8 Ways to Bring the Outdoors In Using Paint Color

A beautiful bedroom with a yellow-painted accent wall, earthy green trim, doors and window, a light blue entrance door shutter, a rattan bedframe and palmettos in vases flanking both sides of bed. A beautiful bedroom with a yellow-painted accent wall, earthy green trim, doors and window, a light blue entrance door shutter, a rattan bedframe and palmettos in vases flanking both sides of bed.

8 Ways to Bring the Outdoors In Using Paint Color

Healing and healthy, nature is a commanding force. By bringing hues from the great outdoors into your home, you’ll enjoy the restorative effects of fresh air, blue sky, and life-giving natural energy.

Our palette of six nature-inspired paint colors, curated by our experts, provide a sound starting point for bringing the beauty of the outdoors, inside.

Bring Outdoor Elements In with Color

From buttery yellow and soft blue-gray to rustic, saturated browns, this palette breathes the energy of the great outdoors into any space.

Get expert advice on how to take color cues from nature.

Embrace Outdoor Elements Indoors

Earth, water, fire and air: Sharon Grech, Benjamin Moore Color & Design Expert, discusses the classical elements of nature and using them as design influences in your home.

A self-described “nature girl,” Sharon shares outdoor-inspired design tips on Cityline, a popular Canadian daytime lifestyle show.
A guest room with an off-white-painted window trim set within a brownish-green painted accent wall, white-painted walls and ceiling, and a stone wall running the width of two beds with neutral bedding.

Natural Materials, Natural Hues, Natural Lighting

An exposed brick wall, forged metal, stone fireplaces, wooden floors and lush hanging plants: nature’s bounty is endless.

Use gradations from natural elements—think neutral tones, greiges and taupes—that are already in your home, then choose light, medium and dark paint tones to add depth and dimension.

Natural light impacts paint color in beautiful, intriguing ways. Be sure to brush on a paint sample or use moveable peel & stick samples to see color in different streams of light before you buy and apply.
A sunny bedroom with a yellow-painted wall and ceiling, white wainscoting and trim, yellow and white bedding, two reading lamps and side tables.

Make Any Room a Sunroom

Bring sunny warmth in with pale and mid-tone yellow hues that enhance your room’s light. Our favorites include Soft yellows are popular for making small spaces look bigger.

Use sheen/finish to highlight your golden hues. Choose an eggshell sheen or higher (think pearl/satin, semi-gloss or high-gloss) so that natural light organically bounces around your space. If you prefer a less reflective effect, a flat matte finish might be best for you.
A white-painted room corner with light blue trim and dark navy mullion, and a black spindle chair with a yellow throw.

Highlight Outdoor Views with Colorful Window Trim

A well-placed window is a dynamic piece of art, showcasing seasonal changes in outdoor color and texture every day.

To accentuate a beautiful window view, consider:
  • Painting window trim in a darker shade than your wall. Here, rich and sumptuous Hale Navy HC-154-painted mullion emanates out to light Smoke 2122-40 outer window trim. Against white walls, the result is a colorful lens through which to view the natural world.
  • Painting trim in a lighter paint color against deeper-hued walls is another winning approach. Bright, crisp white-painted trim pops against deep hues, drawing the eye outward.
White-painted shelves holding baskets, bowls, ceramics, glasses and other off-white décor against a white-painted wall, and a table with two chairs.

White Paint Colors as a Base for Natural Décor

White painted walls enhance spaces while providing the perfect canvas for natural décor. Err on the warmer side of white hues such as Mannequin Cream OC-92, Timid White OC-39 or Simply White OC-117, a former Benjamin Moore Color of the Year.

Rattan, wicker, cane, sisal and sea grass bring tactility, warmth, and nature’s vitality to any space, especially when enveloped by white hues to create a cocoon-like vibe.
A bed with blue and light green bedding on a light wooden platform in a room painted in light blue, gray, and white.

Watery Hues Elevate Earth Tone Colors

Water, another of nature’s classical elements, beautifully balances warm, natural colors and delivers cool, refreshing vibes.

Colors and materials that echo surf and sand create calming spaces that welcome and comfort. Consider these classic blue-meets-beach color pairings: Use seashells, coral and other natural-inspired accessories to bring ocean-based touches home.
A double black kitchen sink beneath paned windows, and lower deep sage green-painted cabinetry and an off-white wall, open shelving and ceiling.

Ground Your Space with Dark, Earthy Hues

Darker-hued walls—think dark browns, grays and black hues—allow natural elements like plants and fresh flowers to pop.

If all-dark walls are too much for you, try deep, earthy tones on accent walls or on the lower portion of a room, with wainscoting or “feign-scoting.”

Here, lower cabinetry in a deep brown-green works to give this boho kitchen space an earthy, homey energy. Favorite deep hues we love include:
A sleek contemporary bathroom painted in light green with a white ceiling, a running shower, and a wide door open to a sunny outdoor setting.

Integrate Indoor and Outdoor Spaces Using Paint Color

Natural materials and finishes blend interiors seamlessly with the outdoors. Here, Guilford Green, a former Color of the Year from our color palette above, is a perfect gentle green thanks to warm undertones that align effortlessly with the natural wood in this contemporary bathroom.

Green hues deliver soothing, natural vibes. Consider the following greens for a nature-kissed bathroom:


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