12 Nature-inspired Earth Tones for Windows & Doors

12 Nature-inspired Earth Tones for Windows & Doors

February 28, 2025

In 2025, many seek a natural design touch: warm variations of brown, beige, and tan. Find the perfect hue among Kolbe’s window and door options.

The popularity of earth tones in architectural design continues to grow, rooted in a need for comfort, simplicity, and connection within our everyday spaces.

How does this trend extend to window and door designs? How can we thoughtfully incorporate browns, beiges, tans, and related colors and textures into their construction? And how successfully do earth tones frame a treasured view or interact with common materials in and around an opening?

With Kolbe, the possibilities are vast and surprising, much like nature itself. You are sure to find inspiration as you walk through these twelve examples.

1. In Contemporary Contexts

Earth tones effortlessly adapt to the characteristics of today’s homes. Here, a Bronze finish outlines the bold Forgent Series openings of this contemporary design, from the sharp casements below to the dynamic geometric direct sets near the roofline.

Forgent® Series casement, picture, and geometric direct set  windows

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2. Back to Basics

Nature-inspired colors of course begin with natural elements—like wood. This Ultra Series door with matching sidelites displays the traits of this timeless material beautifully. The extruded aluminum-clad exterior features a custom walnut-style finish while the interior shows off knotty alder with a double clear coat finish.

Extruded aluminum clad exterior door and sidelites with custom Decoral National Walnut finish; Ultra Series inswing door with raised panels and sidelites Knotty Alder wood interior, double clear coat finish

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3. Creating Memories

The color of wood can be further adjusted to your preference without losing its signature patterning and texture. These Ultra Series Sterling double-hung windows have a pine interior with a Coffee Bean stain, bringing together a cozy kitchen space that is ripe for family gatherings.

Ultra Series Sterling double hung  Coffee Bean stained interior, Pine

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4. Across Styles

Beyond the expected homes of today and yesteryear, earth tones also contribute to more specific styles. A simple outswing door from Kolbe’s Ultra Series serves as a point of contrast on the façade of this Mediterranean-inspired home. The refined grayish-brown exterior is called Truffle.

Ultra Series outswing entrance door  Truffle exterior

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5. Cabin Complements

In the right setting, these colors are an intuitive connection between modern features and rustic details. Here, an extruded aluminum-clad window exterior in Truffle serves as a transition from the expansive glass to the charmingly rugged wood siding.

Ultra Series direct sets, transoms, and crank-out casements Extruded aluminum clad exterior with 70%25 Fluoropolymer finish in Truffle

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6. Outside and In

Sometimes, selecting the right colors for the exterior and the interior can be drastically different tasks. Kolbe’s Forgent Series is used here, showing off an exterior in Bronze and an interior in Sahara. While the Bronze makes a statement on the outside, the Sahara takes a backseat on the inside to let the dark wood throughout the space be the focus.

Forgent Series double hungs, Direct set transoms in custom shapes to form a segment head Glastra exterior in Bronze; Forgent Series double hungs flanking a stationary unit Direct set transoms in custom shapes to form a segment head Glastra interior in Sahara

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7. Luxury Look

Bronze, Truffle, Sahara, and comparable colors have a rightful place in coastal-inspired spaces, as well. Here, Ultra Series direct set radius picture windows with a rich, earthy finish—appropriately called Rustic—overlook a lush pool space.

Extruded aluminum clad exterior with Rustic fluoropolymer finish

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8. Beyond Home

In commercial settings, wood colors and textures are approachable and welcoming. These are surely desirable traits for a restaurant! Here, a Heritage Series folding window unit embraces vertical grain fir wood. The result is a space in which you can easily imagine relaxing for a coffee and brunch.

Heritage Series 5-wide folding window unit with 3" stiles & rails Vertical Grain Fir wood species

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9. Wood Today

The warm familiarity of wood further redefines contemporary conventions. In this dining space, a white oak wood interior with a custom clear coat finish frames out remarkable views of a Canadian forest. The soft, organic color keeps the focus on the vibrant landscape, while the verticality of the material echoes the trees themselves.

VistaLuxe WD LINE direct sets White Oak wood interior, custom clear coat finish

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10. Part of the Landscape

Beyond trees, these browns, beiges, and tans may evoke the very terrain upon which a structure stands. Even with its massive glass expanses, this residence seems to emerge from the hillside. The Dark Bronze anodized finish on the exterior of the windows and doors further establishes this sense of belonging.

VistaLuxe WD LINE  direct sets, geometrics, awnings and Ultra Series TerraSpan lift & slide doors Extruded aluminum clad exterior with a Dark Bronze anodized finish

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11. Major Highlight

Earth tones are indeed prime for blending into the landscape, but they can also push windows to serve as focal points. A custom configuration of VistaLuxe WD LINE windows is amplified by a Truffle finish on this contemporary home, which also features a subtle Sand color on many of its other, smaller openings.

VistaLuxe WD LINE direct sets, awnings and casements Extruded aluminum clad exterior with Truffle and Sand fluoropolymer finish

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12. Always in Style

There are many reasons to employ a variation of brown in a custom window or door. Among them is the history and precedent of such colors and textures in design. The all-wood Heritage Series windows and doors of this home combine Rustic sash and panels with Natural Cotton frames, paying tribute to the traditional style while embracing today’s design flexibility.

Heritage Series wood windows & doors K-Kron II exterior finish in Natural Cotton on frames, Rustic on sash

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Earth tones can bring unique purpose to your custom windows and doors and—in turn—new meaning to your project overall.

For a full exploration of Kolbe’s color options, start with our Style & Design overview.

 

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