Bringing the Outdoors In: A Botanical Home Styling Guide

There's something deeply restorative about being surrounded by nature. When we can't escape to the forest or the garden, we can bring those healing elements into our homes through thoughtful botanical styling.

Biophilic design—the practice of connecting interior spaces with the natural world—isn't just aesthetically pleasing; it's scientifically proven to reduce stress, improve air quality, boost creativity, and enhance overall well-being. But creating a botanical home goes beyond scattering a few houseplants around. It's about layering natural elements, textures, and colors to create spaces that feel alive, grounded, and deeply connected to the earth.

The Foundation: Understanding Botanical Style

Botanical home styling draws inspiration from nature's palette: earthy terracottas, soft sage greens, warm wood tones, and crisp whites. It celebrates organic shapes, natural materials, and the imperfect beauty of handmade objects. Think flowing vines cascading from shelves, dried botanicals in handcrafted vases, woven textures that echo natural fibers, and lighting that mimics dappled sunlight through leaves.

The goal isn't to recreate a greenhouse or turn your living room into a jungle (unless that's your vision!). Instead, it's about thoughtfully incorporating botanical elements that bring the calming, restorative energy of nature into your everyday spaces.

Living Plants: The Heart of Botanical Design

Living plants are the most obvious—and most impactful—way to bring nature indoors. But successful plant styling goes beyond buying whatever looks pretty at the nursery.

Choosing the right plants:

• Assess your light: South-facing windows support sun-lovers; north-facing rooms need low-light champions
• Consider your lifestyle: Frequent travelers need drought-tolerant plants; attentive waterers can handle fussier varieties
• Think about scale: Large floor plants create drama; trailing plants add movement; clustered small plants create lush vignettes
• Mix textures: Combine broad leaves with delicate fronds, upright growers with cascading vines

Styling with plants:

• Group plants in odd numbers (3, 5, 7) for visual interest
• Vary heights using plant stands, shelves, and hanging planters
• Choose planters that complement your aesthetic—terracotta for earthy warmth, ceramic for modern clean lines, woven baskets for texture
• Don't forget the bathroom and kitchen—these humid spaces are perfect for ferns and tropical plants

Botanical Accents: Beyond Living Plants

Not every botanical element needs to be alive. Dried flowers, preserved branches, botanical prints, and nature-inspired textiles all contribute to a botanical aesthetic while requiring zero maintenance.

Dried and preserved botanicals:

• Pampas grass in tall vases for dramatic texture
• Eucalyptus branches for aromatic beauty
• Dried flowers in seasonal arrangements
• Pressed botanicals in frames as living art
• Branches and twigs in minimalist displays

The beauty of dried botanicals is their longevity and versatility. A single arrangement can last months, and you can easily swap elements seasonally without the commitment of caring for living plants.

Natural Materials & Artisan Pieces

Botanical styling extends beyond plants themselves to the materials and objects that echo nature's aesthetic. This is where your artisan home goods collection becomes essential.

Handcrafted ceramics with organic glazes that mimic natural stone, woven textiles that reference grass and reeds, wooden pieces that showcase natural grain—these artisan elements reinforce the botanical theme while adding warmth and authenticity to your space.

Key materials for botanical spaces:

• Wood: Raw, reclaimed, or naturally finished pieces
• Stone: Marble, granite, or river rock accents
• Clay: Terracotta, stoneware, unglazed ceramics
• Natural fibers: Jute, linen, cotton, wool, rattan
• Metal: Aged brass, copper, or matte black for contrast

Lighting: Mimicking Natural Light

In nature, light is constantly shifting—bright and direct at midday, soft and golden at sunset, cool and gentle in the shade. Your lighting should create this same dynamic quality.

Layer different light sources to mimic natural patterns: overhead lighting for general illumination, table lamps for warm pools of light, and accent lighting to highlight your botanical displays. Choose fixtures with organic shapes—globe pendants like moons, branch-inspired chandeliers, or sculptural pieces that echo natural forms.

Lighting tips for botanical spaces:

• Use warm-toned bulbs (2700K-3000K) to enhance the earthy color palette
• Position lights to backlight plants and create dramatic shadows
• Add dimmer switches to adjust brightness throughout the day
• Consider grow lights for plants in low-light areas—modern versions are surprisingly stylish

Color Palette: Nature's Hues

A botanical color scheme draws directly from the natural world. Start with a neutral base—warm whites, soft beiges, or gentle grays—then layer in botanical greens, earthy terracottas, and natural wood tones.

Don't be afraid of color, but keep it grounded in nature. Think sage green rather than neon lime, dusty rose rather than hot pink, warm ochre rather than bright yellow. These muted, earthy tones create a calming backdrop that lets your plants and botanical accents shine.

Bringing It All Together: Room by Room

Living Room: Large floor plants in corners, trailing pothos on shelves, botanical prints above the sofa, woven throw pillows, wooden coffee table with natural edge

Bedroom: Low-light plants like snake plants or pothos, dried lavender bundles, linen bedding in natural tones, wooden nightstands, soft ambient lighting

Kitchen: Herb garden on the windowsill, hanging plants above the sink, wooden cutting boards as decor, ceramic canisters, natural fiber dish towels

Bathroom: Humidity-loving ferns and tropical plants, eucalyptus in the shower, stone soap dishes, wooden bath accessories, soft green towels

Maintenance & Care

A botanical home requires some tending, but that's part of its beauty. The ritual of watering plants, pruning dead leaves, and rotating displays becomes a meditative practice—a way to slow down and connect with the living things in your space.

Start small if you're new to plant care. A few hardy, low-maintenance plants styled beautifully will always look better than a collection of struggling specimens. As you build confidence, expand your botanical family.

The Deeper Benefits

Beyond aesthetics, botanical styling offers profound benefits for your well-being. Plants purify air, increase humidity, and produce oxygen. Natural materials and earthy colors create calming environments that reduce stress. The act of caring for plants provides purpose and connection.

When you bring the outdoors in, you're not just decorating—you're creating a sanctuary that supports your health, happiness, and connection to the natural world.

Explore our Botanical Edit, Artisan Home Goods, and Modern Lighting collections for pieces that help you create your own nature-inspired sanctuary.