Colour Sums: Country Retreat

The living room is the heart of the home, so it’s important to get the feeling of country style just right in this space. A rustic living room is defined by a natural, aged design. Rustic style embraces rustic charm and unique elements such as antique furniture to add an extra element of cosiness to a room.

One of the best things about a country style living room is that it is easy to tailor to your taste. Whether you want to opt for muted shades or go all-out with bold colours, the modern country home look can be adapted to suit your ideas.   

Get the look

One way to achieve a country house look is to incorporate muted shades and pair them with rustic furniture and accessories in natural materials. Follow our simple tips below and achieve your dream look in no time:

• Rustic colours are deep, natural shades, such as greens, browns and greys. Use (from top) Amethyst Starling, Rope Swing and Heather Climb as your bucolic backdrop
• Complete the look with rustic furniture such as Marks & Spencer's Wilmore Extendable Table
• Top with accessories in natural materials such as this Conran Glass Cloche (£25) and wooden Cake Plate (£35). Pastoral perfection, coming right up.

Neutral colour scheme

The shades in our colour palette effortlessly combine to create the ideal rustic living room look. By keeping the colour scheme fairly neutral, you’re instantly creating a welcoming, relaxing atmosphere. 

Cosy textiles

Balance out the clean lines of the rustic colour scheme with some cosy textiles. Amp up this country house colour palette by adding in blankets and pillows in subtle pops of colour. Incorporating soft textures into the living room space is a big factor in making a rustic living room so warm and welcoming. 

Think about incorporating a mix of upholstered and non-upholstered furniture to add to the cosy atmosphere of the living room. Choose a selection of antique furniture to reinforce rustic charm and add character to the room. 

The key to creating a rustic living room is to use natural materials alongside a natural colour scheme. Think wood, stone, and other natural materials that radiate total comfort. 

Bring the outdoors into your home

Rustic style revolves around mirroring natural beauty from the outdoors in the interior. You can do this by placing plants (or even faux greenery) around the living room. This will add softness to the overall look and make your house feel even more homely. 

Why it works

The soft hues of the British landscape are sweeping the world of interiors this season. Marks & Spencer's latest collection echoes these subtle moorland-like shades, which work like a charm with colours from our Country retreat palette, one of the three looks in our Travels in Colour range.

Our colour experts have chosen our rustic palette to work together in any combination you like – keep it simple with a couple of shades or express yourself with all the shades in the palette, safe in the knowledge that the end result will always look beautiful.

When creating a rustic interior, you don’t just have to limit your ideas to the living room. A rustic bedroom look requires the same use of antique furniture and natural materials to achieve ultimate cosy style. However, you may choose to incorporate a slightly brighter colour palette as the room’s backdrop. This could include:

• Mellow yellow hues – these are an excellent choice for creating a room that feels light and airy. Pair with grey furniture for a modern rustic look that is sure to make an impact.
• Light green hues – think gorgeous pale green shades that evoke a calming sense of nature in your home. Combine with soft blues and pastel pinks for the furnishings to achieve a tranquil colour scheme.
   

Have you been inspired to transform your home into a country retreat? See the whole Travels in Colour range for more ideas. And if you can’t decide on a shade or a colour pattern, download the Dulux Visualizer app today and choose your colour with confidence.