of minimalism, this shift back to the world of colour (albeit subtly) can seem like a pretty major transition.
If you love the idea of earthy tones but need to know how to begin introducing them, you've come to the right place. We will consider all things earth tones, hoping you can bring some nature indoors with your colour choices moving forward.
Why are we loving earth tones?
Designer Danielle Colding believes that the rising popularity of earth tones comes as a direct result of years where colour just has yet to be at the top of the interior trend checklist.
Without undoing still-surfacing styles like minimalism, earth tones make it possible to brighten even neutrally styled spaces. Pink tones are at the forefront of what many designers are doing, and there's no denying the elegance that even subtle pops of earthy pinks like coral can bring to your interiors.
The benefits of earth tones
Whatever earthy shades you choose to introduce, bringing natural tones into your home can serve to –
- Lighten even dark spaces
- Refresh your interiors
- Add interest to your rooms
- Offset white walls or stark spaces
- And more
Earth tones also give you an excellent opportunity to have fun. From funky accessories to textured designs (each of which we'll be discussing in this article), thinking about the best ways to add a natural colour palette is sure to take your designs in an entirely new direction. And however you approach this new challenge, it couldn't be an easier style choice to achieve!
The best earth tones of the moment
Whether warm, cool, muddy, or crisp, earth tones offer something for everyone. And the 'best' colour to use will depend on your overall decor.
Designers favour certain shades as their collections shift towards a more earthy palette. The top earth tones for this season seem to be
1. Pink shades
Earthy pinks such as peach and coral are big news this season. Many designers favour a palette approaching this firm favourite colour with a refreshing nature-style upgrade. Unlike the bubblegum pinks of the Barbie trend or other stark choices like them, earth pinks are the best earth tone for achieving a sense of glamour and elegance and can look great in feature walls or accessories alike.
2. Taupes and browns
Taupes and browns like coffee and pebble offer an excellent opportunity for even colour-shy designers to jump on board with an earthy trend. Without seeming too excessive, these shades are great for adding depth, interest, and warmth.
3. Muted greens
Muted greens, including moss and leaf, are the most apparent go-to earth tones. And they can add a real classical vibe to your decor overall. Without clashing with your existing style. Additions like muted green rugs, seating or walls can all leave you feeling like you're in the middle of the jungle or are at home in an Edwardian mansion.
4. Sunset hues
Sunset hues like raspberry and gold bring immediate warmth to any space and provide an instant pop of positivity and joyfulness. If you want a room that instantly makes you smile, you can't get better than these colours.
Earth tones and other styles
As an interior addition rather than a style in themselves, earthy tones can work well in most homes, offering contrast or adding depth to an existing style choice. This season, earthy tones also happen to tie in seamlessly with other top design focuses, including –
* Coloured borders: Coloured borders are big business this season and can add colour and interest to your rooms. Using earth tones for painted skirting boards, cornices, and even radiators can add a real depth without taking over altogether.
* Heritage: Heritage styles with historical influences are hot news right now, and with heritage colours, including mustard and sage, taking centre stage, this is a great style choice for tying in earth tones.
* Stone trims: Using stones like marble is becoming an increasingly popular way to finish features, including mouldings, baseboards, and windowsills. Earth-toned accessories or parts can help highlight these home additions and ensure they get the attention they deserve.
* 70s resurgence: An increasing love for antiques and all things vintage has seen interiors stepping back into the 70s over recent years. Red earth tones like honey and paprika play a large part in this 70s resurgence.
How to add earth tones to your interiors
Now that you know the ins and outs of earth tones and why they work so well, it's time to think about the best ways to introduce them at home. As mentioned, this is a pretty easy goal to achieve. Keep reading for a few fantastic and simple tips!
1. Experiment with earthy paint choices
When first experimenting with earth tones, you don't need to jump straight in with an utterly moss-green room. You might want to stay on this colour scheme. That's okay because there is still a lot that you can do with earthy paint choices.
As mentioned, a general interior focus on painted borders right now provides an excellent opportunity to introduce earth tones in a more subtle way that can be a lot of fun. Equally, earth-tone edges covering just the bottom half of your walls can add tremendous depth to your space.
Earth-toned feature walls can also look great and are guaranteed to work with the neutral colours and house plants that have punctuated home styles in recent years. And, of course, if you did want to go all out with an all-over earth-toned room, you'd be right on trend with a heritage theme that can work well in either a classical home or a modern property.
2. Combine earthy tones
There's no reason why you need to stick to just one earth tone. Combining a few different earthy colours is recommended for creating a harmonious space. Luckily, this style option is easy, with most earth tones working well together.
According to Havenly Hideaway, the best complete earth colour palettes include options like –
- Greens and ivories
- Neutrals and dusty mauves
- Rust and whites
- Greys and browns
- Etc.
When choosing your pairings, the overall impression you aim to create within your space is the main thing to consider. For example, neutrals and mauves will work well in the bedroom, while greys and browns could be great for an airy kitchen or a living room with patio doors.
3. Don't be afraid to contrast
After that point, earth tones can also work incredibly well in contrast.
After all, with earthy tones all coming from the same general palette, they're all going to work well together no matter how 'outlandish' your choices. But you can still create some exciting offset colour choices. A coral feature wall with sage green furniture would be incredibly striking for a dining room or kitchen. Golds and reds could add depth to a cottage-style living room or study space.
The more you're willing to play around with earthy tones, the more likely you will find the unique colour palette ideal for your home.
4. Introduce colour through accessories
Whether you've not had colour in your home for a while or are still determining how earth tones would look on your walls, accessories are a fantastic and subtle way to introduce your favourite earthy colours.
For the most part, earth tones look best when layered, which is achievable when you play around with accessories. Seating is excellent for this purpose, with things like golden sofas, olive bean bags, and even small wooden stalls bringing that earthy focus into the centre of your space. Equally, you may prefer more subtle earthy pops, like coral pink lampshades or a moss rug.
Accessories also benefit from being one of the easiest ways to experiment with earthy colour pairings without spending a fortune. You can build on that pairing by finding accessories in every colour of your scheme and ensuring every shade has a proper chance to shine.
5. Create texture with earthy tones
Textured interiors have always been a great way to keep your rooms exciting and make your space sing. From fluffy cushions to velvet rugs and wooden chandeliers, no two homes will ever be the same with a great textured design. And this playful approach to incorporating your earthy tones of choice will create the perfect finished space.
For the most part, you'll need to turn to accessories again to incorporate this style. Choosing upholstery with contrasting fabrics is a great way to start, especially if you're using similar earthy shades. Equally, playing with something like the size of your furniture can add depth. Offsetting a big armchair with a matching colour bean bag on another level, or even using a small footstool, will make your interiors much more interesting than if they were all on one level. Adding a surprising amount of texture with houseplants like Monsteras and Fiddle Leaf Figs is also possible. House plants are ideal for your earthy-toned interiors, as houseplants naturally work well with just about any earth shade. Yet, those leaves' sharper, fresher green can add a whole new layer that you'd struggle to achieve otherwise.
6. Combine interior moods
We've spoken that earthy tones can be warm or crisp, depending on your style intentions. But combining those qualities to create a rich room guaranteed to suit any mood is possible.
In some sense, colour combinations will play a part here too. But combining interior moods also means thinking about using earthy tones throughout your room more generally. It might work well to use a more muted tone for your walls, offset with a complimentary brighter colour for your accessories. Or vice versa. One brilliant addition, like an apple green rug in an otherwise sunset-hued room, could create a more inclusive, comforting finished look.
Bring your decor down to earth.
Earthy tones only look set to go for a while. And the benefits of introducing them into your home primarily speak for themselves. Whether you're keen to get back to colour or love the idea of the depth that a rich, earthy colour could bring. It's past time that you got started with this style.
Whether your earthy home journey involves stocking up on paints or investing in great earth-toned accessories like our bean bags. Your home will never look so good!
If you've found this article helpful, don't hesitate to register with Bean Bags R-Us today. That way you can stay up to date with all of the best interior news for this year and beyond!
