Interior designers often look to nature for inspiration. After all, nothing can replicate the natural splendor of the Earth's ever-changing elements. The endless array of colors and combination help interior designers create palettes that drive decisions regarding paint, fabric, and art.

The events of 2020 are causing many people to be shut indoors without access to nature and providing more time for redecorating. Here are some of the best Color in Nature design inspiration arrangements of 2020.

Pure as Snow

Snow and ice have been a popular source of natural inspiration over 2020, as many people are shifting back toward neutrals. The crisp tones offered by white shades make rooms appear more spacious and clean, invoking images of crisp winter air and snowy mountains.

Designers are adding contrast to the look with shades of charcoal for a stunning variation that really pops. One of the most popular rooms for this look is the kitchen. Over the past two years, the all-white kitchen has become a fan-favorite trend. Many people are taking a more practical approach to this look by utilizing the two-tone trend, using darker grey on the bottom and white on top.

The benefit of this blend is that the kitchen gets the best of both worlds. The white cupboards on top make the room appear bright and spacious while the dark cabinets beneath hiding food spatter. You can get the two-tone look using a mixed order of the best RTA Cabinets at the Best Online Cabinets.

Wheat Kings and Pretty Things

The Wheat Kings and Pretty Things invokes images of the sunset over the wheat fields of the midwest. This blend of warm-toned neutrals with dark, contrasting accents creates the perfect backdrop for a living room. Use the lighter shades on the walls and main furniture with a few well-chosen accent pieces in the darker shade of brown.

The touch of gray adds a coolness to the warmer tones for an eclectic design blend. Use this shade for blankets, rugs, and throw pillows for an unexpected element that brings the room together nicely.

This design scheme is an elegant twist on rustic decor. If you want to invoke a country-inspired vibe into your living space without being chintzy or cliche, this is the look for you. Add natural elements by placing dried wheat stalks in large floor vases as a stunning, maintenance-free alternative to house plants.

Into the Woods

The Biophilia Hypothesis states that humans have an innate connection with the natural world. This connection stems from primordial wiring that many people aren't aware of until they step into the woods. The feeling of calm and relaxation in a quiet forest is one that many designers strive to bring into the home.

This color scheme is perfect for a master bedroom. The muted emerald and soft plum create a sense of luxuriousness without feeling manufactured. The deep calming colors can help create an ideal resting space while offering ample versatility for design.

You can use one of the lighter tones for the walls and use the deep green as the main accent element. The soft plum shade is ideal for a more feminine inspired space, while the green-gray tone is the perfect neutral. Bring the room to life with emerald vases holding dried lavender for a complimentary design element that adds dimension to the room.

This versatile color palette can be paired with silver fixtures for a soft, cool emphasis. Conversely, gold tones will pair well with the muted emerald shade to create a sense of luxuriousness and elegance. Bring nature indoors with faux sugarplums on display in ornate dishes or jars.

Quiet Mountains

Mountains add a sense of calm regalness that's simultaneously rustic and elegant. The essence of this ancient beauty translates well into bedroom, nursery, and living room design. The shades of blue create an analogous backdrop to the decor for more cohesion than bright, contrasting colors.

Use one of the two lighter shades for the wall or create a DIY mountain mural using the various shades. The deeper tones are ideal for rich fabrics, like velvet and cashmere— both of which are also hot design trends right now. You can also invoke a sense of mountain life with wool and fleece blankets. The idea of comfort in the cold is synonymous with the Danish Hygge decor movement, which is one of the top trends of 2020. Bring it all together with brass fixtures and natural stone decor elements, such as a stone accent wall or fireplace.

This color scheme can also work well in a well-lit kitchen or bathroom. Pair the cool tones with muted white cabinetry to brighten up space and break up the blue shades. The white cabinetry with blue walls will also look incredible with a faux stone backsplash and add resale value to your home.

Desert Hues

Antelope Canyon in Arizona has long been the focal point of artistic and photographic inspiration. The combination of warm and cool tones in swirls and waves make the desert hues of Antelope Canyon a fantastic foundation for kitchens and living rooms.

Opt for the yellow or terra cotta as a backdrop when following this natural color palette. Balance the softer pink shade with the maroon to avoid detracting from the boldness of the other colors. Consider using the marron for larger decor pieces, like shelving, sofas, and area rugs. Conversely, use the lighter pink for lampshades, throw pillows, and florals.

Incorporate nature into this look by accentuating the room with clay pots and earthenware. Add cacti and succulents to the room to bring the theme to life. Rethink your wall decor and create artistic arrays using textiles, hats, and brass plates or tiles.

Misty Lakeside

When many people consider lake-inspired decor, they tend to gravitate toward the idea of a lake house or lakeside cottage. While most envision sunny days spent frolicking in the water, there's a deeper, more ethereal lake decor-inspiration that many designers overlook.

This inspiration comes from the early foggy mornings before the sun comes out when fishers silently row through the mist to find the morning's catch before their family wakes up. It's a sense of solitude in a world seemingly untouched by human hands.

The central theme around the misty lakeside Color in Nature design scheme is cool colors that are both muted and bold. These shades pair famously with oversized leather furniture, unfinished wood, and the elements of a high-end hunting camp.

Make a bold statement by using one of the darker shades on the wall. Whereas many design themes of 2020 accentuate lighter colors to create the illusion of more space, this trend is a callback to Victorian times.

If the darker shades are too much for your bedroom or living room, soften the look using the pale gray. Add sheer curtains to recreate the mist setting on the lakebed. Swap out darker furniture for lighter pieces with dark accents. Finish the room with large black and white prints of beloved fishing spots and quiet watering holes.

April Showers

This color in nature design scheme takes invokes the feeling of the first days of spring when soft petals tentatively start to bloom. While spring tends to get associated with pastels, the early days tend to have deeper, muted shades as well.

This palette has something for everyone, with a muted green punctuating various shades of mauve, quartz, and off-white. This combination presents endless opportunities for decor. Opt for a quartz bathroom or bedroom using the lighter shades as accent pieces to soften the space. While the off-white makes for a great textile base, these shades also look tremendous with pops of pure white trim and framing.

The muted green is a fantastic color for living rooms to add a stronger essence to a theme that's typically quite delicate. The muted green also pairs well with wrought iron and brushed finishes on fixtures. Add a floral-inspired chandelier or wall fixtures, and lightly finished wood to bring this decor scheme together.

When using the April Showers look in a larger room, consider making a living wall the focal point. Bring those May flowers inside with a framed living wall that grows heuchera, scabious, and viola, which all bloom in the same soft shades featured on this palette.

Ocean Breeze

The beach has been a source of design inspiration for decades. However, designers and DIYers alike tend to fixate on the pale blues, bright whites, and subtle seafoam green. Many of these design ideas translate into a nautical theme, which captures the relationship between humans and the sea— rather than the mysteries of the vast expanse of the ocean depths.

The ocean breeze theme is more earthy and untouched than the traditional nautical theme. This palette uses deeper, stronger shades that better capture the multitudes of the sea. Use this theme in a living room, bedroom, or home office.

The sandy neutral shade creates a unique backdrop for this design scheme. Use this color for the walls, and showcase large photos of stormy seas that capture the deeper shades of blue. Create depth in the room with navy blankets, pillows, and rugs. Add a few contrasting pieces in lighter shades of blue to enhance the look further.

Consider adding decorative jars with sand and shells collected from beach vacations over the years. Ocean-inspired decor doesn't have to be all fish and boats— consider how you can fascinate with the darker side of nature.

Frosty Evergreens

Green-gray is the 2020 Color in Nature shade of the year. This soft neutral creates a versatile backdrop that never falls out of fashion. It's neither overtly masculine nor feminine, making it appealing to designers, homeowners, and potential home buyers.

The frost evergreen look captures the spirit of a quiet winter forest. It's the visual equivalent of Robert Frost's famous poem, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. This look works famously in any room of the house.

Opt for one of the lighter shades as the backdrop of the room. Then, use the dark green to add a subtle-yet-powerful variation. Muted shades of white can also help bring the palette to life and create a sense of coziness and luxury. Incorporate natural elements with pine boughs and raw wood and stonework.

Take this look to the next level with small decorations and accents in bright red. This contrasting element captures the look of holly berries against a green and white background. This addition to the color scheme is a fabulous way to stand out and add energy to the room.

Red Sky at Night

While this color scheme is quite similar to the desert hues mentioned above, there are some subtle-yet-important differences. Red Sky at Night, named for the adage, is inspired by the red hues of the sky as the sun sets over the water. While shades of red, orange, and yellow are often visual representations of energy and cheerfulness, this palette puts them together in a way that invokes calm and contentment.

Use the yellow or terra cotta as your backdrop, with the complementary shade of purple for accents. You can also pair both lighter shades together, using the terra cotta as an accent wall. These soothing tones are ideal for a bedroom or bathroom but also look fantastic in an open-concept dining room and kitchen. These colors look stunning next to dark stained wood furniture, including walnut and ebony finishes.

Bring the natural beauty of the sunset into the room with ombre or gradient textiles. Despite the contrast in these shades, they blend beautifully into one another for a look that's unlike any other designer trend. Use warm-toned lighting with brushed gold fixtures and ornate mirrors as a visual representation of the sunset on the sea. Using an assortment of mirrors in your decor will also create the illusion of more space in the room.

Bring Your Home to Life

With the Color in Nature 2020 palettes, you can showcase the beauty of nature in your home. Use these inspiring looks to plant the seed for your next home makeover.