Colour Trends for Spring
What the desert can teach you about colour. Styling with Therese Moussa
It’s no secret, I love colour – using it in so many different ways and experimenting with every spoke of the colour wheel; of course that doesn’t mean every project needs to be a technicolour rainbow (I can’t wait for that project!). In fact, you’ll often find inspiration in the most unexpected of places.
Earlier this year, I was in Arizona – the very opposite of the lush green goings-on of The Grounds, and yet I was struck by the awesome textures and colour palette that doesn’t just dress the region, it defines it.
JUST ANOTHER TEQUILA SUNRISE
In this part of the world and many desert regions with a Spanish influence, you’ll find a stucco-type rendering applied to the buildings. Also known as ‘adobe’ (but nothing to do with Adobe Photoshop!), this cladding gives the homes a textured finish – earthier and rougher than a typical Australian rendered brick home, and often with solid curves and arches.
One colour dominates with these types of homes – a peachy hue that’s not quite terracotta but deeper than salmon. Another term for it is ‘coral’ – a distinctive pink/orange that informs the sunrises and sunsets of the area.
Teamed with black wrought iron, this is so striking! It immediately transforms you to Arizona and partners well with the other star of the show – desert green.
IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN
This isn’t the green like you’ll find on our takeout coffee cups or growing in our veggie gardens. This one has a silver-grey vibe – borne out through dozens of different varieties of cactus, agave and other succulents that call the desert home.
When paired with the desert peachy coral of the adobe homes, this green pops in unexpected ways. In fact, to match two equally strong colours would be a mistake – yet the muted form of grey-green here is given definition by the darker peachy tones and looks fantastic.
APPLYING THIS PRINCIPLE
You’ve probably heard of styling using ‘pops’ of colour – an approach I’ll use to good effect on a grazing table or large displays (think yellow lemons, bright red strawberries, oranges etc). Well with this desert approach, you have the reverse in action – pops of muted colour, to soften the bright bold uniform hue on the walls.
The exciting thing is that this year’s Grounds by the Sea house at Bondi’s Sculptures by the Sea exhibition (20 October – 6 November 2016) will allow us to bring all this to life. Our ‘Arizona house’ will feature these amazing colours, in combination with wild coastal daisies, faded copper patina greens and midnight black wrought iron to transport our guests to an environment very different from the headland of Marks Park.
Look for the peachy, coral tones to start ‘popping’ up around the place in the coming months – the trend is moving into clothing, homewares and more and more colour palettes, especially as we head into the warmer months.
Stay tuned for more on the Grounds by the Sea house. I can’t wait!