Natural materials are all the rage with wood, stone and organic fabrics featuring in homes that embrace eco principles. Check out the ingredients for naturally stylish homes.

It's time to get back to nature with a refreshing home trend which is a complete antidote to the popular but highly-decorative 'luxe' look.

By contrast, it celebrates the beauty and neutral tones of materials such as unvarnished wood, stone and hand-cast ceramics, and complements them with 'touch me' texture fabrics such as bleached linens, pure cottons and slubby wools.

"Nude, barely-there tones have been big news on the catwalk playing a key role in designer collections such as Donna Karan's and Prada," says leading interior designer, Kelly Hoppen.

"And now those natural, neutral tones are translating beautifully into homes because, as I've always believed, people are recognising they are easy to work with and live with."

There's a pared-down element to a successful interpretation but it's far from the cool and often bleak minimalism of old.

The key to pulling off the uncluttered and under-stated neutrals and naturals fusion is to create a palette mimicking 'cosmetic' shades.

Think in terms of 'highlighting' rooms with foundation and blusher shades - muddy pinks, browns and taupes for furniture and floors, and a 'base' of ivory or pearly cream on walls.

"I have natural, unvarnished wood in pale, blond shades in my own home. This helps create a warm, elegant atmosphere and an incredibly versatile setting," says Hoppen.

Wall story

Naturals are often stronger colours than neutrals, because they're inspired by nature's plant and earth shades.

While they can be soothing and calming they should be used carefully, as too much brown or olive green can look drab.

Off-whites work well as a back-drop, and paint companies such as Farrow & Ball have a well-deserved reputation for their subtle shades even if the names are a little fanciful.

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen's concise new paint collection for Graham & Brown also works well.

It features just 32 colours, modest by paint chart standards, and three in particular could be ideal: a soft taupe, Lamb's Wool, the wet sand shade, Beached or a creamy, Sports Car Leather. Matt emulsion £16.98 for 2.5 litres from B&Q.

Bring nature inside with Canopy, a wallpaper replicating the great outdoors and featuring a forest of leaves and branches. It is £292.64 for a 10 metre roll from House Couturier.

Wooden-it-be-lovely

Wooden furniture adds real impact and character.

"There's a growing demand for pieces that aren't bland and boast unique knots and grain. People want pieces that will grow old disgracefully because wear and tear - like laughter lines - adds to both patina and visual charm," explains Russell Pinch, who with his wife, Oona runs Pinch Design.

Turn on the texture

Hard surfaces and raw materials, no matter what their beauty, need to be balanced by the softness and contrast of textured fabrics.

Anita Kohn at interiors specialists, Living In Space advises layering fabrics of different textures together to add interest, such as wool with silk, or silk with satin for a glamorous sheen.

Back to basics

Wood and stone are enduring choices for interiors - particularly kitchens and bathrooms - as they're hard-wearing, especially with the advancement of sophisticated, protective finishes which don't mask their good looks.

Cheryl Gurner at Bathrooms International says: "Sinks and baths are being crafted from a single boulder of stone, leaving the exterior sides in a natural raw state, while the interior surfaces are polished and glossy. We're also seeing bamboo - one of the planets most sustainable materials - featuring in furniture."

Nice 'n natural

Floors, all too often considered last in a scheme, can have enormous impact on a room, and a little DIY sanding and varnishing bare floorboards could transform them.

Alternatively, explore the ranges of carpets in natural fibres such as seagrass, sisal or coir. Crucial Trading has an excellent selection.