ITALTILE

Sanctuary and the search for calm was once an every-nowand-then spoil, but now that we’re more than 500 stress-filled days into the pandemic, the hunt for soulsoothing solutions has become an everyday activity. Creating a calm space around us requires a careful and considered curation of tones and textures. We love neutrals for their plush elegance, and their pleasingly elastic personality – perfectly suited to urban, classic, modern or natural mood boards. From traditional, to cottagecore, to contemporary and minimalist.

So. What are neutrals? Traditionally speaking, neutral interior design means putting together a look “without colour”. Neutrals can be defined as all those hues that are not on the colour. The traditional neutrals are black, whites, greys. Browns and beiges can also sit here. Blue occasionally plays here, too. And metals. The new neutrals can be the murmur of tea rose or palest peach, or a sigh of lavender, a breath of blue, or a kiss of sage, or a hint of yellow. Then there are the taupes, the glowing ivories, the terracottas, the chocolates, the honeyed woods and greiges. There are gentle earth tone poems that reflect dry grasses, an antelope’s tawny flanks, meltwater after winter snow, sea sand, rocks after rain, clouds with the sun shining through. Bleached driftwood. Eggshells … Calming, natureinspired palettes. How to put your neutral palette together: There’s no one way to create your cocooning aesthetic. Let’s look at some ideas.

Dark and light neutrals: Dark neutrals play best with light neutrals in the same “temperatures”. Warm with warm, or cool with cool. A delicious warm espresso

Ode To NEUTRALS

ITALTILE INTRODUCES 2021’S MOST COMFORTING CANVAS

brown loves a lighter tan, or honeyed wood, but also plays beautifully with a cool, light, neutral pop, like aqua or blue.

Create some monochromatic mood enhancement: If you want to seek everyday solace in a sophisticated sanctuary, the monochromatic mood board is on point. Begin with the shade you truly love and could easily live with. Let’s say it’s brown. Balance out your layering with every tone ... espresso, to chocolate, to praline, tan, right through to ivories and warm creams.

Neutrals with pops of colour: If you love the idea of neutral walls and furniture but still want to express your creativity, a neutral colour scheme with pops of colour can be a wonderful choice. With a neutral canvas as a starter, you have the freedom to add brighter or heavily saturated colours. But. Choose only two or three accent colours or you could turn your sanctuary into a screech fest.

Texture. Shape. Pattern: The curves with the geometrics. Circles, spheres with squares. Ripples with zigzags. Botanical and organic. Curvy, sensual art nouveau shapes. Art Deco geometry. Dots and spots. Stripes. Symmetrical. Asymmetrical. Create the story, then, add textures.

Creating your cocoon should be a trouble-free process from start to finish. Don’t stress for even a second ... we are standing by to help you in so many ways. Cocoon your way through September, into summer, and beyond.

FOR MORE INFO ITALTILE uMhlanga; 7 Tetford Crescent, uMhlanga Ridge; 031 566 5069; Open 7 days a week. T&Cs Apply