From Guest Blogger Izzie: Natural Materials for the Home
Creating the perfect “natural” home is difficult. With so many external pressures – fashion trends, price, environmental issues – it can be tricky to truly nail down everything you want. But for every plastic or metal household decor choice out there, there is a natural alternative.
Today, we’re going to look at just a few ways you can work in these natural materials into your home. While a 100% natural home isn’t possible – unless you want to live in a cave or a hut – these will certainly be enough to create a few rooms full of natural charm.
Brass
When we say “metal household decor choices”, we aren’t referring to all metals. Steel, being man made, doesn’t contribute to a naturalistic feel at all. Brass, on the other hand, is a naturally occurring metal, making it the ideal replacement for steel and the like. (This isn’t true, btw; brass is an alloy made of zinc and copper. – ed)
It is a versatile metal, that can be used both practically and decoratively. Very few things match the visual appeal of brass, so use it liberally where steel was once the norm. In particular, outfitting your kitchen with brass makes it look fantastic.
Wood
The go-to natural material, wood has innumerable uses in home interior design. As far as natural building materials go, wood is the apex. It can be used for tiny things like cutlery and chopping boards, right up to huge tables and chairs. Entire kitchens can be decked out in wood, from the floor, to the walls, even to the ceiling.
But wood is equally adept at decoration. Wooden statues & sculptures are great wall space savers, and come in infinite variations. Whatever style of natural home you are going for, wood is going to be a core ingredient.
Granite/Quartz
Where wood may let you down is in surfaces. Even the most heavily treated of woods is going to be susceptible to wear and tear. That is where granite and quartz comes in. These incredibly hardwearing materials are the ideal replacement for all of those plastic worktops in your kitchen, bathroom or garage. They come in just as many patterns and variations, and are just as tough (if not tougher).
Natural Stone
Finally, naturally occurring stone is the best replacement for laminated or tiled floors. Usually comprised of slate, natural stone tiles are durable and beautiful. They can help bring the whole room together, tying in all the other natural materials you have present in you home. And if slate isn’t flashy enough for you, you could always push the boat out and get marble flooring!
Just because you are going natural, doesn’t mean you have to be any less sophisticated!
