Bring the Great Outdoors Inside

You know the feeling when you take a walk outside and immediately feel calm and relaxed? Turns out it’s not just the warmth of the sun on your skin or the harmony of the birds singing that makes us happy. According to research, humans are naturally attracted to nature because certain elements make us feel at home. It’s called Biophilic design: a concept of design which improves our overall well-being by incorporating the parts of nature that help us feel good in the spaces we spend most of our time. Here are three simple ways you can bring the soothing nature of the outside in – literally.

Let the Light in

One easy way to evoke the feeling of calm and relaxation is by allowing more natural light into your home. This may mean opening your curtains during the day or using light and flowy fabrics for your curtain panels. You can even forego window coverings altogether to allow for a direct line of sight to the outside, whether it’s to your garden in the backyard or just the soothing green of grass and trees. Having your sight set on nature rather than a concrete wall can stimulate the feeling of being outside and help you feel happier and more productive.

Go Green

While it seems almost everyone owns a succulent these days, jumping on this trend can bring you more than the simple joys of plant parenthood. Adding plants into your space can replicate the feeling of being in a garden and produce a multitude of benefits like improving air quality and having a calming effect. Consider adding plants to your Family Room by mounting shelves around windows, creating a plant wall or by hanging small planters on hooks. You could also try this DIY project to add a vertical garden as an accent wall. No matter how much of a green thumb you may have, do a bit of research to find plants that will complement your home and lifestyle.

Touch of Nature

Another way to bring the great outdoors into your home is by incorporating certain colors, textures and patterns of nature throughout your home. For example, add nature-inspired furniture in form of cane dining chair or accent chairs. Alternatively, opt for a fireplace adorned with rock-like texture similar to a mountainside. You could also indirectly bring the colors of nature in by adding landscape paintings and artwork into bedrooms or through accessories like stones, driftwood or maybe even the addition of shells in a clear vase.

With so many ways to bring nature into your home, creating a habitat that is primed to help you grow is not only easy but worth the effort.