Recently transforming a children’s bedroom into an adult retreat at his family’s farmhouse, interior designer and stylist Jono Fleming was drawn to warm brown and deep jewel shades.
Jono’s boundary pushing taste gravitates towards unique designs and bold decor. With this, it was no surprise Jono looked to Dulux’s Muse palette for his transformation, with its heavy inspiration from the free-spirited styles of the past, in particular reminiscent of the 60s to the 80s, with a particular nod to the 70’s.
“I loved the boldness, nostalgia and contrast of colours that include unexpected combinations that sit really nicely together. As a designer, working with such an expressive colour palette makes for really fun choices, and the full range of colours brings a quiet yet striking scheme to life.”
Before
He adds: “The immediate drawcard to this palette were the brown shades of Guitar, Tuscan Sunset and Fantan. Browns have been coming back into fashion in a big way, and I knew they would achieve the sense of warmth I wanted to create in this space. Much like the Muse palette itself, brown tones are a great throwback to those bold 70s interiors.”
The makeover opportunity was to rework a once light and simple children’s room that had lost its personality, into a cosy and nostalgic retreat filled with warmth, comfort and new life. “I wanted to complement the natural landscape of the countryside, bringing cohesion to the overall environment inside and out,” Jono adds.
To create this deep moody retreat, the key starting point was to paint the walls and ceilings in Fantan, an earthy yellow-brown, which immediately transformed the room and created a calming space as opposed to the original white walls.
“As people find their colour confidence and are beginning to move away from plain white walls, adding tones from beiges to browns can be a nice way to add warmth and depth to a space. With Dulux Fantan as the base, I wanted to incorporate key colours to add pops of personality throughout the space.
“The windows are modern with a simple edge profile so I painted a border in Dulux Canyon Cloud, a soft greyed off lilac, to add a point of interest and a graphic accent. The mirror was painted in the bold and vibrant Dulux Passionate Blue, a perfect compliment to the Dulux Fantan background, as was the side table painted in Dulux Fluorescent Fire, bringing energy and uplifting warmth, proving that the unexpected red theory really rings true.”
The lighter colours in the palette, for instance Dulux Bryophyte, a soft mint green, referenced on the custom corduroy bedhead, “helps to add elements of quirk and interest that give this space its own voice. These small details help tie the overall palette together and create a cohesive, directional space,” Jono explains.
He amplified the retro look and feel by including decor of exciting textures and glamour. He wanted to drive home the 70s throwback with vintage furniture and chrome accents. The highlight piece was a vintage Italian 1970s chocolate velvet armchair with chrome detailing as a lounge space at the end of the bed.
“In particular, velvet and chrome are key materials to make the colours within this palette sing. The mix of vintage materiality with bold colours helps the palette feel layered through time periods of design. Using vintage pieces adds a story telling element to the space, creating a personal and memorable room. The chrome lamp gives the unexpected dash of modernism to the space and provides a beautiful contrast to the colourful palette.”
For those wanting to undertake a Muse palette-inspired look in their own home, particularly as brown shades come to the fore, introducing colour doesn’t need to be a scary endeavour, you just need to find the colour that speaks to you. Jono recommends starting with a base colour from the palette and then adding hints of complementary tones in trims and architraves.
For those not ready to paint, bold colours from the Muse palette can be referenced through art and soft furnishings as a starting point. “Art, cushions and rugs are often the first step to adding personality into a space and are a great gateway to colour. Go with decor and books and find which colour speaks to you. A great way to add an expanse of colour without it feeling too permanent is to introduce it through curtains. That way you can see a block of colour on an entire wall with the option to change and shift as you please.”
For more on the Muse palette by Dulux.
Photography: Jacqui Turk | Styling Jono Fleming
