Bring Nature Indoors

This article was submitted by guest author Jan Hales. Jan is an Allied Member of ASID located in Louisiana. If you like this article, leave a comment below and we’ll make sure to invite Jan back again to share more articles about interior design.

Do you love the outdoors? Do you wish you could be there all the time? Well you might not be able to live outside but you can bring the outside in. Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the great architects that played around with this idea. He designed homes that reflected the nature that surrounded them.

There is something so calming about nature. Maybe it’s the curvilinear lines or uneven/smooth surfaces that make us feel at peace. Or maybe it’s the way water trickles down a waterfall? All of these things soothe us both internally and externally. So why not let it do the same with our own surroundings?

The exteriors of our homes do not have to be the only thing that reflects nature. The interior can too. You can bring nature in through using stone surfaces, large windows, curvilinear lines, wood, calming colors, beams of light, focused views, etc.

How to Bring Nature In:

Example 1

• Use nature inspired wallpaper.
• Upholster your headboard with a pattern that reflects something in nature.
• Use curvilinear lines in the nightstand and lamp.
• Frame pictures unexpectedly (just like nature is unexpected).

Example 2

• Have windows and/or doors that can easily be opened to literally bring the outside in.
• Paint a scene on the wall the reflects nature.
• Use wood finishes on the light fixtures.
• Place windows to catch morning rays of light and evening sunsets.

Example 3

• Paint your room a light color so it does not conflict with nature.
• Bring plants into the space.
• Use greens and blues as accent colors to reflect the earth and sky.