How to give your home a natural feel:
There are reasons why we all spend so much time inside. It’s more comfortable, and convenient, too. However, it’s important to remember that while we’ve largely overcome the torments of nature, we shouldn’t cut it out of our lives entirely. We’re a part of nature, not above it! Studies have shown that spending time in nature is vitally important for our mental and physical wellbeing. While you can’t always go off into the natural world, you can influence how much of the natural world is in your home.
In this blog, we’re going to take a look at some tried and tested ways to make your property feel more natural. Incorporate these tips into your home, and you’ll soon be able to sink into that lovely feeling that only nature can provide, without even leaving your property.
Focus on the Front
Let’s start by thinking about the exterior of your home. What’s the style? If your driveway and home just look like one big concrete slab, then it’s time to make some changes. Take a look at adding plants and a hedge to the front of your home, so that it has that natural look. Even a little effort will go a long way, but if you want to step things up even further, then go crazy. Adding trees and other greenery won’t just have your home looking like it’s nestled in nature, but it’ll also boost your home’s privacy too.
Add More Light
No matter how hard you try, it’ll be difficult to really feel the power of the outdoors if you’re living in a dark and cluttered space. The aim of your home is to protect you from the elements, but you should take steps to let the good stuff through, like natural light. Adding flat roof lights to your property is an excellent way to increase the amount of light that can pass through into your home. Other methods include upgrading your windows (old windows won’t let in as much as you’d like) and adding mirrors to the walls (they’ll bounce light around your home and make it brighter).
Indoor Plants and Flowers
Don’t underestimate the power of adding flowers and plants to your property. Scientists aren’t entirely sure why, but they seem to have a positive impact on our mental wellbeing. Just being around plants can make you happy! And of course, it’s probably the best way to bring a touch of the outdoors into your home. If you don’t have any greenery yet in your property, then add one or two easy to care for plants. From there, you’ll be able to build up and add ones that are slightly trickier to care for. If you feel so inspired, you can follow in the footsteps of the New York resident that filled her small apartment with 500 plants — effectively turning her home into an indoor rainforest.
Natural Materials
Another method is to look at incorporating natural elements into your overall decor. For instance, there’s a lot of scope for using materials such as wood and stone in your home, especially in your kitchen.
In the Garden
We can’t talk about making your home feel more natural without mentioning the garden. This is likely the only plot of natural land that you own, so it’s important to make the most of it. Don’t let it go to waste! Some homes have big concrete slabs in the back. While they can have their benefits, they’re not what you want if you’re trying to make your home feel more natural. A lawn of fresh green grass should be the goal. Around the edge, you can plant flowers, plants, and trees. To step things up, look at attracting wildlife to your home. There are some plants that’ll attract butterflies and other insects, while a bird feeder will allow you to wake up to birdsong every morning. Perfect. If you’re truly dedicated, consider looking into bees for sale to establish your own backyard hive, which will not only help pollinate your garden but also support declining bee populations.
Growing Vegetables
Want to make your home a bona fide eco-friendly property? Then take a look at adding a vegetable patch to your garden. This isn’t something that many people do, but it can be highly rewarding, in various ways. First, it’ll give you access to fresh vegetables. Second, it’ll get your hands in the ground without leaving your property — and there’s something powerful about using your hands to grow vegetables. Plus, it’s environmentally friendly. It’s easy enough to get started, and you’ll find that once you start, you never want to stop.
Natural Decorations
Your walls provide a great canvas for incorporating more natural touches into your home. There are various ways to do this. For example, you can add photographs and works of art that depict natural scenes to your walls. You could also add other decorations, such as pine cones, jars of sand, and other natural items that you find on your walks.
Fire, Water, Earth
The fastest way to connect you to the natural world? Look at the elements: fire, water, and earth. A candle here, a water feature there, and decorative items made from clay will all bring the elements into your home.
Relaxed Rules
The final recommendation we have if you want to give your home a natural feel is to have a generally relaxed attitude. There are some rules that’ll have to be in place for everything to stay functional, and so on, but the rules shouldn’t impact the overall enjoyment of your home. Think about how relaxed people can be when they’re in the outdoors, in large part because there are fewer rules. You’ll have to be a little stiff and formal when you’re at work, but not when you’re at home!
Final Thoughts
It really is worthwhile taking the time to make your home feel more natural. There are things to love about the modern world, but it is true that we probably spend too much time inside, away from nature. By incorporating natural touches into your home, you’ll be helping you to get your little dose of the natural world each day.
