The simple update
Thinking of throwing out a table or sideboard? How about giving it a lick of paint or new handle pulls instead? A new colour could give it just the look you’re after, and by adding some new leather or ceramic handles, the update can instantly give the space a fresh feel.
HOW TO MAKE
A VASE OUT OF A REPURPOSED LIGHT BULB
This DIY idea not only looks beautiful but it’s also easy to make and won’t cost you a penny!
plainpicture/BrittaWarnecke
What you need
+ Eye protection
+ Pliers
+ A light bulb
+ Scissors
+ Twine or fishing wire
1. Don your eye protection, then use pliers to remove the metal tab at the base of the light bulb.
2. Hold the metal base and carefully break the glass inside the base of the bulb. Remove all glass fragments.
3. Hold the bulb by the metal base and use pliers to break the glass surrounding the filament. Remove the glass and filament.
4. Cut the twine to the desired length and tie around the base of the bulb.
5. Add water and fresh flowers (or any decoration that takes your fancy) and hang your bulb vase in the window.
GET COSY AND CLOSER TO NATURE
There’s a stereotype that minimalism is cold and uninviting. But with a little creativity, it’s easy to overcome. As you can imagine, Swedes have this down to a fine art, and much of their secret lies in their use of nature. With acres of unspoiled forests, coastline and mountains on their doorstep, it’s common to use plenty of natural texture in the Swedish home. Think materials that are sensory to the touch, such as wood, leather, felt, wool and stone. Sheepskin throws are draped over the backs of chairs; wool blankets are waiting to be unfurled at the slightest sign of a draught; cotton rugs are dotted about the floor.
When you decorate your home, why not learn from the Swedes and think about adding natural materials with different structures and textures? It’s amazing how much warmth a simple wooden coffee table or sheepskin throw can add to an otherwise minimalist space.
Bring nature indoors
If you’d really like to up the nature stakes, go for a forage and collect wild flowers, feathers, sticks, pine cones, pebbles, shells and anything else you might find on the beach, in the woods or simply growing through cracks in the pavement. Display them in your home on a windowsill, shelf or as a centrepiece on the dining table to create an instant connection with the great outdoors and add a sense of balance and calm.
Gaelle Marcel/Unsplash
Six house plants that will survive anything
Look in any Swedish home and you’ll see plants lining the windowsills and brightening up dark corners. They’re certainly on to something. Studies have shown that having just one plant in a room can ease stress levels, absorb harmful toxins and help purify the air. It can also help enhance your mood and increase productivity,2 boost concentration and memory and, ultimately, make you feel happier. It’s also a wonderful way to bring the home alive.
+ Rubber tree plant
+ Snake plant
+ Madagascar dragon tree
+ Spider plant
+ Aloe vera plant
+ Fiddle leaf fig tree
More than just a plant
For many people, plants are more than just a bit of greenery – they’re a living friend. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that some of our plants have names, and according to friends I’m not alone. Our most treasured plant started life as a cutting from one of my grandfather-in-law’s shrubs. Sadly, he’s long since gone, but the plant lives on in his memory.
Why not get a cutting from a friend’s or relative’s plant, or give one as a present to mark an occasion? Not only is it free but it’ll also hold special memories. You never know, it might live on for generations to come!
Lauren Mancke/Unsplash
Keeping it simple
Instead of displaying a huge bouquet, think about placing a single flower in a vase. You’ll more easily be able to admire its delicate shape and colour.
Think outside the vase
Having a get-together? How about giving the wall a natural touch by sticking on blooms from your garden? It creates an instant seasonal display.
Or, for something more permanent, pick a selection of your favourite leaves and place them inside double-sided glass frames. These look beautiful on the wall or arranged along a windowsill.
‘Sometimes a single, modest bloom can say more than an entire bouquet.’
Ilkka Suppanen, Finnish designer at be&liv
THREE CREATIVE WAYS
TO TURN NATURE INTO MEMORIES
It’s wonderful to experience the great outdoors first hand, but if you’re stuck inside you can still reap the benefits. A study led by VU University Medical Center in the Netherlands found that simply viewing images of nature reduces our stress levels.3
These lovely ideas below not only help to combat stress (if the study is anything to go by) but also take us back in time to a magical place where we felt happy and relaxed:
+ Create a gallery wall using a montage of photographs of sunsets you’ve enjoyed on holiday. Make sure each one is labelled with the place and date to jolt your memory and transport you back in time.
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