If you’ve ever felt happier, more refreshed, or more productive after spending time outdoors, you understand the power of nature. Spending time in nature is proven to have a variety of benefits, from reducing stress levels to boosting creativity. But not all of us have the luxury of living near a nature trail or beach. Yet, just because you can’t spend time in nature as often as you like doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it. You can enjoy it every day, just by bringing some natural elements indoors! Whether you live in a crowded city or a quiet suburb, here are seven tips for incorporating nature into your apartment.

1. Decorate With Plants

The easiest way to bring nature into your apartment is to decorate with live plants. Hanging plants, potted plants, and even small succulents add beauty and bring a bit of the outdoors indoors.

Place a large potted plant in the corner of your living room or kitchen. Buy a tiered plant stand so you can decorate with multiple pots and make use of your vertical space. If space is limited, add a few floating shelves and decorate with some small pots!

Just be careful if you have pets. Some plants are toxic to cats and dogs, so be sure to choose plants that are safe for animals.

2. Create A Herb Garden in Your Kitchen

With a few tiny pots, you can create a herb garden in your kitchen that will look good and smell even better. Plus, it will help you add some extra flavour to your next meal!

Have a window ledge? You can hang a window box inside or outside. You can also create a herb garden on a counter by arranging little pots on a tiered lazy Susan. Just remember to rotate the tray every once in a while so that all of your herbs can get the sun they need. You can also go for Deltona tree experts.

3. Put Stones, Crystals, or Shells on Display

A lot of people collect crystals, stones, or shells from the beach. If you have a collection of natural elements, put them on display. You can group them by colour, purple gemstones look pretty somewhere with ambient light while lighter coloured stones glimmer when shone by the moonlight.

You can arrange them on a flat tray (like a zen garden), display them on window ledges, or arrange them on small, floating shelves.

4. Incorporate Natural Wood

Wood is about as natural an element as you can find, and it’s easy to incorporate different types of wood into any room design. Whether your style is industrial, boho, modern, or traditional, wood furniture goes with everything.

Ditch the synthetic IKEA wood in favour of pieces crafted from real wood. Real wood furniture is more expensive, but it also lasts a lot longer (and is a lot sturdier) than engineered wood like MDF and particleboard.

Bring some natural beauty into your apartment by adding a tree stump accent table, a birch wood coffee table, or a teak or walnut dining room set. You can also create a sauna cedar using high-quality wood, this can bring a relaxing vibe to your home.

Not ready to buy new furniture? Create a tropical vibe by adding rattan or wicker baskets for storage. Create a chic, modern look by placing a bamboo area rug beneath your dining table. Give your home a beachy feel by decorating with a piece of driftwood.

The options are endless!

5. Hang Nature-Inspired Artwork

Need to give the wall behind your couch or above your bed a fresh new look? Frame a piece of artwork with a beach scene, a cloud scene, a jungle theme, or any other natural vibe.

You can hang one massive print on a focal wall or create a gallery wall by hanging a collection of small, framed prints.

In the mood for something a bit bolder? Cover an entire wall with peelable, removable wallpaper in a floral, landscape, or botanical print.

6. Add Some Fresh Flowers

There’s no reason not to enjoy fresh flowers on a regular basis. Instead of waiting for someone to send you a bouquet, go buy some for yourself!

Fresh flowers make a great centrepiece on a dining table. They also add fresh, natural beauty to a bedside table. So break out your favourite vase, pick up a few of your favourite stems, and start arranging some fresh buds now. Not only do they look pretty, but they smell good too!

Don’t want to shell out the money for a fancy bouquet from your local florist? Buy a few inexpensive stems from your grocery store or pick some wildflowers from your backyard. Even a few small stems in a bud vase will add natural beauty to your home.

7. Hang Sheer Curtains

There’s nothing more natural than sunlight. The easiest way to incorporate nature into your apartment is to hang some sheer curtains and let the sun in!

Ditch the heavy blackout curtains. Ask your landlord to remove those old blinds. If you want your apartment to be full of sunlight, all you need are a few sheer panels.

They’ll look beautiful blowing in the wind on a breezy day.

In Summary

Nature makes us feel good. It lifts our spirits, boosts our moods, and actually makes us happier. It also makes us more creative, more productive, and less stressed.

So if you don’t have anything natural in your apartment, now is the time to change that.

Here are the easiest ways to incorporate nature into your apartment:

• Decorate with plants or succulents.
• Grow an indoor herb garden.
• Display a collection of stones, crystals, or shells.
• Buy furniture made from natural wood.
• Hang nature-inspired artwork.
• Add fresh flowers.
• Hang sheer curtains to enjoy more sunlight.

You can enjoy the beauty of nature every single day just by doing one or two things on this list. And the best part is you don’t have to spend a fortune to do it!

Author Bio:

Caitlin Sinclair is the Property Manager at The Charlie, a luxury apartment community in Orange County, California.