We thrive when we are more connected with nature, and in our homes, plants themselves are
directly 'health-giving' by filtering the air and generating oxygen.
There’s a fancy word for this, too - ’Biophillia’ which translates from Greek as meaning ‘love of
living things’ and is a theory which reflects humans’ innate affinity with nature.
So, aside from creating room for and tending to our house plants, how can we bring nature into out home?
Nature has been a dominate trend in interiors for a few years now, and we can reflect nature in our homes in 3 key ways.
Pattern
We’ve seen the return of florals in a big way, especially bold, dark dramatic prints, and even more with botanical prints and foliage designs in fabrics and wallpapers.
So, with wallpaper you could play safe with a feature wall, or opt for plain walls and botanical art work, but we’d say why not go bold?
Paper all your walls with a design you really love and you will feel happy and cocooned in your room, and supported by nature in a symbolic way.
If that’s too much, another option would be with a wall mural. A woodland or coastal landscape will create an incredible faux ‘view’ from your room and create a relaxed or vibrant feel, depending on what you want from your space. Take a look at ‘rebelwalls.com' for inspiration.
Florals and Botanicals...
If your living room overlooks a beautiful garden than bring in the flowers and plants you have out there, hydrangeas always look great as cut or faux flowers, or in print.
That doesn’t mean you have to be living in Costa Rica to go for a jungle print - go for what lights you up and makes you smile.
Texture and Sustainability
If pattern or colour isn’t your thing at all, then you’ll need to incorporate contrasting textures to add depth and interest and of course bring the feel of nature to your home.
We’re also seeing a new wave of tactile natural products. Loosewoven linen for bedlinen has a very soothing touch and maintains our body temperature well, during sleep. Faux furs and sheepskins in winter add a decadent, indulgent feel, draped across a couch or chair.
Plants and Flowers
What we’re seeing a lot of now is a return to woven grasses, rattan and wicker which tie in with sustainability and biodegradable products. And for plants and flowers themselves?
While fresh flowers and real plants are best, you can cheat a little with faux flowers and plants or dried grasses, which are a huge trend right now. Pampas grass is having a revival in interiors now, so group an odd number of stems, and place in an oversized vase, in a corner on a side table or the floor. If pampas grass isn’t your thing, look for eucalyptus or go for pussy-willow for springtime decor.
If you have green fingers, then you’ll already appreciate real flowers and plants. But can you make more impact?
Think tall, sculptural specimens in corners and groups of smaller coordinating potted - hanging plants, large plants on floors or grouped in planters of differing heights and styles
Colour
For decorating your home, bring in the colours of the sea, the sky, the earth and the greens of trees and grass. But, in northern Europe it’s usual for the colours of nature to be fairly muted (ie grey-toned).
Terracotta is back in a big way for walls, but it’s not quite as peachy as you may remember from the 80s, so it’s more rich and earthy. Green is really huge at the moment, as well, but again, go deep and dark or balanced with grey or blue undertones, rather than bright, saturated colours.
So, let nature be your muse and nourish your home with these natural trends. Nature and
sustainability are not just a seasonal trend, they’re here to stay.