I do a lot of DIY and I love to change up my interiors every once in a while. I’m a huge fan of the outdoors, so I’ve been looking at ways of bringing that natural, calming atmosphere into our home. I love making use of anything and everything around me, so I’ve put together just a few easy tips for bringing the outdoors, indoors, in a really simple way.
Choose earthy colours
A big part of this nature trend is to use earthy colours and textures throughout your living and dining space, so that it flows right through the house to your back yard. Instead of white walls, go for colours inspired by the outdoors, such as fudge browns, oatmeal colours and creams. Or if you have darker walls, try olive greens or chocolate colours instead. If you prefer wallpaper, there are tonnes of subtle branch-like patterns and woodland themes that will complement these kinds of colours beautifully.
Then move on to your furniture. Use dark woods as a contrast to lighter wooden floors and carpets. If you have laminate, use long-pile rugs that are vivid greens to add a grass-like quality and extra texture to your surroundings. Use plant pots instead of vases and wicker lamps instead of metallic. You can find plenty more ideas on how to create this kind of look right here.
Use plants for their properties
Different plants have different benefits to being kept indoors, so figure out what matters most to you. If you live in a climate where the winters are long and dark, your indoor plants might benefit from LED grow lights to help them thrive. This is also useful if your home only has small windows and you’re worried your plants aren’t getting enough sunlight. If you live in a small apartment where ventilation is a problem, you might be interested in purifying the air by removing toxins. In this case, spider plants, snake plants and peace lilies are perfect.
If you’re more focused on having something to help relieve stress, the Japanese Maple tree might be more appropriate. Available in thousands of varieties, these are the perfect tree to be used for bonsai gardening, so you can use the therapeutic pruning methods to help you relax at the end of a day. They’re also perfect for indoor living, preferring their own water supply, a cooler environment, and some types rarely growing past a couple of feet. You can buy a whole variety of Japanese Maple trees from thetreecenter.com.
Always upcycle!
Finding a new use for something is a personal mission of mine. Whether it’s turning old crates into planters, using cardboard for our latest garden expansion, or sanding down and painting an old step ladder to use as a shelving unit. There are a million new uses for items that are going to be thrown away, so if you have any old outdoor furniture, think of how you can turn it into a new coffee table or an addition to your kitchen.
I hope you found this post useful for helping to bring a little nature into your surroundings. If you’re in the middle of your own interior design project, please feel free to comment with your own tips.
