Earthy, nature-inspired hues are the best palettes to choose when you want to create a calm, comforting, and warm atmosphere. They add depth and texture to a space and also provide a lovely base for varied natural materials like leather, rattan, jute or linen to be layered into the room.
Think of tones such as brown, beige, ochre, gray, or green — these seamlessly embrace the beauty of the outdoors and bring a touch of serenity to the living room. If you, too, are inspired by the natural world and want to create a balmy atmosphere, take a look at these beautiful living room ideas to get inspired.
1. Bring in brown tones
A deep-rooted earth tone is brown, seen abundantly in nature. Use this living room color to create a tranquil scheme that coaxes you to rest and relax. Introduce other precious colors to give this scheme an elevated feeling.
"In a brown living room, earthier jewel tones such as amethyst, citrine, garnet, and lapis can lend a bold shot of color without overwhelming," says Reena Sotropa, founder of Reena Sotropa In House Design Group.
2. Or choose a lighter scheme with beige
For a soothing and timeless scheme, go for a warm neutral such as beige. This tone has a cozy, cocooning vibe to it, and decorating with beige is easy, as it goes with practically all tones on the color wheel.
"Earth tones are typically grounded in shades commonly found in nature — often shades of browns, beiges, greens, and blue-greys," says Sarah Barnard, interior designer and LEED and WELL AP. "One excellent way to compile an earth-toned palette is to look to nearby nature for inspiration. Beachy areas may have more sandy beiges, blues, and greens, while earth tones inspired by a forested area may consist of saturated greens, deep browns, and terracotta tones."
3. Conjure a restful atmosphere with gray
A light gray living room will rarely feel dated. This tone crops up time and time again in interior trends and has real staying power. The color is synonymous with quiet luxury and has an understated feel. Use a saturated gray with jewel tones or primary colors for a bolder look.
Gray, in its gentlest colorway, is an excellent choice for serene earth-tone living rooms, and when paired with other earth shades can create a restful space.
4. Dip your living room in ochre
Deeper and more daring than bright yellow, ochre tones are reminiscent of natural clay and the setting sun. This tone is deeply calming and simultaneously sophisticated.
Ochre is a tone that goes particularly well with metallics such as copper, antique gold, or silver. Design a yellow living room with this combination and channel an earthy vibe at home.
5. Go for a combination of blue and green
Nature's palette, blue and green can never fail as a color combination in interiors. Use this dynamic pairing for cheery, earth-tone living rooms. In this blue and green living room, the two colors look uplifted against the white walls.
"Green is the most unexpected neutral," avers Sam Sacks, founder of Sam Sacks Design. "A green sofa is to design, what camouflage pants are to fashion. Deep and grounding, it works as an excellent counterbalance for bright colors, as well as a ballast for an otherwise tone-on-tone palette. This classic project is home to a young family of five and we wanted to inject some joy into a space that might otherwise read quite serious. We played with scale and proportions, keeping the upper two-thirds of the space a very stark white to emphasize the home’s historic moldings and soaring ceilings. Closer to the floor, a vibrant green sofa plays host to a cacophony of colors from royal blue chairs, to fuchsia polka-dotted pillows."
6. Try a scheme of moss green and tan
When you think of green, what nature-inspired elements come to mind? Think freshly mown grass, the new shoots of young onion plants, the moss around natural pools, or those stubborn greens that emerge out of stone buildings. Green is the most natural, soothing, and calming tone, and several colors go with green in interior design.
A great friend to green is brown — an organic pairing seen in nature. The two together can create the most appealing setting, one that makes you feel you've settled in the outdoors, lying on the grass, surrounded by tall trees, with thick trunks.
Another great way to use green is through olive greens, paired with dusky pink. These hues have a rich, historic feel that works especially well in older homes with traditional details.
"Muted earthy greens paired with neutrals add an organic element into a living room setting," says Reena. "Also, a beachy palette of soft sea blues and driftwood grays can give living rooms a serene and calming aesthetic."
7. Choose rust tones for a grounding effect
Clay colors can be both warm and spicy, but overall are much easier to live with than brighter, bolder reds. These have a touch of brown that helps tone them down, making them feel cozy and convivial.
A great way to use rust, apart from paints is through tiles. If you're up for living room flooring ideas, then terracotta tiles could be a good candidate to lift the color scheme from the ground up. Plus, just the thought of them will transport you to Spanish Revival or Mediterranean-styled homes.
Apart from paints and flooring, you could even introduce this color through terracotta pots, coffee tables, or accent wall tiles. The introduction of this baked earth element within your interiors will create the ideal indoor-outdoor feel.
8. Bring in a slice of mustard
For that sun-kissed feeling, there's no better color than mustard. It's warm and earthy and has an ancient feel to it. The color can be both pale or dark, or almost brown. Since it is an earthy hue, it works fabulously well with burgundy and cool grays. Plus, layering a scheme with mustard can be quite fun. Think heavy velvety fabrics and brocade. There you have it. A rich, glittering scheme that reminds you of the opulent resorts of Marrakech.
Use this mature hue to give your elegant living room gravitas. There is something distinguished and comforting about this color. If committing to a wall color like this isn't up to your taste, use mustard in upholstery, or accessories.
9. Consider a pop of burnt orange
A burnt orange will remind you of the evening sky, as the deeper blues get punctuated with the burning setting sun. Orange is a bold color but it's so impressive, isn't it? If you have a bold personality and love to overawe people with your design choices, this could be the color for you. Plus, it has natural roots so you can be sure your home won't look too stark and OTT.
Ideally, a burnt orange should be used with restraint, simply because it has such a big presence. You just need a touch of it to create drama. Consider an orange living room furniture piece or a rug. Even an accent wall will do.
"Because earth tones are so complimentary, mixing and matching can create a calming atmosphere that brings about connotations of nature," Sarah says. "Earth tones also work well with a range of neutrals, and saturated earth-toned accents can brighten a more neutral or minimal design to create focus and enliven a living room space."
10. Add a touch of red
We're thinking red bricks, roses, tomatoes, and spices. All the colors that originate from the earth. What images come to your mind when thinking of red?
This color makes an impact and leaves a lasting impression. It's a bold color choice so it requires careful consideration. For living room curtain ideas, consider red for just a touch of the hue. You can also introduce it through fabrics such as pillows and rugs. Even red artwork in an essentially brown or beige scheme can work.
Red is effective in all sorts of decorating styles, from sleek modern to country. Choose deeper shades of red with brown undertones for a more earthy effect.
11. Layer in sage green
A designer's favorite earth tone living room color is sage green, and for good reason. This shade is a stunning neutral that has a trendy touch to it; plus many colors go with sage green. A lovely mix of green and gray, it can give the living room a stylish feel without working too hard.
Use this color to drench the walls, or let it flow in the space through accessories. To add more depth, consider layering other shades of green in the space.
How can I make my room more earthy?
There are several ways to make the living room more earthy. Paint colors of brown, light gray, ochre, marigold, sage and moss green, and terracotta can help conjure a natural space. Apart from this, you can bring in natural elements such as wood, jute, cane, and brick to concrete to create a grounded interior.
Plants, too, can help create a scheme that reminds you of the outdoors. Choose large, leafy varieties that are reminiscent of tall trees. Bonzai's, climbers, and small fruit plants can create a similar vibe.
Ground your living room with worn and weathered pieces, distressed finishes, and rust elements for a more rustic vibe.
Are earth tones still in style?
Earth tones such as olive, sage, mustard, ochre, brown, and taupe have been rising in popularity for many years. This is because people have started spending more time at home and want to live inside spaces that make them feel calm and relaxed. These tones, whether in paints or furniture/furnishings are being picked up more now than before.
