HouseFinder Magazine is a practical home-and-garden-magazine. We feature a selection of properties for sale and rent from leading real estate agents in Namibia and deliver in-depth articles and expert insights on property trends and news.
For this issue’s project, I revisited the renderings of a client’s kitchen, living & dining area. Their design was adapted to portray the theme of HouseFinder’s August/September issue: Earthy & vibrant colour palettes. The client’s original brief called for soft green kitchen cabinets, which in this case fitted perfectly with the magazine theme for this issue.
The earthy yet vibrant colour palette was incorporated while retaining the existing green-and-white kitchen. The living and dining areas were then carefully styled to complement the kitchen and create a cohesive design throughout the open-plan space.
Earthy Contemporary style with vibrant, eclectic accents: Let’s start with defining contemporary style versus eclectic style. The latter combines styles, colours and different periods in one space. It is a mix of modern furniture with bold artwork & vintage-inspired artwork. Contemporary interiors, on the other hand, refer to uncluttered spaces, simple lines & open spaces. Earthy tones include shades of olive green, terracotta, sand, clay, beige, warm brown and muted ochre. These colours create a grounded and welcoming atmosphere. I decided to add vibrant colours like burnt orange, cobalt blue and rich burgundy.
Before (Plan)
Colour Palette
Furniture:
Choose contemporary furniture with clean lines, softened by rounded forms. Upholstered sofas and chairs in rich colours, such as deep navy, olive green or terracotta. Use natural timber dining tables, coffee tables, side tables and cabinetry. Add textured fabrics, warm wood finishes and stone or concrete-look surfaces. This keeps the space grounded and inviting.
Colour palette:
Decide on a base, something like earthy tones, warm whites, sandstone, muted grey, olive green or natural timber. Then bring in some vibrant accents with shades of deep blue, burnt orange, terracotta or touches of other bright colours.
Décor items:
Use handcrafted and sculptural décor with playful, colourful pieces. Ceramic vases, patterned pottery, indoor plants, fresh flowers, books, woven accessories and textured cushions all add personality to a room. Bold artwork can be used as a focal point.
Lighting:
Use a combination of natural light, recessed ceiling lights and decorative statement lighting. Woven or textured pendant lights provide an organic, handcrafted quality and work well above dining tables or kitchen islands. Warm lighting helps enhance the timber finishes, earthy colours and rich textures throughout the interior.
Paint colours:
Rather use off-white paint as the main wall colour instead of normal white, plus limewash-style for feature walls, such as within the arched niche.
Furniture:
Is there anything more eye-catching than this blue sofa? I used this deep navy upholstered sofa with rounded and soft edges together with a matching light wood coffee table. Added to the scene is a sculptural terracotta accent chair with a green cushion, complemented by two burnt orange occasional chairs. The small round wooden side tables are in light timber.
Décor items:
Colourful ceramic vases with bold blue-and-orange patterns are tall statement pieces on the dining table, pulling together the blue and ochre theme. In the living area, sculptural neutral-toned vases, books and small plants create a relaxed coffee table display. The cushion mix of terracotta, navy, grey and patterned fabrics, plus the bright artwork, (especially the colourful cat) bring personality and a playful characteristic to the room.
Lighting:
You may also notice the interesting orange light in the kitchen, added as another playful touch. This fish pendant light above the kitchen counter makes the space more fun. The blue, white & rattan pendant for the living area complements the vibrant colours. Downlights are used throughout the room to give more permanent lighting.
After Pictures
