For people who want their new eco-friendly commitment to be reflected in their home decor, painting ideas can be a bit challenging. White is too sterile, purple is too bright and a sea of beige is too blah. So, how can you create a restful retreat without making your home bland?

Think about the colors you see in nature. While there may be quite a bit of beige on a sandy beach, there are also other colors. Blues, greens and brown colors abound in most areas that haven't been heavily developed. Autumn brings us a very colorful world with red, orange and yellow foliage.

Choose a neutral base color, such as the quiet green of bamboo, and then choose two accent colors from the same area for trim and furnishings. For example, when they are used sparingly, the light brown color of a Japanese maple's bark and the red of its leaves can add plenty of interest to a room, but will still contrast nicely with the bamboo green walls. All of these colors can be found in quite a few Asian gardens. Someone using a desert area with a blooming cactus in it as his or her inspiration may have a tan, green and pink color scheme.