Bringing the Outside In

Bringing the Outside In: Living in the UK we are unfortunately not exposed to days of endless guaranteed sunshine and warmth.

We instead are used to the weather turning like a drop of a hat, a forecast of ‘sunshine and showers’ basically meaning there will be rain all weekend with ‘breaks’ or should we say glimpses of sunshine in-between. Unfortunately even in the month of May this can still be the case.

As a result we can feel starved of the benefits sunny days can bring us.

Vitamin D being one, although there is a supplement for that, the other being the greenery which unfortunately does not come in a tablet form.
They can however be brought into our homes and be part of our every day home living. Plants, flowers, trees even living walls can be much a part of your interior decor as a lamp or picture. For an easy win use small succulents or even potted house plants on window sills, shelving or they are great in bathrooms.

Bring floral arrangements on to console tables, sideboards or kitchen tables to brighten up a space or use a floor standing plant to make a statement in a room, break up plain solid walls or fill an unused area.

Living walls are the ultimate step and literally can bring the outside inside.

Best positioned in open plan kitchens to maximise their impact, both in lifestyle and decorative effect. If this is a bit extreme then then hanging or wall mounted pots with trailing plants such as Ivy or a variety of ferns can be just as effective.

With the ever-impending threat of rain in the UK many households look to create an ‘outside/ inside’ flow to their homes.

A common example of this is Bi-fold doors which seamlessly connect your indoor and outdoor spaces, using the same flooring can make this feel even more harmonious.
The purpose of doing this is essentially to have a space in your home where you feel connected to the outdoors. This could also be a conservatory, sun room or even creating a space adjacent to some French doors that access your garden where you can indulge in some ‘inside/outside’
styling.

Use furniture that has natural elements to it such as wicker or cane.

Bring in some light, bright and botanical inspired fabrics through cushions or throws which will compliment the indoor plants you have chosen. Try to position the furniture in natural light so you can indulge in the Vitamin D
even if the weather will not allow you to sit actually outdoors to experience.

Think of your artwork as an extension of views from out of your window.

Pick landscape imagery with scenes of outdoor areas that are evocative or where you love to visit or walk around. Position them in high traffic areas so you constantly see them as you move around your home or alternatively in places you will sit and be able to take the ‘views’; Posted by Hayley Allen
23rd April 2021