Being surrounded by nature is always a healing experience, but unfortunately, in modern life, people have become increasingly disconnected from it. The good news is that you can bring natural elements into your home, creating a space that feels rejuvenating and calming, and the kitchen design is a great place to start. With some simple yet impactful touches, such as incorporating houseplants or rustic wooden elements, you can create a peaceful sanctuary that will bring the whole family together. Below we delve into the realm of nature-inspired kitchen design, so keep reading.
Go for an open-plan style
If you want your kitchen to resemble the outdoors, consider creating an open-plan style, preventing the space from looking cluttered and dark. This should be a priority, especially if you have an enclosed kitchen that lacks a window through which natural light can enter. In an open-plan kitchen, the atmosphere becomes brighter, airier, and more inviting, and you don’t have to rely so much on artificial lighting throughout the day.
The added benefit is that an open-plan kitchen provides limitless design possibilities. It gives you the flexibility to create a visually appealing and cohesive space by coordinating materials, colours, and textures across the kitchen and the living and dining areas. This approach will make the space look more put-together and spacious.
Choose a nature-inspired colour scheme
Did you know that colours can have an impact on your mood? This means you should pay a lot of attention to the colour scheme you choose for your kitchen design so that you can create the ambience you desire. For instance, when establishing a connection to nature, it makes sense to opt for hues that provide a sense of being grounded. Warm wood tones are a good option, especially lighting-stained wood that allows the wood’s natural grains to show through.
But of course, there are other nature-inspired colours you can opt for. For instance, green kitchens always seamlessly showcase the connection with nature while also providing a calming ambience. Other hues that work when looking for a nature-inspired colour scheme are sunny yellow and ocean blue.
Incorporate natural materials
The materials you choose to include in the kitchen design will influence its look and feel, so you should ensure they define the style you want to showcase, provide the durability necessary in a busy room, and create a space that feels comfy and inviting. Since your goal here is to bring nature in, you should opt for natural materials, such as quality wood cabinetry and stone surfaces.
These materials will provide effortless beauty to the space's design, and their uniqueness will create a one-of-a-kind appearance that will attract guests’ attention as soon as they enter the kitchen. Besides, natural materials are often durable and high-quality, which means that this investment will definitely pay off in the long run.
Add greenery
When it comes to bringing nature into the kitchen, the most obvious and simplest way to do this is to add plants. The number of benefits they provide is endless, as they help purify the air, and add a nice scent to your house, and some of them even have medicinal value, providing an additional benefit.
When choosing plants, you should consider your personal preferences as well as your lifestyle. For instance, if you are a regular traveller, it makes sense to opt for varieties that require little maintenance because, otherwise, they will die. Suppose you have a spacious, open-plan kitchen; don’t hesitate to opt for a larger plant or to hang multiple plants near the window – just be sure not to add too many because they could overwhelm the space and make it look cluttered. If you want to take things one step further, consider creating a living wall in your kitchen – this is a stunning feature that will enhance the aesthetics of the space, and if you use fresh herbs, you can use them whenever needed!
Maximise natural light
Perhaps your kitchen layout has a few constraints, but this doesn’t mean you can’t induce a calming effect in the space. By leveraging the benefits of natural lighting, you can brighten up the kitchen organically, enhancing the colours in the space – and the best part is that this is one of the cheapest ways to incorporate natural elements into your kitchen. If sunlight enters your kitchen throughout the day, this will ensure that you will spend the entire day bathed in natural light, soaking up the much-needed Vitamin D.
Some ways to invite daylight into your kitchen are to choose wood blinds and light curtains, which will allow natural light to bounce from reflective surfaces and make the kitchen feel bigger and brighter at the same time. Also, large, frameless windows can be a good option because they will fill the kitchen with natural light, and if you have an outdoor yard, they will also provide an amazing view of it.
Enjoying the benefits of nature straight from your home
Nature, as you probably know, has soothing effects on both your mental and physical state, and the good news is that you don’t need to take a walk in the forest or go hiking to enjoy all the benefits it has to offer! Keeping nature closer is easier than you imagine – all you have to do is add elements into your home that replicate the same patterns, textures and rhythms as the outdoors.
And since your kitchen is the heart of the home, where you spend time cooking, relaxing over a glass of wine during the evening, or dining with loved ones while making memories, it makes sense to incorporate natural elements here. And you can do that in some simple steps, like adding large windows that let natural light get in, incorporating textures and natural materials, and selecting a nature-inspired colour scheme.
The result? You will create a space that enables you to feel more connected with nature, and where you can find comfort and spend valuable time with family and friends. So, are you ready to embark on this fascinating journey of creating a stunning kitchen design that will enhance your home life?