How-to: Incorporate Natural Surroundings Into Your Home Decor

When looking to bring our home to next-level design, we might be tempted to do a quick and easy online search. But if you live near mountains or the ocean, there’s a better way to decorate than searching for key terms like ‘beach elements.’ Elliman Insider sat down with Jade McNeil from Interior Marketing Group (IMG) to learn how to decorate your home without resorting to your standard sea shell solution. Shop Local A great and fun way to incorporate natural surroundings into your home decor is to go out and get them. Shop your local stores, artists and artisans for something unique and special from your city. Antique shops can be a great source for mirrors and accent pieces; a local millworker can make you a custom dining table using the local wood, and local artists will invoke the feel of your city without being as literal as a “postcard image.” Authentically Yours The biggest regional trends have been to make spaces feel authentically yours by mixing styles. People aren’t sticking to any one style anymore; it’s all about using pieces that make you happy for a timeless look and feel. In New York City it’s about softening your space. Bring in pieces that feel more unique and handcrafted, more curves, and include lots of layering textures for an authentic feel. Considering Textures and Colors If you don’t necessarily want to go with the traditional design style of your city (ie: beach cottage for your beach house), you can also use colors and materials from your surroundings that evoke the feeling of your city with a different style. For example, a modern beach house could easily use whites, blues and natural woods while keeping to a modern, minimalist design.