by Malin Jones | Lifestyle journalist
Whether you have a garden, terrace space or nothing at all, there are plenty of ways to engage with nature both outdoors and within your living space.
A Blank Canvas
One easy way to bring a sense of nature into your home is through colour. A lick of paint or a roll of wallpaper can transform a space; even an exposed brick wall brings those earthy tones and textures into your interior.
Remember, nature is full of colours, so you don’t have to go straight for the green paint.
Choose more subtle tones of blue, warm oranges or beige to create a calming environment, or go bold and be inspired by the flowers using pinks, yellows, purples and more!
Wallpaper and/or murals is also a great way to inject nature into a room and add dynamic energy to the space. Whether it’s floral prints, waves or botanicals, the options are endless and customisable to your spaces.
More and More Décor!
A great place to show your love for nature, as well as your personality, is through décor around your living space.
To create a more natural, calming atmosphere, incorporate natural fabric around your home. This includes linens and cottons in soft neutral tones which brings a lightness to your home and contrasts against the darker earthy tones. Curtains, cushions, bed throws and even tea towels are subtle ways to incorporate such.
Mixing up natural elements throughout your interior creates texture. To achieve this pick furnishings which either have natural tones or are made from natural resources (antique/thrifted furniture tends to have both).
Choose rich woods like walnut for surfaces and even headboards, as well as bamboo blinds. Stones and pebbles are great for subtlety on coasters and kitchen/bathroom backsplash.
If you fancy a change from the current obsession with indoor plants, small water features are another simple way of bringing a different aspect of nature into the home. Whether it’s a mini water fall or a bowl containing floating candles, a sense of calmness will enter your space.
Even simpler ways to bring nature in is through nature inspired artwork and candles with fresh, natural scents.
Remember nature isn’t just about the plants, but the animals too. Introduce natures’ inhabitants through bee pattern bedding, animal shape plants pots and mugs as well as incorporating leopard/zebra print alongside stunning animal photography.
You Can Never Have Too Many Plants
When you think of nature, you think of plants. Whether you’re a fully fledged biophilia (a lover of nature) with your own little farm of cacti and succulents or if you’re a novice to the plant caring business, there are loads of great ways to bring nature into your home that suit your individual requirements.
Whilst having loads of potted plants is nice, change it up by incorporating terrariums and mini green houses. Acting as an interesting piece of décor and a great way of introducing a new hobby into your life, this will suit everyone’s living spaces.
For those that have limited outdoor space, an effective way to feature lots of plants and flowers is through vertically planting. Using shelves, hooks and even palettes, create a budding feature wall (you could also potentially do this inside).
Another way is through flower boxes and planters under windows or hanging from above. You can even grow your own herbs and veggies in your kitchen (as long as they get sunlight).
The great thing about plants is that they can go anywhere and everywhere throughout your home. Whether real or artificial, having warm green tones can really change a space, especially the bathroom.
Eco-living
Finally, the last thing we can do to our homes to get at one with nature is by living as eco-friendly as possible and this is becoming easier than ever. Small changes include the use of reusable straws, rechargeable batteries and energy efficient light bulbs.
Continuing the inexpensive changes, reusable kitchen roll, smart water filters and a smart leak sensor. Some companies are also beginning to produce recycled décor such as graypants.com, who have created recycled cardboard lighting.
If you want to dip deeper into your purse, there are now energy efficient cookers and fridges to help your kitchen be fully eco-friendly.
Finally, stepping away from our devices and getting back to nature through decorating can be a wonderful form of creative therapy too!
- Featured image: Tropical Bliss wall mural from Photowall
