Invite nature in - but not cold

Throwing open the doors to welcome nature into our homes is a beautiful way to bring serenity to the way we live - but it can be less appealing when the weather is cold, wet and windy. When winter hits, it’s time to start thinking a bit more figuratively about how to bring serenity, colour and freshness of nature inside to create comforting, uplifting and welcoming spaces.

Nature in the frame

If you have good-sized windows in any of your interior spaces, keeping the inside room neutral helps focus all attention on the views. Think about the neutral walls of an art gallery designed to be a blank canvas, removing all distractions from the artwork on the walls.

You don’t have to take as severe an approach to that idea as an art gallery, but the same principle applies: a neutral interior is the perfect backdrop to let your outdoor views take centre stage. By keeping the colour palette inside understated, you naturally draw attention to the changing light, lush greenery or moody winter skies outside your windows.

Resene colour consultant Jill Marsh recommends starting with soft, warm neutrals that create a gentle transition between indoor comfort and the natural world beyond. “Look to shades like Resene Eighth Thorndon Cream for a mellow, sun-kissed white or Resene Secrets for a barely-there hint of green,” she suggests.

Add notes of biophilic greens such as Resene Wabi Sabi or Resene Cooled Green and delicate floral pastels like Resene Inspire or Resene Quarter Moonbeam to create a spring garden-like vibe in your room, while letting the real garden shine through the windows or glass doors.

Greens immediately create a connection with the natural world, particularly when used in different shades and saturations as in this bedroom. Wall painted in Resene Haven, floor stain colour washed in Resene Colorwood Bleached Riverstone, chair, desk and bedside table in Resene Mangrove, headboard slats in Resene Colorwood Rock Salt, lampshade and small dark desk vase in Resene Marshland, table vase in Resene Olive Green, pale vases in Resene Poured Milk and basket in Resene Colorwood Whitewash. Throws from Nood, bedlinen from Briscoes. Project by Megan Harrison-Turner, image by Bryce Carleton.

Down-to-earth

Rich, earthy browns are hugely popular - just look at the 2025 Pantone Color of the Year: Mocha Mousse.

These warm, milky browns are perfect for bringing touches of nature into your home. Shades like Resene Leather, Resene Mongoose and Resene Otter are rich, earthy and warm, but also extremely versatile. They add colour and depth to simple colour palettes in classic beige neutrals like Resene Dover White, Resene Quarter Lemon Grass and Resene Spanish White. However, one of the great things about these nature-inspired mid-toned browns is that they work particularly well as your main colour, riding a practical line between neutral and colour.

Use an earthy, toasty brown like Resene Mongoose as your main anchor colour on walls in your room and bring other strong nature-inspired accent colours in to complement it. Try deep grey-green Resene Tapa and rich blue-green Resene Celtic.

Create a neutral backdrop to elevate natural elements and textures in your room. Walls painted in Resene Quarter Perfect Taupe, floor stain colour washed in Resene Colorwood Breathe Easy, skirting in Resene White, door and rope table in Resene Otter, door frame and coffee table in Resene Mondo, ombre vase in Resene Eighth Rice Cake, Resene Grey Chateau and Resene Carpe Noctem, picture frame in Resene Carpe Noctem, art in Resene Seaweed, Resene Plum and Resene Waterloo, lamp base in Resene Eighth Rice Cake, shade in Resene Otter, Resene Raven and Resene Mangrove and stool in Resene Mangrove. Sofa from Dawson & Co. Project by Katrina Hobbs, image by Bryce Carleton.

Follow the sun

Another way to add warmth to a nature-inspired interior is to think beyond forests and trees and look to the skies.

Bring the blues, golds and terracotta of sunny summer days and vibrant sunsets into your room. As well as invoking nature, in the right combinations these shades can make most rooms feel soaked in warm sunlight or cosy in the glow of a sunset.

Try colour drenching your room in a deep night sky blue like Resene True Blue or Resene Indian Ink. Opt for a finish in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen for a denser, near-matte finish that amplifies the warmth of the dark blues. Use your dark shade over about 60% of your room, then choose a sunbaked peach shade like Resene Wax Flower in 30% of the space with pale, apricot-tinged Resene Half Pot Pourri over the remaining 10% for the drama and glow of a beautiful sunset.

To evoke the warmth of a summer beach day in the middle of winter, try the soft sky blue of Resene Nepal with creamy Resene Pearl Lusta and the muted calming green of Resene Yucca.

This sitting room celebrates the beautiful textures and colours of wood by showcasing them in a unique feature wall. Rear wall painted in Resene Westar, floor stain colour washed in Resene Breathe Easy, skirting in Resene Rice Cake, side table in Resene Otter, vase in Resene Sour Dough, shelf unit in Resene El Paso, timber wall in Resene Woodsman Cedar Natural Wood Oil in Resene Tararua, Resene Kahurangi, Resene Paparoa, Resene Fiordland, Resene Mt Richmond and Resene Aotea. Chair from Dawson & Co. Project by Katrina Hobbs, image by Bryce Carleton.

Just add colour

When it comes to bringing the outdoors in, green is often the obvious go-to, bringing with it associations of serenity and calm. From deep forest hues like Resene Mangrove or Resene Clover to lighter leaf-inspired tones such as Resene Spanish Green or Resene Nirvana, there’s a green to suit almost every space and mood.

Green also plays beautifully with warm whites, soft neutrals and natural timber finishes. Combined, they can create a clean, Scandinavian-style look that feels grounded and fresh. But nature’s colour story doesn’t end with green.

Think about the vibrant bursts of colour found in a garden, often missing in mid-winter but perfect for adding uplifting vibrancy inside. Try bright floral-inspired shades such as Resene Arriba red, orange Resene Kombucha or golden Resene Moondance as accents that work particularly well against an ultra-pastel green like Resene Coconut Cream.

The touch of nature

Texture and movement are vital parts of any complete interior design, but never more so when you want to bring nature inside. If you love the stormy, blowy elements of dramatic winter weather, look for deep base colours that retain some warmth like Resene Warmed Brown or Resene Nocturnal and overlay them with weathered neutrals mixed with Resene FX Paint Effects Medium using rags to blur edges and break up colour blocks to create a sense of movement and drama in the space.

Jill recommends incorporating tactile, natural elements - think woven rugs, leafy plants, floral arrangements or timber finishes. “Adding natural flooring or installing wooden ply panels on the walls can instantly evoke a relaxed cabin or coastal bach atmosphere,” she says. To celebrate the beauty of timber, consider protecting it with a clear Resene Aquaclear finish or opt for a softly weathered look using Resene Colorwood Whitewash.

Materials like rattan, cane, stone and linen introduce visual depth and warmth while keeping your space grounded in its outdoor inspirations.

Jill also highlights the role of natural light and art in strengthening the indoor-outdoor bond. “Choose artwork featuring landscapes, coastal scenes or botanical themes and maximise sunlight to lift darker corners of your home,” she suggests. These thoughtful touches create a space that feels effortlessly connected to nature, inside and out.

A nature inspired wallpaper design can immerse your room in nature immediately. This bathroom’s walls are papered in Resene Wallpaper Collection AS395606. Pair with a floor painted in Resene Concrete with a topcoat of Resene Triple Concrete mixed with Resene FX Paint Effect Medium to create a brushed effect.

Winter flow

If you do want a more literal sense of connection with nature in cooler, wetter months, indoor-outdoor flow is still possible. Here are some design tips and tricks to offset the elements.

- Sheltered spaces: Create an outdoor room in covered or screened patios and pergolas to protect from rain and wind while still feeling connected to nature. Paint walking surfaces with Resene Non-Skid Deck & Path or use Resene Anti-Slip Grip Additive to keep everybody on their feet!

- Layered textures: Bring in warm rugs, throws and outdoor-friendly cushions to make patios and decks feel like a natural extension of your living space. Use similar paint colours in your outdoor room as you’ve used inside to increase the flow.

- Framed views: Plant winter-interest trees and evergreens or set up clusters of plant pots painted in Resene colours to create the boundaries of your outdoor room. You can also cluster the pots near windows so you can enjoy the greenery from inside as well as out.

- Lighting: Use fairy lights, lanterns and exterior wall lighting to create a warm, welcoming glow that draws your eye outside.

If you need help getting started or deciding on the colours that best suit your home whatever the season, come in and visit your local Resene ColorShop, Ask a Resene Colour Expert free online, www.resene.com/colourexpert or book a Resene Colour Consultation free instore or virtually or a paid home visit in selected areas, www.resene.com/colourconsult.