Earth tones: paint your home as warm as a night at a house in the countryside

What are earth tones?

Earth tones are colours nature was using long before we were: the colour of soil after rain, sand on a riverbank, old brick at a floating market, roasted coffee beans, olive leaves. Our eyes know them so well that they feel safe without our having to think about it.

The great thing about earth tones is that they are easy to live with. They don't shout, and they don't steal the show. Add a wooden table, a rattan chair or hand-woven cotton and everything fits. Paint with them and your home looks lived-in for years, in the good way.

Sort earth tones into 4 groups and choosing gets much easier

Don't pick an earth tone at random. Sort them into groups first, then choose by the mood you want. Each group feels clearly different.

• Sand and light brown: warm and bright, fine for a whole room, e.g. Sand Dust, Coconut Sugar, Chao Phraya Sand
• Brick and caramel: very warm and full of energy, good for a feature wall, e.g. Antique Brick, Caramel, Tamarind
• Coffee and chocolate: dark, deep and luxurious, good for a study or a reading corner, e.g. Coffee Bean, Chocolate, Phu Kha Coffee
• Olive and earthy green: a little cooler but still natural, e.g. Siam Olive, Horse Poop

Mineral earth tones: the closest thing to a real earth wall

If you love the look of earth walls, the plastered walls of old houses or a guesthouse in Chiang Dao, Voqe Mineral Finish is the answer. It is a matt finish applied by hand, with faint brush marks, so no two walls are the same. Shades such as Charoenkrung Plaster, Tamarind or Milo, caught by evening light filtering through leaves, look like walls with age and stories behind them.

Mineral Finish is sold as a set of two tins: Set 2QT at ฿1,180 and Set 2GL at ฿2,998. It works on both walls and floors. Where it will get wet or see heavy use, add Voqe Mineral Sealer (clear, satin) or Voqe Mineral Wax (clear, semi-gloss) as a top coat.

How to use earth tones without making your home dark

The number one fear of anyone who wants earth tones is a room as dark as a cave. The answer is the 60-30-10 rule: make most of the walls a light earth tone such as Sand Dust or Coconut Sugar, let furniture and fabrics make up the next share, and save a dark shade such as Coffee Bean or Antique Brick for a single wall.

Another tip is to put the dark shades in well-lit rooms. A room with big windows carries a deep earth tone easily. In a room with little light, stay in the sand and light-brown group and add depth with your furnishings instead.

Try earth tones before you decide

Earth tones change with the light more than you might think. A brick shade that looks lovely in the morning can turn bright orange in the afternoon sun. Order 100ml samples at ฿75 to try on the real wall first, then watch them all day.

To see the mineral finish in person, drop in at Voqe Studio (Bang Phli), where real painted walls show all 113 shades, open Monday to Friday, 8:00–16:30. Or send a photo of your room to LINE @dynohomes for free help choosing. If you would rather not paint it yourself, there is our Supply & Apply service.