Inspired by the gentle hues of a summertime sunset in the bush, this trend “is about bringing a slice of the Australian countryside home with you, even when you’re a city dweller”, explains HB style forecast director Fiona Gould. Welcome dusky tones of rose into your home through furniture, cushions, rugs and curtains. Ultimately, embracing Country Sunset is an exercise in soothing the soul. “It’s soft, pretty, warm and inviting – a comforting hug of a colour that we can all do with in these times,” says Fiona.
“Curtains can transcend a design, framing a window to create the illusion of height while adding warmth and softness to a room” – Vera Meharg, marketing communications manager, Luxaflex Window Fashions.
EMBRACE IMPERFECTION
Celebrate nature in all her unpolished glory by gathering foliage from gums and other natives and displaying them indoors. Set aside mass-made dinnerware in favour of handmade-with-love dishes and vessels to lay upon a dusky-hued tablecloth. Nod to the gentle rhythm of country life – and create a beautiful vignette – by filling a one-off ceramic bowl with plump strawberries, then enjoy them for dessert.
LAYER UP
Evoke an atmosphere of comfort and rest with plenty of tactile layers of natural fabrics and materials in Country Sunset colours in your home’s most lived-in spaces. Try a rust-toned rug in your bedroom as a starting point and complement with a bed dressed in creamy linen, set against a burnished headboard that calls to mind the sun setting across your bedroom wall. Enhance the aura of a restful retreat with floor-to-ceiling drapes in silvery grey or rouge. “A key colour trend in window dressing is earthy, muddy and rusty tones, which have a subtle intensity and can be incorporated in spaces to create a cosy vibe,” says Vera Meharg, marketing communications manager at Luxaflex Window Fashions.
TREND TIP
“Soft linen-blend curtains create a relaxed feel in the living room, which echoes country living. The neutral colour and fabric creates a beautiful softness and harmony with the outside” – Vera Meharg, marketing communications manager, Luxaflex Window Fashions
Ground your interiors with earthy offerings of linen, timber and stone.
PICK PIECES OF THE PAST
Browse antique and vintage sellers for rustic elements that speak to you and your style, then display them with a mix of modern pieces for a fresh and versatile take on country styling that will be right at home in the city and the suburbs, too. Try pairing a vintage still-life artwork alongside a chic and up-to-the-minute light fitting, or timber chairs with a clean-line concrete dining table. “Combine perfectly imperfect stoneware and ceramics with modern pops of glass and concrete,” suggests Fiona. Accept the invitation to create soothing vignettes in your home, inspired by the natural world and country-life nostalgia.
Organic shapes and gentle tones of coral, smoky green and pale peach offer a soft landing at day’s end.
WARM UP YOUR WALLS
Turn the rooms of your home into a soothing embrace by painting your walls (or just a single wall if you just want a hint of pink) in quiet shades of musk and varying tones of blush. Choose a textured paint finish for an imperfect country vibe. Try it in your living area or bedroom, or any room you retreat to for relaxation. Complement this with natural timber pieces and accent colours of sage, olive, grey and plum in rugs, linen, furniture, napery, window dressings and soft furnishings.
A bold black coffee table and a traditional rug harmonise in a calm and curated vignette.
TREND TIP
“Borrow nature’s palette of sand, ochre and burnt gold to set the scene for a soothing bedroom sanctuary” Elle Lovelock, Home Beautiful editor-in-chief
