We’ve all been stuck inside a little more often than usual recently. Getting out into nature is one of the ways you can escape the four walls of your home and stay relatively safe. Unfortunately, a lot of people have had that same idea, and many popular locations are now packed full of visitors. As someone who loves the outdoors, I’m overjoyed to see more people getting interested in exploring the outdoors. But it’s also making me choose my outdoor locations more carefully to ensure I avoid those busy spots.
If you’re an outdoors lover, another option is to get as much nature as possible into your home. Bring in some natural elements to add some of the joys of nature into the different spaces in your home. You might not be able to turn your home into the Lake District. But you can design it so that it invokes some of the feelings that you get when you’re communing with nature.
Try some of these ideas to create a home with natural elements that helps you to feel relaxed and connected to the environment.
Get some plants and greenery in your home
One of the easiest ways to bring some nature into your home has to be by adding some plants. Of course, it becomes a little more difficult if you’re not particularly green-fingered. Fortunately, you have two options when it comes to house plants: go for the real deal or cheat with some artificial plants.
Fake plants might not have been all too great once upon a time, but many of them are now so realistic that people often end up accidentally watering them. Fake plants, in my case, are also a great choice when you have dogs who love to dig and eat any kind of greenery in your home!
You can add a touch of greenery to your home with potted plants, hanging baskets, or you could even create a green living wall. If you want a compromise between real and artificial plants, consider some succulents or cactuses – some of which don’t require much care.
Use natural materials
There are lots of natural materials that you can use in your home if you want to create a natural feel. Different types of wood come in a range of colours and textures and can be used for various furniture, flooring, and other design choices around your home.
You could add wicker and rattan chairs to your living room if you want to use some natural materials. Wicker and rattan furniture is currently right on trend and will add a calming air of nature to your home.
Of course, there are many different materials that are technically natural, from cotton to leather. This means you should be able to find natural materials that suit your home, no matter what style you’re going for! From country chic to industrial, natural materials can complement your home decor whilst also bringing the outdoors in. Look for cotton, leather or wood accessories have a slightly more rustic appearance to provide that natural look for your home.
Blur the indoors and outdoors
Blurring the lines between inside and outside is another perfect way for bringing nature into your home. You might think it’s not something that you want to do in winter, as you probably don’t want to sit there with your doors and windows open. But you can still do a few things to make the inside of your home feel more outdoorsy.
Sometimes having your windows open can be great, even if it’s chilly outside. You get fresh air in your home, and you might get some nice autumnal or wintry smells, like bonfires.
You can also do things like bringing pine cones and other items in from outside. Pine cones, conkers and gourds make great autumnal home accessories. For the summer, you may want to dress up your home with decorative twigs, natural cotton stems and flowers.
Make the most of natural light
Pull open the curtains and position mirrors around your home to increase the amount of natural lighting in your home. Letting natural light into your home will also give it a natural feel. You can make the most of the sunlight by leaving your windows clear, decorating your home using light colours, and using mirrors to create more light too.
You might even want to consider installing an extra window or a skylight to get more light into your home. There are fewer hours of daylight to make use of during the winter, but you can choose lighting that helps to make your home brighter and offers a soft and more natural-looking light.
Choose the right textures and colours
The textures and colours that you choose for your home can help you to bring nature inside. You can find all kinds of colours in nature, but mixing certain shades might give you the look that you’re hoping for.
Neutral shades, greens, blues, yellows and oranges, can all bring nature into your home. Choose a colour palette for your home that allows you to create the natural decor that you want. Personally, I love the idea of adding hints of sage green and complementing pastel hues to make my home feel more outdoorsy.
Add the elements
Bringing the different elements into your home can give it more of a natural feel too. Consider ways to add earth, air, fire, and water into your home.
Candles can provide light and warmth, especially in the winter, while opening your windows lets in fresh air. Water could be represented by an indoor water feature, while wood and stone create earth elements. Have a play around by considering all the different ways you can bring the elements into your home.
You can make your home more natural with a few smart tricks that will bring a little bit of nature into your home.