You love your backyard. It is the ultimate place to enjoy the signs of spring, relax in the summer, fire up the fire pit in the fall. But wouldn’t it be nice if the benefits of walking a trail through the forest or visiting a bird sanctuary or spending the day at a park by the river could be enjoyed without you ever leaving your home? Here are some clever ways to bring the outside inside.
Add plants to your interior design.
The joy of being outside can be expressed by including plants in your interior design. House plants not only add colour but they also improve air quality, circulating the air around any room they are in.
Create a miniature “jungle” in the corner of a living room or multipurpose space with ferns, a small tree, and potted plants.
If you follow all of the instructions, never overwater, and your house plants still die on you, replace them with cacti or succulents or a combination of both. These types of plants are easy to maintain.
Use a window sill in the kitchen or dining room as a place for a herb garden.
If your household has pets, hanging plants are a safe, innovative way to bring the outdoors inside.
Let in more natural light.
Brighten the interior of your home by finding ways to let in more natural light. It is also more eco-friendly and energy-efficient. In rooms that tend to be dark or feel cramped, remove the curtains or window coverings if possible. Rearrange furniture that blocks, even partially, any windows, such as a bookcase, headboard, or tall decor accent pieces.
Can your roof help in bringing the outside in? When planning future renovations, consider a skylight or two. Skylights bring more natural light into your home. One of the main reasons why being outdoors and interacting with nature is so advantageous is due to daylight and the health benefits that brings – improved mood, increased energy, and better brain function.
When looking for home improvements that will increase the value of your home, another approach to bringing the outdoors in is to replace standard windows with alternatives that let in more natural light. If you have a patio or deck that is accessed by a standard entry door, replace it with a sliding door or folding patio doors. Install floor-to-ceiling windows, also known as a window wall. A window wall allows you to “frame” the view of your backyard or the beautiful landscaping of the front yard as though it were a picture.
Use natural materials and colours taken found in outdoor environments.
A plank-style dining table, wood chairs with no or a light stain, natural wood flooring, stone countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms are all ways to decorate a home using natural materials.
Select rugs, curtains, pillows, and upholstered furniture made from organic fabrics such as wool, jute, muslin, cork, linen, and cotton.
To bring the outside inside when selecting items for your home, draw on colours you’d find in nature. Most of think of browns, greens, blues, and ochres when we hear “earth tones” but they actually include any shade or tone you’d find in nature. Think bright blue sky, yellow sun, or the floral tones of flowering plants such as lavender, sunflower, and dianthus.
