My guest blogger for today is Jessica Perry, who holds a degree in interior design. Jessica has her own small firm in the Southwest and loves helping people incorporate their personalities into their living spaces.
Bringing Nature Indoors
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As our world gets more and more hectic, we seek out sanctuary whenever we can. It’s sometimes nice to go home and tune out the rest of the world, often wishing we were at the beach or in the forest becoming one with nature and completely removing ourselves from the calamities of the daily grind.
The best thing you can do for your peace of mind is bring the outdoors in by adding natural elements inside your home. Entice the senses to forget that spinning world beyond your doors exists and feel relaxing warmth in the confines of your personal temple.
Everyone has their own definition of what nature is to them, or rather, what type of nature they’d like to bring in. You can sooth your soul with the ocean, relax in the calm mystery of the forest, breathe in the vastness of the fresh mountain air, warm in the autumn sunset or enjoy Zen in a Japanese preserve. When trying to decide how to go about adding earthly elements to your decor, consider the senses:
Sight
www.zany-maydblogspot.com
Open the windows and let your wispy window shades float in the crisp air for that light and airy feel or add heavy velvet curtains to bring in mysterious comfort.
Color can completely dictate the room’s overall ambiance so be sure to incorporate earth tones into your natural space. Whether on the walls, furniture, accessories or in lighting, intermix the colors of the desired outcome. For example, if you’d like a warm autumn sensation, go with oranges, yellows, browns, greens, pinks and purples — look to a sunset for inspiration. Most importantly, remove clutter in any room to invoke any type of positive feeling.
Sound
Water flowing down a stone wall fountain might be the most necessary ingredient to bringing the outdoors in. Open windows to invite in the outside sounds of pool water running, birds chirping and sprinklers watering the lawn and add water features where you can. Even an image of a sound, like a photograph of a forest stream, can add to the peacefulness of the space.
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Smell
Add a pine room diffuser, potpourri, coconut vacuum beads or spicy incense sticks to awaken your senses to the wonders of the earth. Social Issues Research Center says smell can affect your mood. Be considerate of your olfactory sensitivity and incorporate smells that delight you. Fresh flowers always make for a cheerful addition.
www.safewayflowers.com
Taste
Fill baskets with fruits or nuts to incorporate taste into your “sensational” room. A pitcher of water with lemon resting on a tray also offers thirst relief.
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Touch
There are a plethora of natural textures to choose from. Wicker, rattan, hemp, cork, bamboo, twine, shells, grass, fur — and there are so many places to add these textures. Floors, walls, furnishings, wall art, accessories…
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Synesthesia
Like a fireplace that touches each and every sense, synesthesia joins the perception of the senses. Not only is it soothing for the soul to surround yourself with the natural, it offers oxygen relief and assists in reducing pollutants. Help your house breathe better right along with you.
