Natural Elements Create Cohesive Home Design

A stone lamp. A bamboo chair. A jute rug. The use of natural materials in decor is making a surging comeback. Design magazines are filled with these organic pieces, but why? And how can you use them to your design advantage?

Let’s start with defining those natural materials. Wood and stone may come to mind first, but a natural material is anything that doesn’t require a great deal of processing before finding its way into your living room. This could include rattan, wicker, cork, or even leather. The possibilities are endless! Pulling in elements of natural materials can bring the quiet outdoors into your home.

Why use natural materials?

Natural materials bring a space together that can make a room feel full of life. Imagine standing in a beautiful forest surrounded by trees and a quiet stream. There’s a distinct feeling associated with that image. It’s peaceful and serene, perhaps evoking memories of fishing trips or exploring. Using natural materials is a great way to bring that feeling inside.

Using natural materials is a simple way to create a harmonious look. Instead of buying unmatched furniture pieces and hoping they’ll work together, having the common thread of natural materials nearly guarantees your pieces will fit with one another. Designers often theme a room around a single color, but instead, that common thread could be natural materials. This allows you to play with a larger color and design palette. Natural materials are a great option if you’re looking for a single, cohesive design to pull throughout your home. They work in any room. Bringing a stone end table into your living room flows easily into a wooden island in the kitchen, which will blend right in with the rattan chair in your bedroom. It’s easy to scale this look through a home to get a magazine-ready look.

Start small

An entire house remodel may be a little daunting. Fortunately, using natural materials in your space can start small. Starting with a new couch may not be an option, so think about what’s on your couch instead. Replace throw pillow covers with a natural fiber fabric or swap out old blankets for something equally organic. Take time to consider each wall. Examine the picture frames, the shelves, and the paintings. Change out plastic frames for bold, wooden frames. Why not substitute your simple bookcase with live-edge floating shelves? Starting with accessories and decor will allow you to bring natural materials into your home without breaking the bank. The great thing about using this style is its simplicity; natural materials shine in the less is more philosophy. Toss out the 15 ceramic figurines and replace them with simple greenery. These straightforward changes can bring life and form into your space.

Consider a statement piece

With starting small and accessorizing done, you may be wondering what’s next. Now it’s time for a big impact. When you’re ready to make a sizable change to your space, it’s time to bring in a statement piece. Statement pieces are bold and dominating; they are the talking piece of the room. Guests should be drawn to it. Such an important piece of furniture requires time and care in choosing. Unlike starting small, now it’s time to go big.

A statement piece could be a large stone dining table, a live-edge kitchen island, or a tufted leather couch. Choosing this item early in your design will give you a starting point to design around. Imagine what any other furniture or accessories will feel like next to this piece, let it guide your design. Remember that statement pieces like to shine. Focusing on one or two large, natural items may allow you to spend more of your budget on fewer pieces with stronger impacts. Keep that in mind as you shop. Smaller pieces can fluctuate and be changed over time, but your statement piece will define your room.

Organic Modern

Natural materials can be found in many home design styles, but one of the most current is Organic Modern. Organic Modern design combines Mid-Century Modern with Boho and Minimalism to create a natural, clean look. It layers neutral colors with organic pieces to draw focus toward more architectural elements.

If Organic Modern is a trend you’d like to follow, there are some simple steps to get you started. First, clear out the knick-knacks. This trend focuses heavily on minimalism, so it’s time to do some decluttering. Focus on a few strong pieces to draw the eye around the room. Second, accessorize with greenery. What could be more natural than plants? The bright green of a houseplant is a great accent to an otherwise neutral palette. If the commitment of a live plant is too much, there are many realistic faux options.

Always keep your design neutral. Organic Modern focuses heavily on a neutral palette with white or cream walls drawing focus to your bold wooden or stone elements. Most important of all: bring in natural light. This may be difficult in certain spaces, but you can enhance the natural light in almost any space. Keep window coverings delicate to allow as much sunshine through as possible. Another great option is to bring in lamps and mirrors to reflect and enhance the available light. Remember, in Organic Modern, less is more. Look at your space and ask what you could take away while still loving the room. Keep it simple and let your natural pieces shine.

If you’re looking for a design style to grow with you, look no further. Natural materials are timeless. Patterns and colors may go out of style, but wood and stone never will. Focus on furniture pieces that give your home a natural, peaceful feel, and keep these pieces at the center of your design, swapping out smaller items as styles change. You can start your natural decor journey at any time and on any budget. Start small or start big, but start, and make your home into the sanctuary you’ve always wanted. Bring the outdoors in.