Bringing the Great Outdoors Inside
Looking for a stunning way to refresh your interior design? Incorporating a few elements of the outdoors into your rooms can help you breathe new life into your layouts. Whether you're looking to add natural appeal to a single space or use raw materials and organic accents throughout your entire home, nature-inspired furniture and decor lets you give your setup a fresh, fashionable upgrade.
Overview
Take a look at the suggestions in this article to get inspiration for a nature-focused design update that includes:
- Live Plants
- Natural Lighting Solutions
- Nature-Based Color Palettes
- Raw Materials and Organic Textures
- Nature-Inspired Accent Pieces
Nature-Themed Furniture and Decor
Lively, Lush Greenery
Introducing live plants into your living room, bedroom, home office or dining room layouts is one of the easiest ways to spruce up your existing design. Use small planters to establish a kitchen herb garden. Or, place a vase of flowers, a terracotta pot full of succulents or a teacup cactus on the windowsills in each room. Larger steel or wrought iron garden boxes let you plant tall grass and ferns indoors.
Furnishings featuring plant motifs are another option if you're looking to add nature-inspired decor to your space. Roll out a rug with a floral or palm-frond print to refresh your family room. Accent your couches and chairs with flower-shaped throw pillows and finish off your bedspread with linens featuring leaf and vine patterns.
Decorate your nature-inspired layouts using real plants and items with plant patterns.
Lights for Nature-Inspired Layouts
Enhancing natural light is an excellent way to bring the open, airy feel of the outdoors into your home. If you have a large picture window, cover it with a sheer curtain or keep the shades lifted during the day so sunlight can stream in and illuminate your layout.
Mount mirrors on the walls to reflect natural light in a windowless room. Nature-inspired table and floor lamps with wooden accents and tree or animal-shaped bases work beautifully for homes that require artificial lighting. For illumination and ambiance, set up candle-burning lanterns that cast a soft glow around the room.
Use your windows and fireplace to provide natural light for your layout, or illuminate the space with nature-themed lamps.
Earth-Toned Colors and Outdoorsy Hues
If you prefer a subtler approach, try using colors you typically find in nature throughout your home. Furnishings with vivid green fabrics and rich brown finishes infuse your rooms with the refreshing feel of wooded outdoor areas. Those who enjoy the warm rays of the summer sun can also add bright yellow and vibrant orange furniture and decor to their layouts.
Other nature-inspired tones that you can choose for your interior design include deep navy or sky blue, sandy beige, cloudy gray and snowy white. Want to introduce the colors of your favorite flowers and gemstones into the space? Select accents in shades of ruby red, onyx, teal, carnation pink and turquoise.
Create a nature-inspired color scheme to refresh your space.
Natural Textures and Materials
When shopping for nature-inspired home decor, prioritize furniture featuring raw materials and rugged, earthy textures. Select teak coffee tables and natural wood rocking chairs with weathered light wood or distressed dark wood finishes to evoke a charming, outdoorsy vibe. Woven rattan or wicker sofas promote an open, breezy atmosphere as if you were relaxing on a tropical island beach.
If you're going for a grounded, more polished look in your home, consider placing a solid stone or marble bench in your mudroom. You can also install a grand, wrought-iron chandelier in the entryway for a touch of natural yet stunning style. When browsing different upholstery options, stick to natural materials like cotton, wool, linen, suede and jute.
Wooden Bedroom Set
Additional Natural Accents
A few well-placed accents can drive home your nature-inspired theme. Anything from uniquely-shaped rocks and pine cones that you found during a nature walk to a collection of sea shells from your last trip to the beach can add natural flair to your rooms. You could even place woven baskets beside your front door and set a bin of freshly-chopped firewood beside your living room hearth.
Certain artwork and appliances can enhance the vibe of your nature-inspired spaces too. For example, you can put your fan on a low setting to mimic the feel of a gentle breeze, while a tabletop water fountain delivers the soothing sound of a babbling brook. Wall art depicting trees, mountains, flowers, birds and butterflies are excellent nature-inspired home decor options as well.
Firewood, hide rugs and woven accents can infuse your layout with charming, natural appeal.
It's easy to incorporate elements of nature into your layout, so long as you choose the right colors, textures and accent items. Use the design tips in this post to help you select nature-inspired home decor and furniture that refreshes your rooms and infuses each space with comfortable, charming warmth.
