What good are the outdoors if the weather is bleak? Is it hard to get out of bed in the morning, or do you change into jammies and crawl back under the covers as soon as work is over? That’s no way to spend several months of your life, every year! Try these tips to bring some of the outdoors into your home, even in the cooler months.

Bring in natural light

You still need your vitamin D fix, and it’s harder to get when you’re hardly outdoors at all. Do you have a wall where you could install windows, or make the windows bigger? Maybe a skylight works best for you. Even easier, choose a front door with windows in it to let the light find you.

Pot some plants

With all that outdoor light coming in, you’ll be able to grow some lovely houseplants. When people are regularly exposed to nature, they not only feel better overall but also experience reduced stress levels, stronger immune responses, increased self-esteem, and reduced anxiety.

Use natural materials

Start with wood, as it can be used everywhere: floors and furniture, cabinets and trim, and in your home décor. Stone looks beautiful when used for bath and kitchen counters, trimming the fireplace, and as part of a water feature. Shells, crystals, cork, bamboo, and dried flowers are also ways to get more exposure to nature and the outdoors when you’re stuck inside.

Use earthy, organic textures

Cotton, wool, wicker, raffia, flax, hemp, jute, silk — each has its own texture, and each is a natural fiber. Wicker baskets, wool rugs, and silk throw pillows are just some of the ways to incorporate these outdoor elements.

Natural scents and sounds

Don’t forget the other senses! Natural smells such as those from sandalwood diffusers, oil sticks, incense, and live flowers may call you back to a pleasant outdoor experience. Sound can also evoke fond memories. A tabletop water fountain (or full-size if your home can handle it!); windchimes inside and out; rain sticks; and wave, rain, or whale sounds are also soothing and comforting.

Pick the right palette

Let nature and the outdoors inspire your home’s color scheme. Think of coastal blues and creams, woodsy browns and greens, and bold splashes of color inspired by your garden. (White kitchens and grey rooms are so last year!) Blues, greens, and warm neutrals are the hot new colors.

Embrace natural shapes and patterns

Big floral prints, art depicting landscapes and nature scenes, and decorative architectural flourishes inspired by flora and fauna are more ways to expose yourself to nature when you’re hunkering down at home. From fish-shaped guest soaps to palm leaf-shaped fan blades, arched doorways to wrought iron shaped into flowers and vines, there are so many ways to invite the outdoors in!

Ready to start designing the interior of your next home? Reach out to Peoples Mortgage to get the home loan process started!