Wildflower Color Inspiration: Is imitating Nature the Best Inspiration?

Wildflower Color Inspiration

One of the first environmental conservation efforts I was aware of was Lady Bird Johnson’s initiative to restore native plants and wildflowers to the country’s landscapes. Initially, the idea took the form of the Highway Beautification Act in the mid 60’s and later took the form of Lady Bird Johnson’s Wildflower Center. Even as a young child there was something about the idea of wildflowers and returning prairie to its natural state that appealed to me. Maybe it was my incessant reading of The Little House Books that made the idea seem romantic. Now I know that returning wildflowers to our landscape makes good sense for the bees and for the environment in general.
As I hike here in Minnesota, I always love stumbling upon wildflowers and enjoying their beauty. Their colors are often happy accents in a sea of green or brown grasses. As I often get inspiration for interiors from nature, this summer I’ve been thinking about the beautiful, uplifting accent colors we could draw from our wildflowers in the prairie.

Wildflower Yellow

Consider the sunny yellows on the prairie as a wildflower color inspiration to add a bit of sunshine to any space. From accent walls to a piece of furniture or accessories consider yellow to bring a sense of optimism and joy to your home. Here are some perfect sunny paint colors to use as a reference for the perfect yellow.

Wildflower Red

Red as an accent in a room brings a gregarious, passionate tone to a room. Note the way the wildflowers punctuate a field and consider using a strong color such as wildflower red to create visual rhythm in a space with a sprinkling of color that moves your eye around the space.

Coral Wildflower Color Inspiration

Coral is a color that could be the main color in an interior or an accent. The wildflowers shown here suggest a fresh, invigorating feeling and combines the best aspects of red and yellow. A monochromatic room of coral wouldn’t overwhelm but combining it with white and blues or greens would be a great idea in any interior.
Want to know more about what LiLu considers to be the Perfect Blue? or Using Green as a Neutral? Click through to read these posts.

Pinks in the Wild

Wildflower color inspiration also comes in pink. Usually a brighter pink than one finds in the cultivated garden, wildflower pink is bright and invokes a sense of peaceful playfulness. Brighter than the sweet pink one might associate with a baby’s nursery, wildflower pinks can be a sophisticated color addition to a green or gray room.

Wildflower Blues

Blues are one of my favorite wildflower colors. I am a fan of the blue coneflower for a perennial in any garden. Wildflower blue is another color that could be used in a large dose in any space from a den or living room to a bedroom. These are perfect shades from light and friendly to deep and dramatic and steadfast, inspired by the variety of blues found in the prairies and wetlands of Minnesota.