Bringing the Outdoors In: How To Draw Inspiration from the Outdoors in Interior Design

Nature has an uncanny ability to evoke a sense of calm, wonder, and connection. The rustling leaves, the soothing sound of flowing water, the vibrant colours of blooming flowers – all these elements of the great outdoors have a unique way of touching our souls. So, why not bring a slice of that natural beauty into our indoor spaces through interior design?

In this blog post, we’ll explore the art of drawing inspiration from the outdoors and seamlessly integrating it into your interior design scheme. Whether you live in a cozy apartment or a spacious home, incorporating elements of nature can create a refreshing and rejuvenating atmosphere that’s both aesthetically pleasing and emotionally rewarding.

The benefits of decorating with outdoor-inspired items

Nature offers a myriad of benefits that nurture our well-being. Time spent in natural surroundings reduces stress and anxiety, fostering mental clarity and rejuvenation. Fresh air and sunlight boost physical health, enhancing immune function and mood. Breathtaking landscapes inspire creativity and a sense of awe, broadening perspectives. Nature encourages physical activity, promoting fitness and reducing the risk of chronic diseases. Engaging with wildlife and green spaces instills a deeper understanding of ecosystems, cultivating environmental consciousness. Ultimately, connecting with nature restores harmony between humans and the Earth, fostering holistic health and a profound appreciation for the world around us. By infusing our spaces with nature, we can only think that some of the same benefits will apply.

Also, in my humble opinion, I think the earthy interior design look is pretty timeliness. I mean, who can go against nature and say it’s out?! Not I. So I think that’s worth noting.

If you’re a nature lover and want that earthy-cozy-outdoor feeling, I hope this brief article helps you spark some inspiration and ideas!

5 ways to bring the outdoors in

1. Drawing inspiration for your colour scheme 

As a designer, I am often thinking about interior design colour schemes. Putting together a colour scheme can be really challenging, considering there are so many gorgeous colours of all tones and shades. How does one possibly decide which colours to combine together? One way is, looking at nature.

Let’s look at this beautiful landscape.

The green, blue and white interact so harmoniously in the space. There is a sense of peace when looking at this photo.

Now, let’s look at an interior that uses these same colours.

Viola, a pretty beautiful interior I would say! This space has that same calming and peaceful vibe to it.

By using nature, it’s pretty easy to put together a colour scheme, just find a snapshot of nature that you like and copy and paste. In this case, copying is fine!

2. Add in some plants for decor 

I love me some good nick-nacks, but I also love decorating with plants. It’s such an easy and foolproof way to decorate. Don’t know what to add in that awkward corner? Boom, add a plant. Not only are they pretty, but I believe they are great for helping a space feel more cozy (I think there are loads of health benefits too but I ain’t no doctor). I have some herb plants in my kitchen (that are all dead) and some plants in my living room (that are all dead), as you might have caught on, I’m not the best gardener. But to be fair, I’ve only recently gotten into plants. If you don’t have a green thumb, like me you can also decorate with fake plants – an even easier way to add some character to your space! Here’s an article on the best indoor plants with health benefits.

3. Add wood, wicker and natural elements/textures 

There’s nothing that gives a space a more “earthy” feeling than materials that come from the outdoors. And, adding natural materials to your interior is super easy today as the Organic Modern interior design trend is super hot. I personally love wood, wicker and cement-looking accessories. I think it’s fun to mix textures and materials, and it’s OKAY to mix wood tones! It’s okay to mix textures, styles and patterns, you just gotta know how to do it tastefully. So, add a wicker chair or wood table to infuse your space with some outdoor flavour.

4. Make your place smell like the outdoors 

For some reason in interior design, smell is not often considered a part of the space design. Which, I find silly as although we don’t see smell, we certainly experience it. And interior design is all about the experience in a space. So I love to personally focus on how a space smells. Personally. I loveeeeee the smell of campfires, rain and wet wood lol. You might enjoy these outdoorsy smells as well, or maybe you’re into pine trees, freshly cut grass or flowers. I don’t know. But finding a smell from the outdoors and bringing it in surely makes your space feel more outdoorsy and cozy of course.

5. Nature-inspired artwork

Everyone puts up art on their walls. Whether that art really speaks to you and inspires you or not, it inspires the interior around you. What do you currently have up on your walls? Is it modern art, portraits, or a random dog picture you found from Homesense?

The art on your walls says a lot about you and obviously impacts the interior.

So, if you’re looking to bring the outdoors in, which I presume you are if you’re reading this article. I would go out and find some nature-inspired artwork that really speaks to you. The great thing about art is that there are so many different styles and mediums to choose from. So, there is bound to be something that you like. Whether you’re into abstract, realism, or photography…you will have a wide selection of art to choose from and go with your aesthetic.

I hope this article helped spark an idea or some inspiration on how you can bring thee outdoors in.