Weekend-5-16

Décor | Green Interiors
Five ways to make your home
décor more in tune with nature
Give these sustainable décor ideas a try
Saudia Afrin
In today’s world, living a healthy life is an everyday struggle, especially in the toxic cityscapes we tend to live in, with very few natural elements and
greenery to soothe the eyes and mind. It can be tiring to breath in polluted air and be surrounded by manufactured things all the time, and adding
natural and organic elements around your home can go a long way in giving it a friendly, more lived-in atmosphere, and giving you some much-needed
peace of mind as well.
Here are a few ways to use natural material and add a modern, eco style to your home décor.
What do you say to Bonsai?
Did you know why the Chinese
keep bonsai trees in their
homes? They believe that it
promotes relaxation and inner
peace. In today’s world, people
can barely open their windows/
doors or spend hours in the
scorching heat outdoors, let
alone stroll about under trees.
A tiny yet adult tree in a corner
can add that green serenity and
purity to your home to make up
for the bleak outside.
For a rug-ged effect
You can bring fresh changes to an old
room by simply throwing in a few rugs to
add some style and colour to your floors
– remember, they are just as important
as what you have on your walls. However,
before doing so, it is essential to consider
choosing the right material, and the best
rug space. If you’re looking for simplicity
and elegance, the sisal rug is a good
organic material based rug to invest in.
Try a honey coloured sisal rug, which
will mostly be made out of sea-grass,
mountain grass and jute. Alternatively,
bamboo rugs or patis spread in different
corners will add a chic, country touch to
your home.
They’re not just for
pandas
Bamboo is eco-friendly, sustainable, and
bound to be chemical-free. And for an
authentic, local look, bamboo furniture
is an apt choice. Instead of exclusive PVC
doors, bamboo is a great alternative
option to use as room dividers. If you want
to create a reading nook or a little private
corner, a creative use of bamboo can
transform your room into a natural haven.
Light up the lanterns
You can now find lanterns in all sorts
of vibrant shades and interesting
geometrical shapes nowadays, made of
jute, cloth, bamboo and other organic
materials. Let the soft and diffused
lighting of lanterns spread its magic to
every corner of your room. Or instead,
cover the lanterns with solid structures
like coconut-shells for added effect.
A few other options
Other natural elements can be incorporated
into your home decor as centerpieces or even
corner-pieces. Tree branches, pebbles, sea
shells and dry flowers in a chunky vase will
compliment your coffee table as well as your
book shelf.
Apart from creating stunning kitchen
accessories, tree stumps also make wonderful
stools. And nowadays stumps are also being
used for wall decorations. Even wooden mirror
frames are making a comeback this season.
A bunch of home decor outlets around town
have some lovely wooden mirror frames in
different shapes and designs.•
20 WEEKEND TRIBUNE | FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 2017