TIPS ON BRINGING THE OUTDOORS IN
SPRUCE UP YOUR BALCONY
It’s about time to add some greenery and florals to your outside spaces be that a balcony, a terrace, or a patio. Dedicate a space in your quarters to your personal garden, decorate it with plants and blooms, plan a cozy seating arrangement, and make sure to have picnics there.
BRING IN SOME NATURAL MATERIALS
If you’re not going outside enough, try using more natural materials such as wood or stone in your décor, or simply bring some odd objects you like from the outside – it could be a rock, a branch, shells, some straw or a pinecone to decorate your home.
FILL THE SPACE WITH PLANTS
Adding lush greenery to a living space is the most obvious way of including nature in our habitat. Thankfully, you can get a variety of potted plants delivered to your home now with an added value of supporting your local suppliers. Put them everywhere you can, including the bathroom (if there’s access to natural light of course). Hanging and creeping plants can add a bit of a garden feel and ambiance to an otherwise plain interior.
OR CREATE A GREEN WALL
Vertical gardens are a marvellous feature for any space but you can actually include it in your home (or a balcony) – create a green (or a blooming) wall. Hang up a variety of wall pots filled with your favourite plants, or herbs, or succulents, or moss – it’s a refreshing piece that doesn’t take up any additional space.
ADORN WITH BLOOMS
You can create blooming arrangements with what’s at your fingertips – tulips, anemones, daffodils, hyacinths, or even blossom trees from gardens, local shops or wherever. Mix colours, mix short and tall stems, make it look joyful and uplifting.
LESS OR MORE
You could focus on a single variety or a single flower that you really like. Use your favourite vase for it or put up a collection of various vessels each one holding a single stem.
VASE?
Use anything as a potential vessel – well, a vase, an intricate bottle, an old jam jar, a ceramic jug… Mix and match!
OTHER FLORALS
Fresh flowers are always a great way to invoke the outdoor living atmosphere. The floral patterns though may work the same magic – think if you can freshen up any elements of your interior, be that your bed linens, bathroom towels, cushions or even walls.
FRUITY, FLORAL AND FRESH
Miss the summer garden vibes? Enrich your habitat with fruitful or fragrant vegetation such as lemon and orange trees, or jasmine. These can be placed in larger pots either inside or outside.
ARTWORK
You can simply put up some artwork representing the outdoor elements that you miss. If you fail to find the art that satisfies you, use your favourite photographs or prints.
MIRRORS FOR AIRIER SPACE
Mirrors are a great way to visually expand the space that you’re in. They are also reflecting light and can be a great additional source for the missing natural light.
LIGHT UP
Embellish your chill zone with fancy lights, especially if it’s a terrace or a balcony. Get a big lantern for your balcony, and camp out there when the nights are warm.
FOCUS ON COLOUR
Add the colour you’re missing to your surroundings. Anything goes – textiles, crockery, planters, walls, furniture, cushions or flowers. We’re in need of some bright colours right now!
LEARN TO MAKE GOOD COFFEE
A lot of time is spent at home, and we’d like to make it a quality time – a great chance for honing your coffee making skills (to enjoy it on your spruced up balcony). Do research, try out techniques, experiment with utensils and treats. The same goes for tea, smoothies, kombucha, ciders or milkshakes (I’m just the one in dire need of delicious coffee).
