How do you feel about the great outdoors? Do you not really think about it or would rather stay inside? Are you sometimes in the mood for getting outside and sometimes not so much? Or do you wish that you could live outside 24/7? All of us experience nature in a unique way and have different feelings about it.
For most of us, living outside is not really an option. After all, one of the basic human needs for survival is shelter, and so we buy or rent places to live like a house or apartment. It becomes a home base where we spend most of our time and that we can always return to at the end of the day.
However, if you are a big nature lover and crave the feeling of the outdoors in your living space, there are a lot of ways that you can create that atmosphere in the home. Here are a few suggestions for bringing the outdoors inside.
Add Houseplants
Incorporating plants into your home is a great way to bring more life to the space. You can go small with potted plants on shelves and window sills like jade plants or aloe vera. Or, if you want to really experience the outdoors, you can add something larger like a money tree or bamboo palm. These plants will add the feeling of being outside to your indoor space and as a bonus, many of them can improve the air quality of your home by removing toxins. Incorporating greenery inside can be done in any kind of room, even a windowless bathroom since plants come in so many varieties that thrive both in and out of direct sunlight.
Grow Your Own Herbs
This can be a fun way to liven up your kitchen while also saving money on certain herbs. Plus, you experience that glorious feeling of producing something yourself. You could build a small wooden shelf or box to hold a row of various herbs like basil, oregano, rosemary, parsley, or others. Having your own herb garden in the kitchen will bring you that nature-inspired look along with a handy source of ingredients for all kinds of meals.
Buy Rustic Furniture
Furniture is often one of the most noticeable aspects of your home. Guests who walk into your home will see the couches, tables, chairs, and more since these items are what fill up the space in a room. There are many kinds of rustic-themed furniture that can really express that woodsy atmosphere and bring the outdoors to your living room. This type of furniture often highlights the imperfections of natural wood rather than covering them up, creating a more organic-looking piece. Bed frames, couches, dining room chairs, vanities, and patio recliners are just some of the options that can give you an authentic charm for your home.
Take Advantage of Natural Light
Natural lighting is a powerful tool for brightening up a space and helping you incorporate nature into the home. For one thing, having larger windows on sun-facing walls gives you greater flexibility in using houseplants throughout the home, as most of them will need direct sunlight to thrive. Sunlight will also highlight the nature-themed interior design choices you have made like rustic furniture or the presence of greenery. Artificial lighting can often feel gloomy and fail to really light up hard-to-reach areas like the ceiling and corners. If you can, installing larger windows or skylights to brighten up the space during the day will add to the outdoorsy feel you are trying to emulate.
Flooring Matters
Never hide your hardwood floor if it is in good condition. If you really want to enhance the outdoor vibe of your home, then having natural materials for your flooring throughout the space is critical. Don’t let carpet or unmatching area rugs hide the beautiful colors and styles that hardwood has, though the right kind of area rug can actually highlight wood flooring. While there are plenty of benefits to hardwood flooring beyond the aesthetics such as holding in heat, durability, and the illusion of a more open room, they can also spruce up the outdoor atmosphere that you are going for significantly.
Get in Touch With the Natural World
Since we cannot live outside all the time, bringing the outdoors into our homes is a great way to still experience nature during the every day, no matter where you live. Even if you reside in a city or busy suburb with little access to a full experience of nature, incorporating these ideas can bring life to your home and improve your mood. Adding plants or herbs, updating furniture, taking advantage of sunlight, and changing your flooring will make a huge difference on the aesthetics of your interior, bringing you and your guests a warmer atmosphere. Try out these concepts and get more in touch with nature in your home.
