Natural Accessories

With the eco friendly trend and the going green lifestyle, nature is in, and in BIG, in home décor accessories. An obvious addition to home décor is the influence of nature’s colors in interior decorating.

Earth tones and mossy greens are hot colors right now. Natural accessories take the look one step further by using nature’s elements in home accessories.

From the Sand

Seashells, coral and natural sponges can work into any casual décor, but are perfect for cottage decorating and seaside retreat styles. A terrarium with sand and small shells can make the cutest accessory in the bathroom by the tub.

Another hit pick is a genuine tumbleweed. Yes, they can be purchased online. They come in all sizes and are relatively inexpensive, as one would hope a bunch of weeds would be - but hey’re actually very cool accessories.

From the Sea

Glass offers much of the same properties as water with the smooth look and feel. Art glass offers a distinctive look, particularly in more modern and sophisticated settings where twigs don’t exactly look right at home. With the plethora of colors, styles, shapes, sizes and price ranges, art glass can slip right into a budget decorating project. Try some Italian Murano glass with bold colors and shapes to make a statement in a living room or dining room.

If you have a tight decorating budget, driftwood is about as budget friendly as you can get, as you can find it for free on beaches. It can be found in all shapes and sizes and is a versatile decorating accessory, as you can use it anywhere from the living room to the garden. We have a local community group that cleaned up a beach and had loads of driftwood. They sold it as a fund raiser at a local garden center and it sold like hotcakes. I used several pieces as hardscape in the garden and it looks quite nice.

From the Land

Sticks and stones….you can use almost anything from nature to make an accessory, large bowls made of twigs have been the hot summer accessory this year. Ikea offers a bundle of long narrow branches, about six feet tall, for under $15. In a large glass floor vase, this can make an empty corner take on a whole new look.

From the Earth

Plants are as natural and green as an accessory can be. Houseplants are always a welcome addition to any interior decorating project, as they have big impact on décor and just a little impact on your decorating budget.

You can’t go wrong when you’re decorating with natural elements, as Mother Nature never goes out of style.