Mother Nature inspires ‘new neutral’ home design trends (BPT) – Many interior designers gravitate toward grays or whites as a starting point when building a home’s look and feel, but a new trend is emerging. Homeowners are getting back to basics and finding ways to bring the outdoors in by using neutral earth tones as their blank slate. These wood tones have become the “new neutral” for those beginning their brand-new home design. No matter your style - modern, eclectic or anything in between the toned-down hues of natural-looking wood surfaces are the perfect starting point for building a versatile, relaxing and high-end look in your home.
with flooring like Lumber Liquidators’ Claire Gardens Oak hardwood, which features an organic oak grain where no two boards look the same. The textured grains pair beautifully with greenery (faux or natural), and the neutral color complements a variety of earthy paint palettes.
Woodland oasis
Wood is the perfect element when deciding to bring nature into your home - whether on the floor or on It’s all natural the walls, as an Finding inspiration accent or as a from nature can create headboard. Feaa more calming retreat in our hectic, constantly turing a variety of wood elements connected lives. Start with a neutral and natu- in the décor itself ral palette in the home as can also allow the first step to designing you to play with your oasis. Incorporating mixing different grains, colors and textures colors found in nature can act as a reminder to throughout the home disconnect and recharge while still maintaining a seamless overall design. in your home.
Stay grounded Include a variety of textures from the ground up to transform your space and make it unique. From flooring to décor, finding ways to pull in elements from Mother Nature will turn your home into your haven. Bring out your home’s natural beauty
Light and airy To make small spaces feel more open, be sure to accentuate natural light by incorporating mirrors. Try and keep your space clear of clutter and add natural foliage and plants to improve air quality and mood. Installing long, wide planks of flooring
will also make your room feel larger.
Branch out Starting with a neutral, earthy color palette means you have plenty of room to play with color - be it bold, muted or a reflection of the world around you. Include colorful accent pieces that remind you of the perfect fall foliage, a day at the beach or spring’s first blooms. Natural inspiration provides a world of possibilities.
Let locations inspire design Homeowners looking to add flair to their homes can find inspiration anywhere. Style can even be tailored to reflect places homeowners have visited. Whether they call to mind the narrow streets of London, the sand-bleached beaches of a Caribbean island or the urban buzz of New York City, designs can
reflect one’s travels and evoke some of the same feelings homeowners got when visiting their favorite places. Professional interior designers often pull inspiration from unique places, and so can homeowners who love to travel. Those who want to illustrate their wanderlust through their home’s decor can consider these tips.
Work with colors
Austin Furniture Stripping & Refinishing
CHAIR CANING • CHAIR RE-GLUING MINOR REPAIRS • FURNITURE REFINISHING Hours: Mon-Fri 8-5 • Sat 8-12
1446 Olean-Portville Rd • Olean, NY 716-372-4339 austinfurniturestripping.com
seaustin@roadrunner.com
FINK LAW OFFICE Dawn A. Fink Esquire
Real Estate • Estate & Wills • Family Law Criminal Law • Oil & Gas Lease Negotiation
814-642-5133 219 N. Main St., Port Allegany
Give your home a
whole new look
with our new furniture arrivals for fall!
Hammonds Furniture Store
The Working People’s Store
716-373-7710
M-Wed 10-5 • Th & Fri 10-7 • Sa 10-4
Family Owned and Operated
1120 W. State St. • Olean, NY 14760 Free Layaway • Financing Available • No Credit Needed • See Store for Details
Think about the colors that signify a particular locale and bring those hues into the space. The color palettes of the beach, for example, include grays, beiges, blues, and greens. The popularity of gray-tone neutrals allows homeowners to bring in these colors as a neutral backdrop, and then add a splash of whimsy with a few decorative accents.
put heavy emphasis on natural materials. Items like bamboo, sea grass, stones, and woven baskets can invite the outdoors into a home.
Embrace the vibe Urban centers are awash in energy and color. This spirit can be reflected with modern architecture, bold prints, metallic accents, and innovative lighting.
Pick an inspiration piece
Homeowners can direct their focus to one particular memento from a vacation or excursion. A vivid piece of artwork, a piece of furniture, a sculpture, or even a wardrobe element can serve as a catalyst for an entire room. Use this piece to match colors and textures. Remember, to evoke the spirit of an area when decorating, keep Try natural it subtle. Too many materials details or over-the-top replication might seem Vacation hotspots like one is dressing a like Hawaii, Southern California and other ar- stage set rather than his eas of the Pacific tend to or her home.