I’ve been feeling all natural and earthy recently. I think it’s the days getting shorter and the sun getting lower in the sky. It makes me lean towards browns and neutral tones. I’m longing for a rug under my feet in the mornings and the warmth of an open fire at night.
Last week, I returned from one of my many cheeky shopping trips with only brown things – an enormous decorative pot made from woven banana leaves, some cork placemats and a big jute cushion.
To my amazement, my husband nodded his approval at all three. I don’t think it was because he agreed with my eco-conscious choices (he’s not the slightest bit interested in sustainable home decor). He was just relieved I wasn’t bringing more pink and turquoise into the house.
So this month, I’m celebrating all things natural. As well as being kinder to the planet, natural materials give softness and texture to a room. They ground the space, add visual interest and work with many different interior design styles. If you bring some natural decor into your home, you will not only benefit from a calming setting, but you’ll also physically feel the effects of being in an organic environment … yes, you will, so go on, go au naturel!
Natural and neutral doesn’t mean beige or bland. The variety of organic materials is huge and so are the tones. You’ve got the subtle green of seagrass, the watercolour patterns of cork, the warm milky tones of bamboo – and have you ever looked closely at the fibres of water hyacinth? Those honey tones are beautiful and the wide stalks are so soft to the touch. The pot I bought (pictured, above) features a thousand different shades of brown all working together in harmony and all designed by Mother Nature herself.
Water hyacinth
Thailand was the first country to start making furniture from water hyacinth, a free-floating plant with a thick fibrous root system that grows in rivers, lakes and ponds. It’s one of the most invasive weeds in the world and is banned for sale in the EU because it can completely cover lakes. The reproductive rate of water hyacinth astonishes ecologists and botanists, which makes it a top renewable resource for home decor. It’s my favourite natural material because its colour is so warm and its texture so friendly, I’ve been eyeing up a gorgeous water hyacinth armchair in the laredoute.pt autumn sale (overleaf).
Cork
Gone are the days of cork being restricted to the office notice board – it’s now a sought-after material in construction and fashion, and even the space industry. Portugal is the biggest cork producer in the world supplying more than 50% of the world’s cork. It’s ranked high among sustainable interior design materials because cork oak trees aren’t cut down or damaged when the cork is harvested. Cork is light and durable and great for sound and heat insulation – holycowchic.com in Lisbon has a big range of hand-made cork decor, from kitchenware and bathroom accessories to wallpaper and Christmas decorations. You can even buy stools made entirely from recycled cork stoppers. (If only they could speak, what stories they’d tell … absolute corkers!)
Seagrass
Seagrass grows in marine environments all over the world. It has a subtle green hue and its strength and durability makes it a perfect material for woven baskets and rugs. It’s the cheapest of the natural fibres and so has long been a popular choice for large-scale living room floors, stair runners and other high traffic areas. It’s also softer and less scratchy than sisal or coir so it feels better underfoot. Maisons du Monde in Loulé have some lovely seagrass mats and wall decor this season.
Rattan
Rattan is a vine-like palm species that grows in tropical regions. It’s a flexible and sturdy material that can be woven into many shapes. What’s the difference between rattan and wicker? They’re often confused and the words used interchangeably but they’re completely different things – rattan is an actual material whereas wicker is just a style of weaving that creates a lattice-like pattern. I love the design of this tall rattan floor lamp (right) from www.sklum.com/pt, and the golden, speckled light you get from the wicker weave reflects beautifully around a bedroom.
Bamboo
As sustainable interior design materials go, bamboo is one of the best. It’s a really fast-growing and durable material that’s perfect for indoor-outdoor spaces, family homes and areas with heavy footfall. Bali Home Decor near Alcantarilha has some chunky hand-made bamboo furniture that would look rustically stylish in a living room or on a roof terrace. Bamboo is also a clever material for home textiles because it’s naturally hypoallergenic, so pillows and towels made from bamboo fibres are a good choice for people with sensitive skin.
