Bringing the Outdoors In
A good goal everyone should have for a well rounded space
Every space I design has some detail or element from the outdoors - rocks, greenery, woodsy candle, or a great photo of the surrounding landscape.
I’ve been asked for the quickest way to make a space feel more complete, so here’s a few items you can incorporate into your home to add this touch of nature we all desire.
An Interesting Rock
Simple as that! Having a collected item either from a walk you went on with the family to a crystal you found at a local shop, that touch of nature plunked on a coffee table book or nested next to a picture frame can add nature to your space.
If you like this idea, and you thought one rock was good - try a collection! Collections can create additional interest and spark memories. Use interesting rocks to fill a bowl, surround your indoor plants, or line them up on a bookshelf - all great ideas!
One of my favorite rock collection discoveries was at the Joshua Tree House when our little family stayed for our trip to Joshua Tree, CA.
First of all that home is so inspiring. If you ever have the chance to stay at the hacienda - do it! When we arrived I was looking at every detail and found a wooden bowl filled with really great chunky rocks. Simple and perfect. After further investigation, they had a hidden cabinet (probably an old electrical box) with hand-made shelves each with a crystal - if I didn’t think the home could get any better, it did!
One important thing to remember, leave it better than how you found it when traveling through National Parks and Wildlife areas - just collect responsibility.
If this collection thing is really inspiring to you, visit my blog about Bringing Home Inspiration - www.aurorainteriorslv.com/blog/travel-often-and-bring-home-inspiration
A Touch of Green
Green thumb or not, in today’s world you can grow just about any plant - it can be plastic or organic, even dried. Personally, I have a combination of quality faux plants mixed in with my real air-purifying beauties. Faux eucalyptus branches next to my real dracaena tree, and my faux leafy tree near my collection of succulents. No judgment from me if you can’t keep a plant alive, apparently I can only keep half of mine living.
Adding a bit of nature can help add height when you are dressing up a media cabinet or entry console. Leafy branches are great airy solutions when you want to add texture over a mirror, while a thicker collection of branches from a ZZ plant can all substance to your space.
If you are trying to decide if faux or real is best for your space, there are a few things to consider. I’m always a fan of Mother Nature and the air-purifying aspect of living plants, so if you are like me - start small. Get a few real plants and have them in key areas where it’s easy to see them and remember to water them regularly.
Have you through about adding a plant to your shower? Just a thought!
SCENT COUNTS TOO
Do not discount a good nature inspired candle!
Scent is a very powerful tool to bring the feel of nature inside.
I personally love Almanac Supply Company’s candles - each season I light a new candle and enjoy the glow and scent. Winter is my favorite of them all, reminds me of my grandparent’s cabin in Utah - the wet pine branches, crisp air, and a hint of firewood. That’s what I smell in that candle, and I love everything about that feeling.
Moore Collection also has a great line of candles that bring the outdoors in, The Desert is my favorite!
Finally, another great source is P.F. Candle. If you want to really geek out about this concept, their book about scent and layering it into your home is phenomenal.
THE COLOR OF NATURE
If you aren’t lucky enough to just open your windows and allow nature to pour into your home, then art, paint and photography are three perfect alternatives for the rest of us!
My dream is to own a home immersed in nature - preferably desert. To be able to have no window coverings blocking my view of the landscape, that is the dream. Until then, introducing other elements help keep the connection to nature when it’s not right outside your door.
Adding a painting that reminds you of a hike or place you love, introducing more natural hues to your walls and a collection of photography are all things I’ve done in my home and in my client’s spaces. There is a huge need to green these days in our living spaces - the connection to the outdoors after being suck inside for so long has become apparent. We painted our living room Taiga from Sherwin Williams and it made a huge difference to the space!
A while back I had a client who was moving across the country to Las Vegas. To introduce them to the landscape and texture of the desert, the frames throughout the home were filled with photos from the surrounding areas. Knowing they’d one day be replaced with family photos, this was a nice welcoming gesture and helped bring some nature to their glass box in the desert.
For the perfect artistic landscapes in canvas - www.laurieanneart.com/
START SMALL, START SIMPLE
Did you find some inspiration? Hopefully you gathered enough energy and now have an excuse to go outside and collect one item to bring inside. Start small - a branch, a rock, a photo to save onto your phone’s background. Easy, right?
You’ll see over time as you home begins to develop layers… the elements that remind you of nature will be your favorite little accents - I hope they make you smile and brighten your day, every day!