Country-style Brown

Are you afraid to try brown in your home? Well, relax. Colour Consultant Samantha Bacon looks at how best to use a neutral palette to make the most of the warm, soft and soothing shades it offers.

The various tones of cream through beige to warm mellow brown make an enduring combination that is both comfortable and serene. It's a delightfully natural palette, and its 'neutrality' makes it a winner.

Brown is the colour of the earth and, solid and reliable though it is, it's also often perceived by many as dull and boring. However, designers recognise the appeal of this neutral range and know that the key to its success is to use dark browns as a strong accent and incorporate texture in the scheme.

Light browns and soft creams are very easy to live with and also very pretty, while deep brown cashmere throws and soft cream damask sofas make a sophisticated partnership. Mellow natural-timber floors are a mainstay in country-style decor and the mid-toned brown timbers are the easiest to incorporate in a palette. Natural linens and damask fabrics work beautifully with smooth high-quality cottons in off-white.

Many people find these sophisticated schemes very appealing as they are, but they can also become a neutral decorating base with other feature colours added at different times of the year, or even as fashions change. The addition of pale aqua, for example, gives this decor a lift, while keeping the effect simple and up-to-date. Charcoal is another colour that blends beautifully with creams and browns. Many fabrics have a soft beige background with deep red designs on top and the red brings more warmth to the palette and makes it a great winter look.

TOP TIP Half-strength Hog Bristle is perfect on woodwork - and quarter-strength on ceilings. Samantha Bacon Colours: www.samanthabacon.com.au

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