Which of these indoor-outdoor scenarios do you identify with? You like the vigorous exercise of chopping wood outside and hiking. Or do you feel more productive in ‘cozy’ indoor clothes and find picnics a chore?
If you said yes to either one, what inspires you to bring in nature?
Do you feel its vitality? Or its serenity?
There’s something about the beauty of nature that’s not only soothing but inspirational. But it can be hard to balance indoor-outdoor when you feel like your home is just not getting enough light and warmth.
So, how do you go about bringing parts of nature inside your home?
Swap Overwhelm for a Safe Indoor-Outdoor Escape
For starters, make a note of what is around you. Is the arrangement of your furniture crowding or constricting your movement from room to room? What is the impact on your emotions?
A second look can reveal whether a space needs more greenery, vibrant colors, accent pieces or less furniture.
Do you visualize what your outdoor living space looks like? Does it have indoor elements like couches and coffee tables? If owners and buyers are spending more time at home, should your outdoor living space reflect this change?
According to Cision’s Top 2021 Trends for Outdoors report:
- Millennials are more likely than Boomers to have a sofa or a sectional (40% vs. 17% Boomers), a bar (37% vs. 17% Boomers) and décor such as rugs or throw pillows (25% vs. 17% Boomers) on their shopping lists.
- Outdoor lighting (52%), lounge chairs or chaises (51%), a fire pit (49%), and a dining table with chairs (42%) top the lists of those who want a refurbished outdoor living area.
- Three-quarters (74%) of Americans use their patios for relaxation, while nearly three in five use them for socializing with family and friends (58%). Over half (51%) use their outdoor spaces for cooking.
This growing trend has shifted how homeowners plan and furnish indoor-outdoor spaces.
The earthy element of nature inspires a sense of lightness and openness.
Aren’t You Glad to Avoid the Traffic Clog?
I think it’s safe to say everybody loves a day at the beach (or anywhere else outdoors!). Homeowners are now using their decks for more than just grilling dinner or hanging out after work. Family-friendly entertainment and dining is rapidly overtaking outdoor entertaining as homeowners spend more time in the spaces they own or rent.
The outdoor space is the ‘new’ kitchen/family gathering spot.
- 90% of Americans agree their outdoor living space is more valuable than ever before, with 78% making outside upgrades during covid-19 (Cision PR Newswire 2021 Trend Report)
Craft Nature's Elements Into Your Personal Oasis
It may seem counterintuitive to bring the outdoor elements indoors and vice versa. You may be wondering how you can transform your home without breaking the bank.
Check out these five indoor-outdoor ideas.
1. Make a frame.
The next time you are trekking through a forest or trail, collect various lengths of branches (1/2 inch to 1-inch thick (you can cut the length depending on the size of frame you want to make). Decide on what type of accessories to decorate it with – ribbons, leaves, flowers, pompoms, buttons etc. Think about where you will hang it – wall, window, front door as you pick your decorations. You can make it as simple or as vibrant as you want. See DIY example by New Start Staging below.
2. Build a camp indoors or in your backyard. Who doesn’t love to stare up at the stars and have an excuse to eat marshmallows and popcorn?
3. Sounds of the Outdoors.
Grab a folding chair, find your favorite spot along a nature trail, set up and listen to the trickle of a stream, birds chirp, and leaves rustle with the wind. Bring a pen and journal or a sketchpad. Use this quiet time to unleash your inner artist.
4. Music. If you have a subscription, tune in to energetic or meditative music so you can keep pace with your yoga, walk or jog.
5. Listen to Nature Podcast. If the weather prevents you from getting about, check out these three recommendations for a dose of nature.
Nature’s Elements: Keep Your Home Full of Life
Take your creativity to the next level with these budget-friendly ideas that make your home look more vibrant.
Aromatherapy
You can self-soothe with dried herbs such as lavender, mint and rosemary. Fresh or dried, these herbs are optimum scents for relaxation.
Plants
These are ideal for kitchens (though there are many more to choose from):
- English Ivy (Hedera Helix)
- Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis Mille)
- Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra Elatior)
Texture and Colour
Neutral white, ivory, and beige are classic living room tones that connect seamlessly in adjoining spaces, allow for effortless furniture changes. Use a punch of lime green, saturated yellow, classic Kelly green and sunset orange as dramatic shades to draw the eye.
Furniture and Lines
Modern and wooden furniture offers clean lines and textures.
Check out Styles and other ideas video.
Air
Open windows, retracting screens, and panoramic patio door systems will fill your home with natural clean air.
Light
For more natural light, you can add:
- Mirrors and Shiny Objects
- Install Larger Windows or Doors
- Wash exterior and interior windows
- Lighter Window Treatments (i.e. white sheers)
- Skylights
What Makes The Interchange Of Indoor-Outdoor So Appealing?
The California Room is a popular open-air concept in which architecture and landscape merge seamlessly. It is part room, porch, and sunroom with a huge open expanse to let light flood into your home. This space is neither a room nor considered a part of the square footage of a home when resold.
Yet, the infusion of indoor-outdoor elements for you to breathe fresh air, rest, share laughs with family and friends instills a classy, serene, and calm functional entertainment space.
Indoor-Outdoor Connections for Improved Well-Being
The benefits of surrounding yourself with your favorite plants, landscape paintings, scent of lemons, or wooden textures reduces feelings of anger, fear, and stress. You feel better because it lowers high blood pressure, hypertension, eases your heart rate, and creates less stress hormones.
Birds and butterflies may not be your thing, any natural element in your home is critical to your well-being especially mental health.
The prevalence of mental health, according to CAMH, “1 in 5 Canadians experience a mental illness or addiction problem. In addition, young people aged 15 to 24 are more likely to experience mental illness and/or substance use disorders than any other age group.” For example, the pandemic raised a white flag to the trauma and impact of isolation for social beings.
As a result, the need for regular use of natural indoor-outdoor spaces for physical activity can help to reduce the risk of mental health problems by 50% (Ontario Parks).
From a tree inside your living room to sunflowers in the bedroom, bringing the outdoors in needn’t be expensive.
The fact is nature triggers all your senses.
Is this your natural state of being or your survival instinct?
Survival and state of being are intertwined. It’s an inescapable equilibrium. Your material world reflects the manipulation of nature’s elements – air, water, sun, and earth (from utensils, toiletries, electronics, cars to clothes, heat, and food).
Conscious or unconscious, you seek shelter and esoteric comfort; you feel the ethereal flow of stability. This is reflected in the warm wood, earthy tones or the natural sculpted structure and decor of your home.
You Feel Nature's Urge for Truth
When you find yourself in an endless loop of mindless activities such as seeing the same trail, driving route, walking the same dog – and itching to escape to nature, ask yourself, why?
Why do you enjoy the smoky essence of crackling firewood by an outdoor fire?
What satisfaction do you get listening to the rain while absorbed in reading a book under a blanket? Perhaps you are able to feel very relaxed and at peace. And you probably notice this feeling is really good for you.
Essentially, you are being drawn towards a more mindfulness based living. A return to your natural state – nature itself.
It’s likely to preserve who you truly are in conjunction with being one with Mother Earth. This is all good, of course.
Because where else can you really be your creative, joyous ever-expanding self, except in nature.
What indoor-outdoor project have you incorporated into your home? Share your thoughts.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The California room can be described as an indoor-outdoor living space taken to the next level. It is a transition room usually serving as a seamless extension of the home’s great room or dining area, open to the outdoors
- Plants. Plants truly make or break an outdoor living room. .
- Fire Pit. There’s nothing that brings people together like a fire pit.
- Lighting. The choices for outdoor lighting are almost endless.
- Comfortable Seating.
- Throws and Pillows. .
- Outdoor Rug.
- Grill.
What’s The Definition of Outdoor Living? At its simplest, outdoor living is expanding your lifestyle into your yard. It’s about taking those elements of everyday life that can happen outdoors, outdoors. Outdoor living means actively using your garden as a place where you spend time.
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