This season is all about bringing the outside in and taking the inside out. A need to connect with nature has never been more desirable than it is today when we have already stayed away from our natural roots far into the depths of technological innovations. One way to become one with Mother Nature once again is to introduce raw, natural materials into your house. Start by checking out some of our ideas on how to enhance your home in a nature-friendly manner.
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Incorporate wooden elements for the finishing touches
Wood is the ultimate finishing material and the reason that so lies in the many possible ways you can design it for any purpose you imagine. It can be transformed into anything from a raw and unstained cover with knots and grains to a marble-like surface. In any case, one thing is for sure – it looks great. Bringing wood into your home is one of the most efficient ways to reconnect your everyday space with nature.
Aside from the finishing touches, you can use wood to completely cover your floors, ceilings, and walls, giving the room a rustic, cabin-like look. Wooden furniture is also very welcome since it is the most sustainable furnishing solution.
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Enjoy a lifetime of quality flooring with concrete
If you want a truly long-lasting flooring solution, you should be on the lookout for sustainable decorative concrete which has become incredibly trendy in interior design. You can choose to have your concrete flooring done in different colors, but probably the most stylish choice would be to leave it raw and exposed. This type of flooring will definitely look the same for many years just as it looks today.
There are several ways to use decorative concrete, but the most obvious choices are definitely driveways, pool surrounds, paths, and al frescos. By leaving the concrete design exposed, you’ll prevent slipping and also nail that natural look that fits perfectly in both an indoor and an outdoor landscape.
Color your house with lavish greenery
Probably the healthiest way to invite nature into your home is to let the greenery in. Plants are not only lush stylish décor elements but they are also natural air purifiers, which gives them the title of number one must-have element in any eco-friendly, nature-oriented home. All kinds of flowers and potted plants are welcome and the more you have – the happier you will be.
Psychologists have shown that the color green has calming effects, which any Zen lover can confirm. While large plants and small indoor trees are more suitable accent items for bigger rooms, don’t forget that there are hanging plants that can easily fit in smaller rooms and look just as adorable.
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Paint your home with the colors of the wind
When it comes to choosing a color palette, focus on the hues you can find in nature and forget about strongly pigmented RGB mutant colors. If your first thought is that you should make your home plain green and brown because these are the colors that first come to mind, remember that nature is much more colorful than that. You might find various shades of red quite interesting, such as brick red, burnt red or terracotta, while marine blues can complement these reddish tones in order to make the perfect blend with the wooden and sandy shades.
Mocha, beige and sage green are another winning combination for those of you who are fans of brighter hues. With just a bit of grey coming from the concrete flooring and a cozy fireplace, you will have yourself the ultimate nature color palette.
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Trust in the beauty of raw imperfection
Remember that the word “raw” can be translated into rough and imperfect. The art of incorporating raw elements into your home lies in leaving it unfinished – just like nature would. It’s not that often possible to see sharp corners and steep edges in nature, yet we tend to geometrize every part of our homes. In order to avoid this artificial setting, opt for curvy edges and imperfect finishes as much as you can.
Incorporating raw materials into your home will only bring you one step closer to nature, but consider this being only an intro into a more organic and eco-friendly lifestyle. Some further steps could be trying to reduce the amount of waste you produce, shopping for organic ingredients, and cycling to work. You will see how every new step towards a more natural way of living will only become easier.