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How to take colour cues from Australian flowers

January 19, 2022

How to take colour cues from Australian flowers

How to take colour cues from Australian flowers

Australia is known internationally for its ‘burnt’ desert and beach landscapes. However, Australians well know about our diverse range of landscapes including lush forests and bushlands. What makes these special are the vibrant native flowers that supply beautiful pops of colour across the seasons. From Australian Wattle to Kangaroo Paw, Desert Flame and more, it is easy to be inspired by the colours of our own backyard. Here are some tips on recreating your own Australian native colour palette.


Creating a colour palette

When creating a colour palette inspired by nature, the simplest route for easy matching is to use an ‘Analogous’ colour scheme. This is the use of colours next to each other on the colour wheel. The reason for this is that Analogous colour schemes are often found naturally in the wild – from different shades of green next to one another. This design principal harmonises and eases the eye upon entering your space.

The key to balancing the colours, and not overwhelming the space with one colour, is to add a contrasting colour such as white, black, or grey. Select one colour to dominate, a second to support and your third colour as an accent. If you want to be more daring in your colour choice, play with other colour schemes like monochromatic, complementary, split complementary, triadic, square or tetradic.

Eucalyptus green with envy

Muted greens are becoming increasingly popular in interior design. Where do we often see this colour? Our home-grown Eucalyptus trees. Their leaves present a soft, blue-green colour that's both sophisticated and inviting. To build your palette, opt for colours with cool grey undertones for an organic look.

Kangaroo Paw

An iconic Australian native, the Kangaroo Paw boasts a grounding red that works well to create a cosy, warming environment – perfect in smaller rooms like bedrooms and home offices. Try pairing with warm toned neutrals and rich browns.

Pigs Face

Known as Pigs Face, this vibrant native is found along the salty shorelines of Australia. The bold purple pink lends itself to being paired with a monochromatic colour scheme with varying shades of pink. Due to it being a very bright colour, it could be used delicately as an accent in a large space, or as a feature in a bedroom or bathroom

Hoping to take the guesswork out of colour palettes? Once Coloursmith has selected your colour, it will also suggest a range of complementary colours. If you’re out and about in nature and want a more precise colour match, the Coloursmith tools are handheld and ideal for pinpointing an object for the closest match every time. Once Coloursmith has matched your colours, you can take the generated QR code to a trade store for a paint pot or order a sample pot and have it delivered to your door.

Enjoy getting inspired and creating beautiful colour palettes!