More and more homeowners are seeking ways to spend more time outdoors by incorporating nature into their home design, either through Nature Home design or the Desert Style interior design trend. While incorporating natural elements into decor was already popular in workplaces due to the noted rise in productivity indoor plants provide, homeowners are starting to adopt this interior design trend as well – especially those who have transitioned to remote work.

That said, maybe you don’t have room for a living wall or an abundance of potted plants. Or maybe you enjoy keeping your space minimal and functional. Either way, you shouldn’t have to keep your back doors and windows open 24/7 to enjoy a natural space. If you want to add more natural elements to your home but don’t want to clutter it, there are a few ways you can optimize your design to incorporate features that are both natural and functional.

Desert Style vs Nature Home Decor

While both Desert Style design and Nature Home design focus on bringing nature inside, they do so in different ways. One of their biggest points of contrast is color. Desert Style has a warm palette of terracotta red, sand, sunset orange, and lighter shades reminiscent of an arid desert, while natural home design has a cooler color palette centered around greens, blues and darker shades that evoke the feeling of being in a lush forest. This is also why Desert Style prioritizes desert flora like cacti in its decor over potted greens like nature home design.

Desert Style also tends to be more minimalist than Nature Home design, maximizing usable space with functional, natural decor to create an atmosphere similar to the sparseness of desert landscapes. In contrast, Nature Home design favors the comfort of being cocooned inside a dense forest, aiming to fill every inch of space with plants and other natural elements.

Incorporating Nature into a Functional Living Space

Raw Decor

Decorating with raw materials such as wood, stone, rattan, clay, and leather (whether they’re whole pieces or just accents) can add a cozy and rustic touch to your space. Wood tables, stone fireplaces, rattan chairs, clay pots, cotton, and wool napery – any and all of these can imbue your home with the feel and texture of nature without taking up unnecessary space, effectively bringing some of the outdoors indoors.

At Metroflor, we make luxury vinyl floors that accurately mimic wood floors without the risk of water damage or mold growth, so you can get the appearance of wooden flooring for a much smaller upfront investment and less long-term hassle.

Ample Natural Light

A key feature of natural and functional home design is an abundance of natural light, which can not only imbue your space with soft and rejuvenating sunlight but can also help you save more on utility bills. Incorporating as much natural lighting into your home as possible and supplementing it with warm, ambient lighting can foster an inviting atmosphere.

Natural Color Palette

Enhancing a room’s association with nature can make the space feel more connected to the outdoors, even if it is artificial. Use a natural color palette, such as earth tones, soft greens and muted blues or warm browns and oranges, depending on your preference. These colors can help evoke a sense of tranquility and connection to different natural landscapes.

Organically Shaped Furniture

Organic shapes and patterns, such as curved furniture or flowing lines in artwork[1] or your floors, can instill your home with the free-flowing feeling of nature.

Natural Fragrances

Just the smell of nature can be beneficial for your well-being. Lavender, pine, jasmine, mesquite, and eucalyptus candles can help transport you into nature without stepping foot outside your home.

Hanging Planters

If you want more plants but don’t want to create clutter, hanging planters can be useful. Hanging planters filled with trailing or cascading plants can add greenery and visual interest to your interior, enhancing your home’s natural elements while saving countertop and floor space.

Natural and Realistic-Looking Wood Luxury Vinyl Planks That Are Made to Last

Metroflor’s LVP flooring will help incorporate the soothing aesthetic of Nature Home design into your home seamlessly. With 38 color options[SB2] , including oak and rattan, our floors can match your desired natural landscape for your ideal nature-infused home design.

Learn more about why we are the premium luxury vinyl flooring manufacturer for design and innovation. Receive a free sample of our flooring options anywhere at no cost (nor shipping fee) with our nationwide shipping today.