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Thursday, April 20th, 2017
FFDM Protege Collection: The Romi Chair’s fabric shows the best of nature – from birds to twigs and flowers.
Research has shown that the environment – a green one at least – significantly reduces stress. What you see, hear and experience will inevitably alter your mood. Having an unpleasant environment, on the other hand, causes anxiety, sadness, even feelings of helplessness. These will elevate heart rate, blood pressure and cause muscle tension. They even have the power to suppress the immune system.
Nature’s Healing Power
Just viewing sceneries of nature can significantly reduce fear, anger and any unpleasant feeling. Lingering exposure to nature contributes to your wellbeing, eventually, it can even reduce mortality. There are scientific studies that support these claims.
Nature can help you cope with pain. Humans, after all, are genetically-programmed to search for plants, trees, water, and other natural elements. Those who are ill are generally shown to have an improved health by the time that they spend some time outdoors.
There are ways to bring natural elements to your home. Here are some tips –
Water Feature
What could be more natural than the sound of rushing, clear waters? If you are looking forward to basking in the stress-relieving sounds of running water and also to impress your guests, then you should consider installing slate water wall.
A slate water wall is the closest that you can get to having waterfalls right in your own home. This innovative feature is worth every dollar that you would spend. If a fountain is like biting off more than you could chew, then you can just invest in water feature for now.
There are tabletop versions of water features. This can serve as the best centerpiece for your living room. Just imagine how much this can contribute to a calmer atmosphere.
Flower Deliveries
Do you know of anyone who does not love the sight of lush flowers? Every human on the planet will benefit when looking at a gorgeous bouquet. Scientific research has proven that flowers and life satisfaction are linked. This is because flowers are natural mood enhancers (just picture the excited smiles that recipients of bouquets show and you’ll understand just why).
Flowers are also known to have a long-term positive effect on humans’ moods, reducing the occurrence of anxiety, depression and agitation.
Any Plant Life
Not all people are gifted with the so-called green thumb. Succulents can be a great alternative, they are the hottest plants for interior design. These days, you can find different types of arrangements which you can mix and match. Set up a succulent gallery in the sunroom or the bedroom.
Herb Garden
Go ahead and bring in some fragrant nature to your room. You can do this especially in the kitchen where you can have baskets bolted onto the walls. You can also do this with little wooden crates where herbs can be planted. Just make sure that the herbal plants are placed under optimal sunlight.
Tommy Bahama Home Bedroom Harbour Point Footboard 6-6 King 537-134FB: Open up the windows to let in fresh air and natural light.
Stone Treatment
Don’t think that stones are just for walkways. Bring in beautiful rocks and pebbles to your indoor décor. Get an opaque vase or any decorative bowl then arrange different stone hues within this unique rock terrarium.
To take this project to the next level, consider installing stone backsplashes in the bathroom or the kitchen.
Natural Furniture
You can also add a rustic appeal by adding the right kind of furniture. Think of adding wood chairs, tables and shelving units. Look for the most natural-looking pieces, ones that can even take weathering and stains which you want to personally apply.
Let In the Sun
One of the easiest approaches to letting in nature is to open your windows. Say goodbye to those bulky curtains for now.
Go sheer for now for that more natural-looking interior design.
Tags: designing with nature, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, nature in interior design, nature's colors
Posted in Color Schemes, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes | Comments Off on Nature-Inspired Interior Design: Optimizing Your Wellbeing
Monday, June 6th, 2016
Cynthia Rowley’s 7070-002CR Rivington 3 over 3 Sofa shows the beauty of yellow green made richer by its neutral backdrop. Notice the flowers on the side table? The boldness of red makes a striking contrast with the rest of the design elements.
One of these days – when you get the chance to – take a look outside and try to look at the colors that Mother Nature generously displays. There is so much to see from the cheerful yellow summer sunlight to the rich greens, blues and browns of the trees and bushes. There’s limitless variety from the deliciously playful to the subtle hues.
First, There’s Yellow
One of the most useful colors that Mother Nature has provided for the interiors of your home is the color yellow. Think of the creamy yellow colors of the English rose to the light butter yellow. Think also of lemons and honey as well as sunshine. The bolder few can choose mustard to fill the rooms of their homes.
Yellow connotes intelligence, wit, optimism, cheerfulness and everything that’s positive in a person’s life.
The colors of aspen trees and gingko during autumn are bright shades of yellow that you can use to perk your home up a bit. Using bright yellow such as the color of sunshine will instantly brighten up any home.
Yellow pops and can be either subdued or intense. You can use a lot of it or just a tint of it somewhere.
Color Fusion
Mother Nature is also the perfect canvas for color fusions. Try to be more observant. Peek at the center of a pink rose and you are sure to see a tint of yellow. Look up to the sky during dawn and you are also likely to see the pink-yellow combination in the pink clouds and the erupting sun.
You also won’t go wrong if you choose to combine blue and yellow. When using the bright versions of each color, you will achieve the lively mixture of the cloudless blue skies and the bright sun. To tone this down, use a more sophisticated shade of dark blue and have it marry lemon yellow. Use a lot of white elsewhere.
Bring Nature In
Natural light provides a better view of the picturesque garden or lawn outside of your home. It also offers colors that do not glare. The most effective health interiors visually prepare natural-looking environments because health professionals know the positive effects of nature in humans.
Panoramic vistas, local sceneries and geographic elements can all play a wonderful role in setting up a beautiful yet still functional home interior. So go ahead and draw your curtains. Let the sun’s rays fill the rooms during the day and have a good glimpse of the greeneries outside.
A lot of people would agree that they feel tons better when they see the bright skies and the cheerful sun. These offer a warm and welcoming feel to your home as opposed to the gloominess that could envelop the rooms if more shades of gray are brought in or if thick draperies are used with insufficient lighting.
Bringing Mother Nature is also not limited to just opening the windows, letting in some fresh air or having a good view of the landscaping. To liven up your home further, bring in potted green plants and the most beautiful flowers in vases. These are known to reduce stress by upping the level of positivity in your home.
Look for a variety of tints and tones made available to you – the blue lake, the orange falling leaves, the acorns that offer deep browns – there is so much to choose from.
A Little Caution
While Mother Nature offers a rich palette of hues, be careful that you do not overdo your passion of bringing nature in. Keep in mind that although natural light is good for your health as well as the aesthetics of your home, it can also be detrimental to some degree.
Sunlight can reflect on polished or naturally shiny floors. These floors are also can also reflect other forms of lighting in your home so, as much as possible, veer away from this kind of flooring.
Tags: designing with nature, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, nature, nature in interior design, nature-inspired design, nature-inspired home, nature's colors, using nature's colors in interior design, yellow, yellow color palette, yellow in interior design, yellow interior design, yellow interiors
Posted in Color Schemes, Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements | No Comments »
Friday, March 25th, 2016
FFDM Sunset Canyon Collection: The colorful oranges provide a necessary deviation from the warmth of the wood and the neutral tabletop.
Using the Zen theme in your home means you have to understand the principles behind it. You can begin with shibumi which is an ideal. Its definition is not clear in Japanese but it can be used for experiences and objects that exemplify both everything and nothingness. Based on this, a Zen theme spells elegance and simplicity. It is an understatement and it is also excellent.
Shibumi, as spoken by James Michener in his novel Iberia, can be understood in the context of writing, art, or of any true work of art.
Shibumi has seven principles – austerity, simplicity, naturalness, subtlety, asymmetry, breaking from routine, and tranquility.
Austerity: Koko
This focuses on omission, exclusion or restraint. This means that you should not add any interior design aspect that was not necessary to begin with.
Simplicity: Kanso
This emphasizes the beauty and downplays utility or anything that is fanciful. The effects are neatness, freshness and cleanliness. The lesson here is that you should eliminate anything that does not have any use; instead, you should make room for ideas that work.
Naturalness: Shizen
This means you can use interior design concepts that are one with nature yet divergent from it. The essence of shizen can be captured in furniture that aims to recreate the sunset, light filtering through the beautiful trees, or the shadows of various passing clouds.
Use naturally occurring patterns in nature, as well as rhythms into your interior design.
Subtlety: Yugen
This principle explains that anything that’s finite is an enemy of nature. This implies the loss or stagnation of life. People’s curiosity is piqued when they see an interesting object just once. The world hypes everything from products to services yet when silence counters the usual hype, the former almost always wins.
Asymmetry: Fukinsei
The natural world is symmetrical but this symmetry can also be achieved in imperfect renderings. The viewer then tends to supply the absent symmetry then participates in the art of creation. This means that interior design does not have to depend on you all of the time. You can also seek the help of friends or relatives to co-create with you. You must be open for ideas that can produce necessary innovations.
FFDM Harbor Spring Collection: Flower arrangements in vases give character and a sense of serenity in a traditional dining room.
Breaking from Routine: Datsuzoku
This principle implies rest from convention. Patterns that worked in the past that have been used by different designers can – and should – take a rest, too. This interruptive break can work well in your interior design if you give it a chance.
Tranquility: Seijaku
Lastly, there’s stillness or tranquility. Those who practice Zen living know that the state of calmness or quietude is the very state where energy is created. This is the meditation phase which can up one’s self-awareness and focus.
The lesson here is that you should do something than left doing nothing.
Your home should be the first place in the whole wide world where you feel most calm and peaceful. There is nothing better than a Zen-inspired home to promote these positive feelings of serenity. If you still have no idea how this looks like, just picture the Zen Gardens in Japanese websites, magazines or photos.
Going Zen does not automatically mean that you have to resort to traditional style, though. Zen could also be contemporary with the right elements. For instance, Zen is epitomized in a room where floor cushions are scattered all around a low table. This can serve as an Oriental dining area, a unique place to enjoy meals with your family. The dark contrast of a table against a warm cream setting should be enough to evoke feelings of balance and stillness.
Tags: asymmetry, balance, designing with nature, McCreerys, McCreerys Home Furnishings, nature, nature in interior design, nature-inspired design, nature-inspired home, Zen design, Zen home, Zen interior, Zen interiors, Zen living, Zen style, Zen-inspired home
Posted in Interior Design 101, Interior Design Elements, Interior Design Themes | No Comments »
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