Nature Inspired Decorating
Home Decorating Inspired by Nature

The ultimate decorator is Mother Nature, so who better to copy when you are looking for a different décor for your home.

If you love nature and the wonder of plants and animals, but are not fortunate enough to have a picture window that overlooks an amazing view of the wilderness or the ocean, keep reading.

There are so many nature themes that you can incorporate into your home to create a vibrant or relaxing style of décor. Many of nature's landscapes and habitats can be brought inside and miniaturized, to create a look inspired by nature. We will explore just a few of them here.

Plants
Plants have been used inside the home for decades as a decorating accessory. You can have a bowl of flowers or a potted indoor plant on a side table, a tall potted plant in a corner or devote a whole area of a casual living area to an indoor garden. Here are some tips to help you successfully use plants to decorate your home:

• Choose indoor plants for inside your home.
• Less is better when watering indoor plants.
• Keep indoor plants away from direct sunlight.
• Look for flower or foliage color to complement the colors of the room and furnishings.
• Create a water feature with your plants. Install a water fountain, create a pool around it with water plants and surround the whole feature with other indoor plants. This will be a welcome oasis and the sound of moving water will relax and revive you.

Aviaries
If you have a caged bird or would love to have one you can buy an indoor aviary or have one made specifically. There are some very elegant and attractive large aviaries available, made in a variety of materials, which will coordinate with your décor. Birds are good company, some can be taught to speak and mimic and a bird will add a touch of vibrancy to a room. Here are some tips:

• Research the breed of bird before you purchase one - some birds are very noisy.
• Position the aviary out of draughts and direct sunlight.
• Make sure the aviary is in the room that is most used by the family, as birds love the company.

Containers for habitats, terrariums and ecosystems
Whether you want a nice plant terrarium to be a calm and relaxing feature of a room or set up a habitat or ecosystem for a reptile, hermit crabs, turtles or insects, you can use a variety of containers to add a conversation piece to any room.

Coffee tables can be a timber and glass tank for a reptile, with the rocks and logs that reptiles would normally have in their habitat. A small aquarium can be converted to a miniature sea-side for hermit crabs to create a summer theme in your room. A disused fish aquarium can be set up as a water garden—use gravel on the bottom, a variety of water plants and an aquarium light to create a touch of nature to any room.

Living pictures
Fish tanks have been used for a long time in the home. They create a relaxing feature which you will find yourself watching constantly—the scene is always changing.

Create a beautiful living picture on the wall, by fitting a wall-mounted aquarium and surrounding it with a picture frame to coordinate with your décor. This creates an ever-changing living picture that is really relaxing and enjoyable to watch.

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