There was a near-audible gasp from design-loving homeowners, at the recent mention of the warming, or “browning," design trend. Here’s some calming news: Interior design has indeed seen the rise of warmer tones, a departure from the cool neutrals. In total, this warming trend seeks to infuse comforting richness with texture, and shades of deep marigolds, rich browns, earthy greens or terracotta.
Here are five ways to integrate the warming trend into a formerly cool space:
Furniture And Fabrics
The furniture landscape continues to move toward rich, tactile materials that offer warmth and comfort: luxurious textures, such as velvet, every iteration of boucle and leathers, in earthy tones such as cinnamon, amber, ochre, evergreen, tan, brown or rust. In the right shades, they marry well with the “right shades” of gray/greige, cream or black.
Wallcoverings
The warming trend departs on wall color, replacing “so-help-me-only” white and cool grays with warmer shades. An easy trend opt-in is to leverage wall coverings for both warming texture and color.
Corks, leathers, embossed faux leathers and vivacious geometric wood veneers are excellent options. Both texture and color bring the warm story, as shown in the images accompanying this feature.
Illustrating the point, this powder room features a milk chocolate cork wallcovering that layers richly with black lacquered millwork and cabinetry.
Countertops And Cabinetry
For kitchen and bath, warm wood, stone and creamier marbles are gaining steam.
Warm earthy countertops, deep in color or simply veined, appear in shiny polished to velvety honed finishes. Cabinetry colors span the browns, from cashews and caramels to coffee and deepest classic walnut.
This powder room boasts a brown stone countertop, complimented by a deep teal embossed wallpaper, a brown burled mirror and crystal pendants featuring warm rope and wood detailing. The full story is warm. In contrast, this full bath successfully marries warm walnut woods with brightening doses of black and white, a warm and cool combo.
How To Integrate Warmer Tones Into Gray Homes
For homes that currently lean into cooler grays and neutrals, integrating warmer tones is not complicated.
Start with small accents, such as throw pillows, rugs or art pieces in ochre, deep greens or bronze. Slowly layer these warmer shades into an existing space. Consider swapping out a few cooler-hued decor items for pieces in natural materials like wood, rattan or terracotta. These changes can subtly push a space without overwhelming it.
General Advice for Adopting This Trend
Embracing warmer tones is all about balance and layering.
Start with neutral warm tones as the base. Build up by adding richer shades through fabrics, accessories or lighting fixtures. Contrast is good: pairing warmer shades with cooler tones maintains visual interest and stops a space from becoming too heavy.
Does incorporating warmer tones into a formerly cooler home mean throwing out the “baby with the bathwater?" The answer is no. With the right balance and mindful mix, the warming trend is doable.
Above all, trend apprehensive be gone. With multiple design trends always in simultaneous development, grab onto what suits; disregard the rest. A new trend will blow in soon enough. Always design what you love; that never gets old.
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ImpeccablyDesignedHomes.com
As multi-award-winning and Bucks County-based interior designers, Impeccably Designed Homes by Donna Hoffman, specialize in high-end, luxury interior design, from single room design to whole homes of 20,000 square feet-plus; from decorative design to full-scale renovation; and new construction. Donna is called the "nation’s No. 1 design coach," after founding TheInteriorDesignAdvocate.com online courses that empower DIYers and design professionals internationally.