Picture yourself standing amid nature – maybe in a bee-buzzing meadow, light-dappled woodland or wave-dashed coastline. Take a deep breath. What do you feel? Do your senses sizzle to life? Are the sights, sounds and smells amplified as you take in this experience of the natural environment? Do you feel relaxed and does time seem to pause? This may be the reason why so many meditation practises start with imagining ourselves in our favourite landscape. For many of us, stopping to appreciate the natural world can support a deep sense of wellbeing.

The contentment many of us feel when we align with nature might be brought about by the biggest or smallest experiences. It may be inspired by a breathtaking encounter with a vast wild landscape or powerful feature. Imagine the drama of standing on a rocky mountain beside a thundering waterfall and seeing, hearing and sensing the water as it roars and sprays. At the other end of the spectrum, an unfurling fern frond or a bud on the brink of bursting may be equally exhilarating. However it happens, many of us feel the positive power of nature.

Of course, for many of us, life doesn’t offer the opportunity for full immersion in nature every day. But we may still yearn for it, either consciously or subconsciously. Feeding that innate need for a connection with the natural world is at the heart of biophilic design. It’s a creative philosophy that recognises we can still appreciate and enjoy nature, and references to nature, even when we’re living in a built environment. Along with indoor plants and views onto nature, accenting your home décor with natural materials, colours, forms and textures can create an affiliation with the natural world. Earthy glazes on speckled ceramics may remind you of sandy shorelines or birds eggshells, while textured weave rugs may suggest the uneven terrain of a woodland floor.

Handmade Hana Karim plates and platters with earthy speckled glazes that echo sandy shorelines (left) and Serene Elements Rug by Knots Rugs (right) an abstract design that evokes the elements of the sea

Bring nature into your home

But where do you start in bringing a natural aesthetic into your home? At Dècoraii, we’ve put together a collection of Nature Stories to help you tap into the kind of environment that resonates with how you wish to feel. Everyone has a place in which they’re most comfortable, be that a grassy foreshore or rugged moorland. And everyone is unique as to which season they may prefer, as well as their choice of colours, tones and textures. Looking at the nature stories will help you think closely about landscape colours and their relationships with each other, how they blend seamlessly and harmoniously. They’ll encourage you to consider the full range of textures to be found in nature’s treasure trove – pebbles as smooth as porcelain, the uneven coarseness of oak bark or the yielding sensation of your feet stepping onto soft moss. Thinking of these textures will lead you to appreciate the character and possibilities of materials like wool, wood, clay and linen.

Beige Grey Moss Rug by Kasthall (left) long wool and linen fibres are cut and coloured to bring to mind the play of the wind across grassland

Material connections with nature

At Décoraii, we have chosen natural materials, harmonious colours and contrasting textures that reference nature without attempting to precisely replicate or portray it. For example, long-pile wool and linen rugs are cut and coloured to bring to mind the play of the wind across grassland.

Baskets by ALSO Home (right) reminds us of the criss-cross of branches in a forest canopy or hedgerow

Basketry reminds us of the criss-cross of branches in a forest canopy, while woven blankets may conjure cloud forms or rippled sand dunes. The expanse of the wave-chopped ocean can be seen in the intuitively chosen colours of hand-knotted rugs. Nature has, in her repertoire, a host of shapes, that may be organically imperfect or intriguingly curved. Pieces of ceramic tableware may be irregular in form and individually unique but stack together neatly like split slates. Natural fractals and abstract patterns can also be found in our collections. Expect intricate weaves that bring to mind diminishing waveforms, along with painterly designs that evoke the elements or portray refracted light and shadows. 

Rowan Raheen Throw Blanket by Cushendale (left) reflects the softness and colours of wild meadowsweet

Start your own Nature Story

Embracing a natural aesthetic in your home can start with a single home decor item or a whole scheme – either way, it brings with it a connection to the natural world. Ready to find inspiration in the land, sea and sky? If you’d like to talk through your home decor ideas, please contact us – we’re always happy to chat about how you can bring a natural aesthetic into your home. View our Nature Stories or start your very own with a little help from Dècoraii.