Get close to nature with Emma Martin

Time to get closer to nature: Emma Martin shares her style secrets to help bring the outdoors in.

Nature-inspired styling has been one of the biggest trends in interiors over recent seasons, and it looks as though it is here to stay.  According to Anglian Home Improvements, ‘biophilia’ is behind our desire to bring the outdoors in.  Defined as a love of living things and nature, which many believe humans are born with, biophilia not only connects us to the outside world – it is also believed to have a positive impact on health and wellbeing.

Anglian has teamed-up with life and style blogger, Emma Martin (Amble and Ash @littlewoodlife), to provide top tips on how this trend can be incorporated into our own living spaces. Emma’s tips have been designed to inspire homeowners to create stunning on-trend interiors which maximise exposure to the outdoors while also enjoying the many benefits a closer connection to nature can bring.

Liam Kingswell, Digital Marketing Manager from Anglian Home Improvements, said: “We spend 90 percent of our time inside buildings of various types – and actually much of this time is spent inside our homes.  At Anglian we believe our homes should be sanctuary; a place to recover from our busy and stressful lives. We are therefore very pleased to be working with Emma Martin to help homeowners incorporate the biophilia trend into their living spaces through interior design and, ultimately, to make the house a home.”

EMMA MARTIN’S TOP TIPS:

Use botanical prints

Consider choosing a quirky botanical print for your walls and soft furnishings. Floral and leaf motifs are widely available and – combined with linens, raw woods, raffia and rattan – they can create a scheme that is both contemporary and fresh. Your home can become the corner of the rainforest or an English country garden even on the darkest days!

Stimulate the senses

Use floral or herbal scented linen sprays and candles to subtly scent your space.  Lavender is perfect to aid restful sleep, and lemon and ginger to revive. Pick scents that are evocative of the seasons ahead – spring blooms, summer at the sea, or a pine forest in the colder months.

Accessorise with flowers and plants

Add fresh flowers and plants to really personalise your space. Pick seasonal stems to display in glass bottles or jam jars and combine them with other natural elements on shelves or dresser tops, to provide a scheme that is calming and pleasing to the eye.  Consider larger architectural plants in corners or on the floor by a window.  These really link the outdoors with in, are long lasting if cared for, and help improve air quality in the home.

Open windows and doors when possible, and in the spring and summer months line doorsteps and sills with plant pots. They will have the benefit of staying watered but still provide colour to your indoor space.  Plant some herbs in individual pots and keep them on your kitchen counter, close to a window. They’re great to look at and will grow brilliantly if the soil is kept moist.  They are perfect for adding some fresh, outdoor flavours to your cooking too!

Maximise light

If you fancy a more major change, and really want to draw your outdoor space in, a conservatory extension or adding bi-fold doors will maximise the light in your home. Opt for window and door frames that are as seamless as possible, and panes of glass that provide unbroken views to your garden beyond.  Pushing doors wide and choosing indoor tiles that are similar to outdoor paving (or wood flooring that runs into decking) gives the coherent feel of it all being one indoor/outdoor space. Perfect for summer parties!

Emma Martin said:

“American biologist Edward O Wilson coined the term ‘biophilia’ in the 1980’s, whilst exploring the human connection with nature, and the positive effects that the outside world can have on our mood and psyche. Thirty years on, interior trends are increasingly taking their lead from the great outdoors.  There has been an upsurge in botanical prints, natural fabrics and plant life in our homes, so even if the time we have to spend outside in natural surroundings is brief, we can come home to it too.”

Emma Martin is a life and style blogger (Amble and Ash), documenting family life with her three children and Miniature Dachshund Ernie. In 2013, Emma’s family began the process of building their forever home, from interiors ideas, new buys, upcycling and room revamps.

For more information about Anglian and its wide range of home improvement products, including double-glazed windows and doors, conservatories and orangeries, visit www.anglianhome.co.uk.

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