Long winters and cool springs make us crave to be outdoors and in our
gardens once warm weather hits. Extend your garden year-round by
decorating your home in Garden Style. Imagine lazy summer days sipping
lemonade on the porch, balmy breezes and plenty of sunshine…indoors.
Garden Style goes beyond simply dressing your rooms in floral fabrics –
consider botanical and large tropical prints, or the pastoral outdoor
scenes of French toile for a refined and elegant feel.
Blur the boundaries between outdoors and in with a natural color
palette - rich earth tones, cool greens, warm yellows and sky blues
provide a seamless transition. Let in as much natural light as you can
with floor to ceiling windows, French doors and skylights for stargazing
at night. Use natural materials from the floor up – stone and wood echo
the look of a covered porch or patio. Garden pavers or tumbled stone
will provide a more rustic, European flavor. Jute, sisal or kilim throw
rugs define seating areas and provide warmth, color and pattern
underfoot.
Dress windows with matching fabrics or a few vines and branches. Curb
too much sun with shades and blinds – wooden matchstick blinds blend
well in a garden environment. Faux wall treatments can add depth and
mimic the façade of faux stone or aged plaster.
Garden inspired furnishings should have an airy quality about them,
but should also remain comfortable. Outfit wrought iron chairs with
plump cushions and pillows. Mix upholstered pieces in with weathered
wicker. A garden bench makes a wonderful banquette in a kitchen or
dining room. You can mix found treasures and cast-offs with regular
furnishings – a classic garden style formula. No need to re-do gently
distressed pieces, just clean them up a bit and let their aged-patina
shine through.
Large planting pots and urns can be transformed into accent tables
with a simple glass round. Display vintage garden tools with framed seed
packets as an interesting wall collage. Architectural elements and
garden statuary can stand in as fine art or as a backdrop to other
decorative pieces.
Of course you’ll need lots of lush plants and blooms to complete the
look. If you’re looking for a bit of inspiration – look outdoors and
decorate your home in this fresh, timeless style that works well in
every room of the house.