by Kelsey McCracken

Humans feel at ease in nature, so it makes sense to bring what makes us feel most peaceful into our homes, right? Bringing the outside in doesn’t mean your home needs to look like a lodge up north - incorporating elements of your outdoor surroundings will do the trick.

If you often find yourself trying to relax in your home but can’t seem to let your eyes rest on anything, it’s probably because there is a lack of softness and greenery. Use a critical eye to examine your décor.

Does that bookshelf feel stark? Is the mantle looking a little lifeless? There’s no need to completely gut and start over with these surfaces, just add a fern stem to the vase or a potted plant next to the collection of books. Small potted succulents are not only very popular in home décor, but are also useful to fill a bare spot that “just needs one more thing.” Play around with how you group things; remember the rule of grouping in odd numbers. Incorporating wood bookends can create a high-end look while still adding a natural aspect. The greenery you decide to use can be a whole new textural element that you haven’t considered before. You’ve already mastered mixing patterns and textures in your accents, but now choosing an airy fern for a vase, a sturdy potted succulent and a spikey grassy plant adds depth and contrasting texture to your composition.

“Layering in small and large amounts of natural texture is important for
achieving that peaceful environment for which we all strive.”

Kelsey McCracken

Many people think because they have wood floors they shouldn’t add any more wood elements to a room; however, most room designs with hardwood floors will include a rug to anchor the furniture. So go ahead and add a wood coffee table or a live edge wooden bench in the entryway. Softer elements, like rugs, break up what could be thought of as “too much” wood and make it much easier to incorporate additional wood tones. Additionally, the pieces you add don’t need to have that “just chopped it down out back” look if that’s not your style. Choose something with a glossier finish and a metal leg for an elevated, cleaner design. The important thing is that you’ve chosen something made by nature, and not by a machine!

Layering in small and large amounts of natural texture is important for achieving that peaceful environment for which we all strive. Need a big change? Try a grasscloth wallpaper as an accent. Whether you cover just one wall to which you want to draw attention or put it above wainscoting, it’ll bring in the components for a more calming home. Some fairly effortless ways to get the desired natural look can be through a jute or other natural material rug or a textured fuzzy pillow.

From a full on lodge interior to a sleek design, natural materials enhance any space. Adding this softer characteristic doesn’t need to be daunting because it can be achieved in small steps.

Kelsey

Kelsey is an  interior designer with a passion for historical home preservation and mixing multiple colors and textures in the spaces she designs for her clients.