In this blog I’m going to show you several ways to beat the heat and still have those outdoor elements right by your side all day long. Not only for the warmer seasons, but all year around! That’s right, you can bring all that goodness right inside your doors and I’m going to show you how.
“Nature is the inspiration for all ornamentation. ”
- Frank Lloyd Wright
Green! I said it, and it’s one of my favorite colors. You can add green with plants, wall color, accents and more! See designs pictured featuring how you can use it as an accent with plants, walls, chairs and pillows.
Try Sherwin Williams - Dill or Sagey for an accent wall, door or trim color to take your space to the next level!
Blue! This serene friend is always there to calm your nerves. I prefer gray/blues and green/blues. They go great with the ultimate outdoor color green, and other neutral colors as well!
Try Sherwin Williams - Sea Salt or Rarified Air for your walls or favorite furniture piece.
Neutrals! Sit back and relax with neutrals. I still love the grays and browns! You can use these to anchor a room and then allow yourself to go to town with other pops of your favorite colors! See my living room design for how these neutrals make a statement in an interior.
Give these a try anywhere! Sherwin Williams - Repose Gray or Dove Tail are great neutrals!
Wallpaper
Now it’s not for everyone, but wallpaper is a great way to make a statement and bring in pattern! Try it in a small space first, after all nothing is permanent. You can get it as a removable or paste.
See how I incorporated it into this office space and how it really makes the decor come alive just on a few walls. You can also sneak it into a bookcase or curio cabinet for a pop of fun. I’ve used a large palm leaf pattern which is all the craze right now.
Furniture & Accessories
Chairs and Pillows
Add Pattern….You can really have fun adding a banana leaf or other outdoor patterns to pillows, chairs and sofas. If you have a neutral style, don’t shy away from using patterns in black and white or other neutral browns and grays to elevate your indoor life with outdoor goodness! I created this living room example below for a more Modern look.
For a traditional office space, a green palm patterned pillow is a nice addition. Go all the way with the palm wallpaper motif on an accent wall. The pop of Kelly Green velvet on the chair in the office brings sophistication, while also brightening the space.
Rugs and Art
Geometrics really work well with bolder patterns. See how I brought in a neutral brown and white pattern on the office rug with a gold tassel. “Sunshine” gold chandelier in the office reflects and incorporates the other metals, while acting as an additional accent color. I also curated a geometric patterned rug in the living room to anchor the monochromatic decor.
Landscape art incorporated below is a great way to bring that vacation home. Using a photo and having it put on Canvas or buying finer art or prints to remind you of your favorite outdoor scenes and getaways! This beautiful landscape in the living room almost feels like another window with a mountain scene.
Plants and Flowers
Can’t get enough of them… There is no better way to bring in the outdoors than a happy plant friend. Love it, talk to it, hug it and water it and it will always stay true. Try succulents and cactus in bookcases and on dressers. Some of my favorites are the Banana Leaf Palm, Split Leaf Philodendron, Snake Plant and Fiddle Leaf Fig. Get creative and really make a statement with a large wall succulent planter either fresh or artificial, like the living room below. You can’t go wrong with fresh flowers in a vase/ball jar to brighten up an office, dining room or on a coffee table.
Lighting
You’ve got to have lighting! Natural or artificial.. this is a must to bring the outdoors inside your home. Minerals, stones and metals are all outdoor materials that can be brought inside and incorporated into lighting to make a statement. Check out how I did this in the office space with mineral wall sconces, marble table lamp and a gold lotus chandelier (above the desk). Metals are a great way to reflect light from within and from the outdoors. This shiny gold chandelier makes a serious design impression, while also adding more light. Beautiful and unexpected!
Windows
If lighting is not doing the job, maybe it’s time to add a window, or two or three? Windows are a great way to bring in natural light and scenery to your space! Whatever the scene... you can make it beautiful by adding flower boxes, trees, fences and bushes to really create the look you are after.
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