Love technology but feeling a little disconnected from nature? According to an article in BBC News, some of us especially children might be experiencing “Nature Deficit Disorder”. Because of electronic lifestyles and living in urban or suburban environments, we are not spending enough time outdoors and feeling the sense of balance that contact with nature can bring. We seem to be relating to nature differently too. Conceptually, most of us are very conscious of the state of the planet. We think about the idea of global warming and recycling, but we don’t have a personal relationship with nature like we did in decades past. It doesn’t inform how we feel on a daily basis.
I believe that it is easier than you think to connect or reconnect to nature again. Focusing on home is the first step. Even if you live in the middle of a concrete jungle, think about bringing nature inside. To get the conversation started, here are some suggestions for filling your indoor spaces with natural beauty.
- Vineyard Wood: Winemaking can be traced back to the dawn of civilization. It was refined by the Greeks and Romans. Include a little bit of natural history in your home by adding a touch of vineyard wood to your vignettes. Each piece is one of a kind and neutral enough to complement any style from modern to transitional to traditional. Wonderful for adding texture and uniqueness to any kind of tabletop in a dining room, living room, or entry way. Use sandblasted pieces for best look.
- Palm Fronds: From rainforests to deserts, palm trees are found all over the world. Their branches or fronds traditionally symbolized victory and peace for many people. Cut some to accent a favorite vase at home. Stunning and sculptural. Their evergreen leaves will add a natural crispness to any design scheme.
- Geodes: They are nature’s version of a treasure chest. Once opened, quartz crystals, amethyst crystals, agate, chalcedony, or jasper banding might be waiting inside. Naturally spectacular for any home.
Recently, my husband and I went on a summer trip to California. Our first stop was Malibu. I always wanted to go. It was early one Saturday morning when we found ourselves wandering through the nestled neighborhood by the Pacific. Of all places, we started to see garage-sale signs. I was curious. We decided to stop at one of the sales. I am glad that we did. To my excitement, I found a small cache of beautiful leather belts. The homeowner told me that one of them was once sported by the actress, Alfre Woodard. Kind of a fun story that you would only hear in Malibu. Even though I didn’t need five belts, I bought them all. As I was making the purchase, I struck up a conversation with the owner. She told me that there was a really big garage sale at Our Lady of the Lake, a church in Malibu. Evidently, Martin Sheen had just dropped off some things there for the sale. I got caught up in the celebrity of it all and went straight to the church. The hunt was fun.