Going Nude in Home Decor

Cheryll Gillespie, host of Let's Shop TV - It's fashionably chic to go nude - at least it is at home. From cosmetics to fashion apparel and finally to home décor, designers are bare’n it all and "going nude." Why? Nude palettes are sophisticated and uninhibited. These soft and pleasing palettes of sexy skin tones are right at home with designers. From creamy peaches to pearls, buffs, soft mauves, pinks, orchids, blushing corals, and bronzed shades such as cognac, chocolate rose brown and clay, nudes are making big entrances in all avenues of fashion.

The nearly naked palette is gentle and serene and, most importantly, it's flattering to our skin tones (this is true for both men and women). For years, designers have been replacing ordinary white light bulbs with soft peach and pink bulbs to make us look our best. Now we can take this one step further with paint, wallpaper, fabrics, and accessories that bring more of these complimentary hues into play and to further cast soft, flattering shades onto our faces and bodies. The color pink has always insinuated innocence, youth, health, and vitality.

Television and film producers have used this trick for years to make their stars and starlets look ravishing. Next time you're watching a show or a movie and you notice how flawless and radiant the star is looking, be sure to check out the back drop. Is the room painted in one of these skin-flattering shades? Most likely it is!

Upcoming seasons will see us demanding that our rooms appear fresh. If you are designing a color palette for a new room, mix and match various skin tones together. Recently, I completed a room that used a unique combination of taupe, mauve, cognac, and a black earth color. On the floor, I installed a buff-coloured shag carpet and very rough black slate tile. The walls are a combination of a buff-colored taupe with accent walls in a black earth color, and a rich mauve-based taupe. Cabinetry is black with black granite countertops (the granite has cognac coloured flecks in it). The results? Bare brilliance!

The palette may be nude, but by mixing a collection of these sleek shades together, adding a little sparkle and shine, a stylish room that flatters and looks fabulous comes to life! This palette is for those of you who desire natural definition but still want the perks of a designer palette. It is the ideal color palette for creating chic rooms without looking like you are trying too hard. Simple, yet genius designs.

How do you make this palette work?

• Stick to tone-on-tone for a soft and feminine look.
• Begin by mixing and matching prints and patterns within the nude palette.
• Add a few accents of lace and painted or bleached French furniture.
• For sparkle, add some luminescent accents or soft matte gold accents.

For a more urban feel accent, you can change up the look.

• Incorporate dark woods or even black mill work and case goods.
• For punch, add a touch of black current or even Asian red.
• The sizzle will come when you finish the room off with a couple of fresh plants and silver or stainless accessories.

Two completely different looks, both using a palette of nudes, and both will give you some stunning results. Isn’t it time you went naked – at least in your own home?

This article was reprinted with the permission of casaGURU. casaGURU is an everyday, everywhere, anytime homeowner website built on the premise that every home deserves a house expert.