If you find yourself cozying on down as the temperatures fall, maybe you’re like me and love to curl up a gorgeous design book for an afternoon rendezvous. (I’m still trying to force myself to read fiction, and I’m still stubbornly resisting!) Here’s one to consider if you missed the memo during pandemic season and even if you don’t consider yourself a minimalist or keen on Pacific Natural Style and laid back California cool. PACIFIC NATURAL AT HOME (Rizzoli, 2021) by Jenni Kayne treats us to carefully curated sunny interiors that will warm you right up.
Pacific Natural Style & Paint Colors
1. Love Jenni Kayne Pacific Natural Style?
There is so much beauty inside the book, and if Jenni Kayne’s brand is new to you, this is a brilliant primer to get a feel for the lifestyle and aesthetic.
Lifestyle? Yes, m’am. In addition to interiors and beautiful things for home, JK designs fashion and and lifestyle. I use her Oak Essentials routine and have a tough time picking my favorite product in it.
2. Beyond Pale Color Stories & Minimal Luxe
Once you explore the home tours within Pacific Natural At Home, you begin to notice that rooms aren’t just minimal or tone-on-tone, there are all these various diversions from traditional style.
However, you’ll also note Jenni’s flavor of California cool shares common ground with characteristics of Old World and modern Belgian country style. Trims, mill work, and ornamentation are absent or minimal. Not the easiest feat when your walls are drywall!
To get something approaching a pared down Pacific Natural look, you could consider painting the trim the same color as the walls for a quieter impression.
3. Playing With Light
Unless you are building from scratch or ready to install skylights, it isn’t always easy to increase natural light in your space. In fact, it is often the reason light-lovin’ people move. However, where privacy is not an issue, there may be ways to play with the light. Could blinds be replaced by cafe curtains or sheer drape on a window’s bottom half?
Ever tried living without heavy curtains? Could light-filtering options let in the sunshine?
4. Learning Natural Looks for Home
Clearly Jenni Kayne favors white oak, and those beautiful light hardwoods set a tone in the interiors represented here. Like French country and modern French style interiors, white oak feels less formal, light, and serene. Natural, organic materials are unfussy and feel very European country meets California-cool.
A good place to start in terms of getting a lighter and more natural look at home? Jenni’s style involves bringing together natural stone, wood, and linen, cotton, and plants.. Are you surrounded by plastic, vinyl and synthetics? Could you begin to make changes with baby steps?
5. Ideas for Paint Colors & a Quiet Neutrals
“A timeless palette grounded in neutrals gives way to endless possibilities for layering, tone, and texture.” – Jenni Kayne
Which Neutral Paint Colors Work Well?
These are colors Jenni Kayne turns to again and again. In terms of Benjamin Moore colors, consider: Alaskan Husky, Barely There, Gray Owl, Steam, and Pure White.
For Portola Paints (check out their amazing Roman Clay and Limewash finishes!), try: Drop Out, White Cliffs, Figueroa, Full Circle, Mont Blanc, Stone 1, Gem, and Stone 2.
Secrets About Roman Clay!
If you happened to spy Nate Berkus & Jeremiah Brent’s Manhattan house in this story with checkered floors and herringbone floors, then you may be interested to know the design team favors a Roman Clay color from Portola called Saint Sauvant.
If you are partial to Farrow & Ball, consider: Dimity, Strong White, James White, Wimborne White, and Pointing.
6. Looking to Nature for the Most Important Cues
Pacific Natural at Home will inspire you to look around outdoors for blooms, branches and foliage.
If you have seen our current dining room, maybe you noticed a potted Ficus in the corner. Would you believe we have been keeping it alive for nearly 30 years? Its ALIVENESS enlivens the whole room.
7. Shelving & Tables
It is impossible to NOT score ideas inside PACIFIC NATURAL AT HOME when it comes to styling shelves, tabletops, and surfaces in the kitchen.
But is it as simple as adding a few books, one of Jenni’s candles (I like cedar and Topanga), an artisan bowl, and a casual arrangement? Experiment. They’re a great start.
8. Learn Jenni Kayne’s Approach
JK’s airy, tranquil, fresh approach to Pacific natural interiors and lifestyle is such a soothing one. Visit Jenni’s site HERE to learn from the look and see the range of resources available.
Sometimes the look comes with an investment-sized price, but you may discover ideas that lead to no-cost decorating. For example, the stump accent table above? We have three nearly identical ones I keep in the garden. They are left from trees that didn’t make it at our former property.
Another example? Should a particular pillow be beyond your budget, you may get the look with a slight pivot. (Natural canvas dropcloth material is still relatively inexpensive and easy DIY envelope pillow tutorials are one YouTube search away.)
Inspiration from Pacific Natural at Home & JK
Notice the details of the pieces offered at JK Home such as the shape of furniture legs, the Midcentury Modern influences, and the neutral color stories.
For example, in this bedroom, the color black draws the eye to the outside in a way that demands attention.
Also notice how various geometric shapes together feel playful and modern.
Look around at your own space to determine whether you may need to add something curvy or round to balance a lot of linear interest.
If you’re a certain age, the room below may bring back some nostalgia!
Right? I’m reminded of beautiful 1970s macrame and handcrafted wall decor made by my mother.
9. Peek Inside PACIFIC NATURAL
For entertaining and lifestyle tips, there’s a wealth of natural beauty in Pacific Natural too.
Oh that gorgeous layer cake on the beautiful natural wood pedestal!
And I’m loving this idea for a gift for each guest at the table:
Here’s another beautiful idea using a color other than white for candles on the table:
And don’t you love the ideas of low arrangements so you can look into the eyes of guests across the table?
I also love a table covered with the simplest little clear glass votives. In fact, I cannot live without them and rely on them (HERE) to make every occasion sparkle where I’m the hostess.
Need a Holiday from the Holidays Yet?
Should you already feel behind as far as doing all the holiday things and a little down from the shorter days…
I hope you’ll find opportunities for laughter and lighthearted whimsy.
I’m tired just thinking about taking down decorations! Hahahaha! When am I allowed to shift into hibernation mode?
Thanks so much for taking this diversion from all of the garlands and gifts!
I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.
Peace to you right where you are.
-michele
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