APPRECIATING PLANTS AND TREES
Being intelligent inhabitants of the only known planet to support life, we shouldn’t forget that plants are what gives the world its beauty. We can only touch the surface of how deep their role in supporting life is: They provide oxygen, food, and shelter. They clean the air, soil and water. They stabilize the climate by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. By understanding plants and strengthening our bond with them, we can better understand our own place here on this green Earth.
Ever since we started building concrete jungles that tower over the clouds, the connection we had with Mother Nature has weakened and thinned all the way; until the only link between us and our origins is a thin thread. The fertile soil that trees and plants once thrived on has been buried under layers and layers of cement, rendering the modern home to be the antithesis of the natural world.
Three ways you can incorporate nature into your home
The incorporation of natural elements in interior designing is not only for aesthetics. It is also for the occupants’ mental well-being. Recently, we have started to weave nature together with technology to form incredible new trends like biophilic designs. This has been seen in both homes and offices all around the world. Even if you are not looking to have your home flooded with natural light and have trees growing on your balconies and roof, here are some ways you can still reignite that smothering flame of nature inside your home:
1) Instead of having a living room that is all white and sterile, why not bring some trees and plants inside?
The number of advantages in decorating your living room with live plants and trees are insurmountable: it creates a ‘more inviting’ aura for you and your guests, it cleans the air you breathe, it helps fight depression and anxiety, and so on.
Plastic plants and artificial trees have found their spot in our houses and remained there for decades. While surely it is less demanding in maintenance than having natural plants, the plastic impersonators have essentially robbed you of having an elegant and natural living room.
If maintenance is, however, an issue large enough to deter you from choosing to replace plastic plants with natural ones, there is always the easier option of installing a green wall in your home. A green wall is a new way of bringing nature inside your home without worrying about watering, fertilizing, and other gardening tasks that usually come with it. It also purifies the air, reduces noise pollution and helps with allergies and asthma.
2) Choose elegant stone flooring over slippery tiles.
Stone flooring is superior to the ordinary trend of having tiled floors; it is natural and more environmentally friendly. Stones used for the production of stone flooring are found naturally, which eliminates the release of harsh, polluting chemicals involved in tile production. Stone flooring has been around for centuries and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. It can be found in many high-end homes, as well as in those enchanting castles that we know of from fairy tales. Stone flooring may the missing part of the equation in your own home.
There are many benefits to homeowners that opted for stone flooring against tile flooring. Some of these benefits include: It is easier to clean than tile floors, they are far more durable, they stand up better against scratches that moving heavy furniture leaves behind, they are softer on the feet and just feel better.
3) Install a water feature.
Water features for homes are a great way to bring nature into your home. The sound of flowing water is relaxing and calming. It rids you of that anxiety and brings you peace. It is no accident that most audios that help with meditation have the sound of flowing water in the background.
Many different types of water features can be used in a home, depending on your space and needs. A pool or pond is a good option if you have the space available, but if not, there are smaller options such as a tabletop fountain or wall-mounted waterfall that will give you the same effect.
Aside from looking aesthetic and bringing peace, the idea of installing a water fountain is also riddled with intriguing health benefits: a water feature in your living room can improve the air quality by filtering out carbon dioxide, dust, smoke, and other pollutants. It also increases humidity levels which is essential for healthy breathing.
Simply better than plain, sterile designs
By taking simple steps and changing a few designs, you can bring the natural world in its full glory into your home. Now, you wouldn’t see antelopes gracefully leaping around the vast plains, or hear whispers of the forest echoing throughout the evening. But in a living room that has a strong touch of nature, you can shut your eyes and drift off into the great jungles that exist miles and miles away from our modern cities. Sent from my iPhone
