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City Retreat – The New Interior Trend

Harriet Goodacre

January 20, 2022

What began as adding a couple of potted plants into your bathroom has now grown into a full lifestyle choice. Reconnecting with nature, escaping bustling cities and finding calm amongst natural materials has very much become a way of life. Therefore, it seems sensible to create these kinds of retreats in our own homes so we can bask in a city retreat every day of the week.

Particularly relevant for those that live in an urban environment, this trend encapsulates the best aspects of nature and lends itself to any room in the home. From muted mint to fervent forest green, shades of nature-inspired hues are being mixed with natural materials like marble, brass, and dark stained wood, transforming our living spaces in to calm oases.

We’ve created a stunning colour palette of harmonious shades of green with help from our partners Dulux to help encapsulate this trend.

The Colour Story

Here’s four ways we’d style the City Retreat trend.

A dark and moody Palm Night is the perfect foundation tone for building a colour scheme whilst accents of the vibrant Vine Leaf help keep your space bright and playful. A mixture of Dried Sage and Guild Green is a neutral-lover’s heaven.

Depending on your personal style, you can lighten up the look with a contrasting palette of greys and beiges or go dramatic with washed charcoals and inky blues. We show you how to transform these colours into full renovation magic with the help of some of our favourite tiles.

The Tile Edit

Contemporary Sage

Sage tones have seen a surge in popularity recently, both in interiors and fashion, as the hue often marries the line between neutral and colour. The delicate green base tone of Flute Sage works well in both contemporary and heritage style interiors. We particularly love it paired with the punchy Atro White. The terrazzo effect helps lift the muted tones of Flute and the coloured chips make it easier to bring other colours into the scheme.

We love it with accents of matt black metal and plenty of real greenery, even in a bathroom shower, a hanging potted plant or just an attractive bunch of eucalyptus tied to the shower head. But it would also look equally at home placed with classic beige tones and traditionally style sanitary ware.

Heritage Green

A matt tile is a great way to add serenity to a space, Matrix Collection’s Wilderness Green is the perfect shade of forest green to add depth and interest to your space. Continue the matt finishes by adding in touches of Carrara Honed. The soft white grey marble will add a touch of elegance to the bold green hue.

If you’re looking to create a heritage inspired space then go for traditional fixtures, in a bathroom a high shine metal will feel extravagant. If you lean more towards a modern setting, then go for either a matt or tarnished metal accent. Make sure to add in some textural differences in surfaces to interest the eye and stop the room looking flat.

Rustic Nature

A handcrafted looking tile immediately provides a rustic, lived in feel. Something that a lot of people find calming. The aged vibe of Zellica works perfectly with the delicate mottled forest green shading. You can carry on the darker theme by using a cement effect on the floor, or go for a monochromatic pattern like Gatzby.

We love art deco accents to lift the dark green hue, creating a nice contrast between rustic worn edges and sharp geometric lines. Walnut wood furniture, touches of gold and a clean mirror will finish the look, a touch of marble wouldn’t hurt either!

Opulent Design

If you’re looking for a truly opulent finish, then marble is definitely the material of choice, but it doesn’t have to be white to be elegant. Emerale is a scintillating green marble with dark green to black veining. It adds instant drama with its intricate swirls whilst its glossy finish stops the overall look from becoming too dark.

Matt black works particularly well with this type of marble as it helps to offset the polished surface finish however, if you’re looking for a decadent, traditional and warming finish, opt for a dark wood effect tile on your floor. A tile like Prossimo would be a great choice with its subtle variation, realistic wood grain and it’s easy to lay in a parquet style; perfect for recreating a chic Parisian apartment.

Not sure which one to pick? Try our online visualiser tool and see any of these tile choices in your own home with just a couple of clicks! Get snapping.

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