The Insider: How to bring some outdoors inside

Kate Burt
Saturday 02 July 2011 19:00 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The outdoors is big indoors this season, but it should be a permanent trend: my most calming room is the one painted with a hint of green – a big painting of a palm and trees. Beyond pot plants, what else can add to this feel-good style?

Smoke and mirrors

Maximise views of trees, gardens or even window boxes by positioning a mirror opposite (or at right angles to) windows.

If you weave me now

Natural textures and colours are the ticket – but don't go beige-ly boring: a swishy flat near me has a wall adorned with shallow rattan baskets. Try the bread baskets from marocgourmet.com.

Have you twigged?

The man with the baskets also made a "chandelier" of a shapely branch – it looked ace suspended over the dining-table by fishing wire hung over small hooks in the ceiling.

Fake me up before you go-go

Mmm, calming stone or wood walls and floors... Cheat with decowall.co.uk's self-adhesive "wood and bricks" wallpapers.

Off the wall

Grow your own indoor living wall with fillable Wally Woolly Pockets, £29.99 each from Amazon.

Love is like a butterfly

Perfect for the squeamish: a collection of pretty papillons – made from MDF. From £23, utilitydesign.co.uk.

Touch wood

I'd love the downstairs loo done in National Geographic's birch-forest photomural wallpaper (above, grahamsandersoninteriors.com – look for "Sunday" under the Komar brand)

Uncommon scents

Paine's Balsam Fir or Cedar incense cones promise "log-cabin" vibes (labourandwait.co.uk)

Further reading

For more ideas, check out the Flickr group "Interiors Inspired by Nature".

Find Kate's blog on affordable interiors at yourhomeislovely.com

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in