dimanche 13 octobre 2013

Using Natural Curiosities In Your Home

By Catalina Nielsen


Being in touch with nature has always been important to humans so the desire to bring natural curiosities into our homes is easily understood. In the past this was usually in the form of a few shells or some driftwood gathered on a beach but the options now are much wider. Today there are many beautiful items being sold that introduce an organic element into interiors.

Explorers from past centuries did not have cameras to record their discoveries. Instead they had to study and make meticulous drawings of flora and fauna. Many of these drawings still exist as they were engraved onto plates. These drawings are valued today and provide historical and design interest, especially in vintage inspired interiors so popular today.

Human beings have always had desire to collect items found in nature. It was from Renaissance times that wealthy men began filling cabinets and even whole rooms with these objects. Albertus Seba became very well known for his collection. He commissioned illustrations of every specimen he collected - from snakes, frogs, corals, shellfish to strange plants - and published these in catalogs.

Most people no longer relegate these curiosities to cabinets or single rooms. They are carefully displayed in many different rooms, from the living room to the bedroom. Single objects may be used to pull together a vignette adding the perfect organic touch. Objects may be displayed in groups too, such as displaying antlers and twisted branches together on a wall or placing a skull on top of a vintage suitcase with some old books.

A good way to bring nature into the home is through the use of prints. A single print of an octopus, alligator or turtle can create major design impact when enlarged. Botanical prints have always been popular and work well with the variety of natural materials like wood and stone being used in homes.

Prints work well in groups. Botanical prints grouped in identical mats and frames create a striking composition. Prints work particularly well together when the colors are from the same color palette. For example, different stones in greys, blues, whites and blacks make a pleasing display in a minimalistic, modern interior.

Some very unusual items are being sold that can instantly add intrigue to any interior. Items such as scans of seahorse skeletons and collages of moss are just some of these items. Bones and skulls are regarded by some as reminders of death and they do not want them in their homes. However, many others love their bleached white look and interesting shapes.

Natural curiosities provide a great deal of inspiration in the field of decor. Those who are selling these items are very creative in how they are choosing to display them. Feathers, butterflies, leaves and flowers are just some of the colorful items used in large, dramatic prints or grouped inside box frames. An internet search shows many of these items available for purchase at online interior decor stores.




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