Are your rooms suffering in the dark? Have things gotten a bit stale feeling? We all know that sunshine and other elements in nature actually make us healthier. Your overall well-being can be improved if you bring a bit of nature into your home. You don’t have to do anything dramatic, I’m not talking about panting a tree in the middle of your living room, but incorporating plants and natural lighting will start to improve the overall look and feel of your home immediately.
Easy improvements are the best kind!
Maximize your natural light
Nothing makes a room feel more cheery than bringing in lots of light. There are several ways to help improve the natural light in your living areas; the trick is to do it in an energy efficient way. We decided to forego blinds in our home. We opted for room darkening curtains that we open in the morning and close when it’s bedtime. This has given us so much natural light that we rarely have to turn on lamps or overhead lighting until the sun goes down.
There are several benefits of natural sunlight including the absorption of vitamin D through the skin. It’s said that vitamin D is helpful to our immune systems to fight off disease. Natural light gives us a feeling of well-being and can help with seasonal depression. The warm lighting that natural sunlight gives is easier on the eyes than harsh white light. It’s important for have windows to have UV blocking built in. So uncover those windows and let the light shine in.
Add some greenery
Your home literally becomes more comfortable by adding elements from nature. Potted greenery is a great addition to any décor. Adding plants to your vignettes always give a feeling of comfort and beauty. Studies have shown that incorporating plants into your home can boost your mood and spark your creativity. This is really important in your home office where you need to have your head in the game. Plants tend to help boost your concentration as well.
And we all know that green plants help clean your indoor air. They absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen which in turns helps our bodies function at peak levels. When you’re making design decisions, always incorporate live plants and flowers into the mix. If you think you don’t have a green enough thumb to keep plants alive, take heart, there are plenty of low-effort houseplants that don’t take a lot of time and maintenance. You mostly just need to remember to water them when they need it and remove any dead leaves you find.
Incorporate natural materials
Plants aren’t the only way to incorporate some nature into your home. Many plants are being used to weave textiles. Did you know you can by sheets that are made from bamboo? This seemed crazy to me, but bamboo sheets are made from the fibers of the bamboo plant and the overall quality gives the feeling of luxury even with lower thread counts than cotton. Bamboo flooring is also a natural option. Bamboo floors are substantially harder than hardwood floors and thus are more difficult to scratch. These floors can last a lifetime.
You can always add a natural fiber rug to your living area as well. Sisal is made from the fibers of the agave plant and is woven into beautiful natural looking rugs for your home. They incorporate beautifully and are inexpensive as well.
Another natural fiber being used everywhere it seems is natural hemp. Decorating with hemp decor is becoming more and more popular. Hemp as a natural textile is very versatile and can be used in a variety of applications. You can find clothing, furniture, shoes, and other home furnishings made from hemp.
Don’t limit yourself to man-made textiles that have to incorporate chemicals to try to replicate the look and feel of natural fibers. If you stick with what nature gives you, you’ll always be better off.
Incorporate a nature-inspired color scheme
Think of the most beautiful places your ever been. Have you visited a rain forest? How about the mountains of Tennessee? These places are like heaven on earth. You can bring the colors of those place right into your home. Greens are not typically the colors people choose when decorating their homes. However, if the right shades of green are incorporated, a room can be transformed into a rich oasis. Start with some other natural colors in creams and tans for your big furniture pieces and then add those colors from nature like the greens of the evergreen trees in the Smokey Mountains, or rich tropical greens of the rain forest along with splashes of the bright colors of tropical flowers.
Just think of nature and go wild!
Open it up
Many of you have incorporated large windows into your home plans. A huge picture window opening out to a beautiful landscaped yard or pool almost brings the outdoors inside. A way to actually accomplish that is to add sliding or hinged patio doors to your home plans. This essentially takes the back wall of your home and makes it disappear; opening your living area to the outdoors. Whether it opens to a gorgeous patio or grand swimming pool, this addition to your home is a breathtaking amenity. It truly expands your living space by giving you the outdoor living space of your dreams.
Add a living green wall
Vertical gardening is a thing, did you know that? You can actually incorporate a living green wall into your décor. I’d likely recommend a smaller version than you might see in an office building. Do some research to see what plants would work best and create a focal point for any room that is literally a vertical green wall or section of a wall. This isn’t a project for the faint of heart, but if done well, it can be a conversation starter as well as living air cleaner.
Your life and attitude just may improve if you bring a bit of nature into your home. It’s good for your style and well-being.