When it comes to Interior Design, less is more beautiful and more relaxing. Objects that truly make you happy can stand out more when they have space to breathe.
Edesign and “Unveiling Time ” Energy art by Mary Ann Benoit of Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
Is your home not resonating with the peace and beauty you crave? Does the term “sanctuary” seem like a distant dream when you think of your living space?
With clutter strewn around and an outdated decor, the daunting task of choosing the right color palette, arranging furniture, or selecting the perfect art piece can feel like an insurmountable challenge. Often, amidst our busy lives, we wonder, “Who has the time to tackle all this?”
Yet, investing that time is essential for your mental tranquility and overall well-being.
Amid the chaos of life, it’s easy for our homes to reflect the whirlwind of our daily routines. Before we realize it, we’re surrounded by dated decor and a mismatch of styles, especially if living with a partner who might not share the same aesthetic vision.
Sometimes, we don’t need new things to create a big change. Just by rearranging what we already have, we can make a significant impact.
I realized this when I decided to replace my carpet with laminate flooring. This meant taking everything out of each room, replacing the flooring, and then putting everything back. It was an eye-opening experience.
One lesson I learned was that I had a lot of stuff that didn’t bring me joy or that I didn’t really need. Moving everything made me realize how little happiness some items were bringing into my life.
Before, I was used to a cluttered look, thinking “more is more.” But as I slowly put things back after the flooring change, I started to rearrange them. I began to appreciate the beauty of having fewer things around – it felt calming. I noticed how objects that truly made me happy stood out more when they had space to breathe.
I realized “less is more beautiful”.
When updating your space, stay open to new ideas. Sometimes, the unexpected choices delight us the most.
Start by decluttering and removing items that don’t bring joy. This creates room and clarity.
Consider emptying a room and reintroducing key items in fresh arrangements. Rotate accessories seasonally for a refreshed look.
If pressed for time, consider hiring a professional. They can quickly navigate through chaos to craft a harmonious setting for you.
Ready to Create the Perfect Space?
My philosophy of great Interior Design, which I call Aligned Design, considers three key factors which are art (creativity), science (color), and energy (connection). The intersection of the three is where the magic happens.
Examples may contain affiliate links, meaning I may get a small commission for sharing them with you if you buy something, at no additional cost to you.
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Feel Connected and Relaxed When You Surround Yourself With the Beauty of Nature
One of my favorite reasons is that Global style design is great at bringing the outside in to your designs, to help you feel connected and relaxed by surrounding yourself with the beauty of nature.
What is Global Style?
Global style tells the story of your life and adventures with things you have collected in your travels and local adventures. Highlighting unique, colorful, and beautiful art and crafts is a wonderful way to create your perfect space.
Each piece tells part of your story while creating a rich tapestry of color, texture, art, and history. And you get the added benefit of supporting local and international artists and their communities.
How Global Style Brings the Outside In
Global styles are very connected to their natural environments. They often take their color palettes and design elements from the landscape, plants, and animals of the area.
Art, accessories, and rugs highlight colors and motifs based on natural and unique features of the culture.
This has the effect of creating the feeling o bringing the outside in, or making your interior space feel connected to the outdoors.
For example, I wrote a series of articles showing how the colors and patterns of different global styles were related to their culture and landscapes.
Here are a few examples. They contain affiliate links which means I may make a small commission for sharing with you at no additional cost to you.
Indian Style
Indian style design creates inviting, informal, relaxed spaces filled with bright colored hand spun fabrics with paisley patterns, floor cushions around colorful rugs, intricate mandala motifs and nature-inspired themes with flowers, birds, animals
Indian Style Living Room- Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
See an example of the natural landscape that inspired the design and some of the design elements I used below.
Mexican Style
Mexican interiors are full of color, are welcoming, warm and there is often a sense of playfulness and whimsy. A mix of colorful, exotic Spanish and Indian handcrafted items and practical things add old-world charm. The colors are bright. Red is common and Yellow is also used heavily in shades ranging from bright lemon yellow to deep earthy golds. Terracotta is common. Blues are commonly used in art and accessories.
Mexican Style Living Room- Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
See the landscape that inspired the design and some of the design elements I used below.
Moroccan Style
Moroccan homes use bright colors, such as red, blue, orange, turquoise, pale ocean blues and green mixed with gold.
Moroccan Style Living Room- Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
See the art of the landscape that inspired the design and some of the design elements I used below.
Turkish Style
Turkish style is warm and inviting, earthy and exotic. There is an abundance of warm earth tones with pops of beautiful color. The colors and textures of the land have inspired much of the art, colors, and culture.
Turkish Style Living Room- Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
See how the colors in the landscape inspired the design and some of the design elements I used below.
Greek Style
Greek Interior Design is simple and elegant, inspired by nature, and looks light, bright, airy, and clean. Imagine lots of white with beautiful vivid blue, green, fuchsia, and gold accents, and a clean, de-cluttered, rustic look,
See how the colors in the landscape inspired the design and some of the design elements I used below.
Colors of Greece by Dimitris-Kiriakakis on unsplash
Bohemian Style
Bohemian style tends to be more general, selecting elements from many places and mixing and matching them into one glorious, colorful but harmonious whole. In other words, make it your own!
Bohemian style celebrates warm earthy colors, metals and jewel tones. Bohemian decor often uses deep browns, greens, grays or other neutral colors for base colors, then accessorizes with saturated purple, fiery orange, and electric blue and other jewel tones
Here are some examples of pieces I used for this design. Elements of the outdoors are incorporated in my fractal art inspired by bioluminescence in the ocean, pillows with plant motifs, bird accessories, lotus plant light fixture, and more. Learn more about this design in my article, Get the Look- Global Style- Bohemian.
What Story Does Your Landscape Tell?
Look around. What are the colors, shapes and inspiring things about your landscape that you can connect to your indoor spaces?
What are the main things you see from the windows into your main living areas?
Consider your surroundings. Do you live in the mountains, a forest, on the ocean or in a city?
What is your view?
What are the prominent colors and how do they change with the seasons?
Some of my Landscape Stories
Here are some of the colors, shapes, and inspiration from my landscape here in Seward Alaska that shape what I try to bring indoors into my space and my designs.
View from my window.
The colors of summer, with lots of beautiful fireweed.
How Can You Bring the Outside In?
It is easy to get started by picking art or accessories that have nature-inspired designs. Look for things that reflect the area you live in or a place you love to go. Maybe you are inspired by the scenery, water, plants or animals. You can also use your selection as an inspiration piece to build your color palette.
Art and Accessories Inspired by Water
Live near water? Here are some pieces of art inspired by the ocean or other water bodies you might like. Try a watery color scheme of greens and blues.
Art and Accesories Inspired by Plants
Live near a forest or have trees and shrubs in your yard? Try lighting, art, or accessories based on plant motifs.
Art and Accessories Inspired by Animals
Abstract Art Inspored by Nature
Before I became a designer, I was a wildlife biologist in Alaska for 20 years and 10 years before that in Arizona. I was always fascinated by the beauty of nature, the colors, the patterns of the landscapes, plants, and animals. Whether it was the amazing patterns I could see of the section of a plant under a microscope to the big picture view of doing wildlife surveys in a plane, those experiences influence the fractal art I create today. It is all related to nature in some way. Check out some of my fractal art below and visit my stores on Society 6 and Vida to see more.
Why Connecting with Nature Matters
As humans, we want to be connected with nature and other living things such as people, animals and plants. This longing for “connection” with other life forms is called “biophilia”.
As humans, we have always been connected to nature, for survival, sustenance, spiritual renewal, and inspiration. Mother nature is the best designer there is, with her endless abundance of beautiful color palettes, shapes, patterns, and textures. Spending time in nature is good for our health and wellbeing.
Look at your surroundings and find the colors and inspiration from the outdoors that it meaningful to you, and bring some into your space.
Ready to Connect to Nature in Your Home?
My philosophy of great Interior Design, which I call Aligned Design, considers three key factors which are art (creativity), science (color), and energy (connection). The intersection of the three is where the magic happens.
Connecting to nature and biophilia is part of the energy of great design.
Start with an Aligned Design consultation to create a plan to create your perfect space.
Examples may contain affiliate links, meaning I may get a small commission for sharing them with you if you buy something, at no additional cost to you.
Celebrate Unique Art and Artisans while Telling Your Story with Global Style Design
One of my favorite reasons is that Global style design celebrates unique art and the artists that create it while telling your story.
Tell Your Story
Global style tells the story of your life and adventures with things you have collected in your travels and local adventures. Highlighting unique, colorful, and beautiful art and crafts is a wonderful way to create your perfect space.
Each piece tells part of your story while creating a rich tapestry of color, texture, art, and history. And you get the added benefit of supporting local and international artists and their communities.
Show the World What Moves You
Art is very personal. The art you select to show the world reflects who you are and what moves you.
If nature is what inspires you, select art that brings the outside in and represents nature in its theme or materials. Consider purchasing eco-friendly art that will be healthy in your home.
For example, in the Edesign I did for this Bohemian style living room I was inspired by nature and used art to inspire the design. I created my own fractal art called Bioluminescence which was inspired by the beauty of that in the ocean. The pillows have nature-inspired prints and colors. The decor on the table highlights plants and birds. Here are some of those products to get the look in your own home. These and others below contain affiliate links, meaning I receive a small commission for sharing if your purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Bohemian Style Living Room Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
Buy Handmade
Global style art is often handmade by local craftspeople in areas that you travel to. These items are beautiful and tell a great story not only about your travels but about the artists who created them.
Buy Eco-Friendly Art
Global style art is often eco-friendly and made from natural and sustainable materials. So buy art you love, it’s good for you!
Global Style Living Room by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design
Support Artists
The artists you select to support by purchasing their work make a statement about who you are as well. Do you support local artists rather than buying art from a big box store? Do you purchase from local artists while traveling to support those communities? Every community usually has some extremely talented artists inspired by the place they live.
“Mystery” Fractal Art by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design Deep Purple Fractal Art by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design. Modern Global Style Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
Ready to Celebrate Art in Your Home?
My philosophy of great Interior Design, which I call Aligned Design, considers three key factors which are art (creativity), science (color), and energy (connection). The intersection of the three is where the magic happens.
Beautiful art is part of the art of great design.
Start with an Aligned Design consultation to create a plan to create your perfect space.
Examples may contain affiliate links, meaning I may get a small commission for sharing them with you if you buy something, at no additional cost to you.
