Interior trend: botanical beauty

Photo: Marks & Spencer

Photo: Marks & Spencer

Bring the outside in this spring by embracing this year’s trend for botanical interiors. With natural colours and textures paired with plenty of greenery (either real or fake… we won’t tell!), this trend makes rooms feel bright and airy. Here’s our tips for adding some botanical beauty to your home, as well as our pick of the best home accessories to complete the look.

Shades of green

It wouldn’t be a botanical look without plenty of green - but that doesn’t mean you have to rush out and repaint your entire house. Instead, work with a green colour palette against a neutral background and add in various shades of the emerald hue.

Perhaps it’s time for a new sofa in a deep forest green tone? Add in a sage herringbone blanket, green velvet cushions and some coloured glass vases on the coffee table. Or if it’s the kitchen that’s in need of a makeover, give the cabinets a lick of green paint and keep the floors and counters as they are.

Botanical prints

One of the easiest ways to add some botanical beauty to your home is with prints - and we’re not just talking about the ones that go in a frame. Printed curtains, cushions, bedding and other textiles can look stunning as part of a botanical-themed interior.

If you’re a fan of the maximalist trend, go for lots of bright, clashing floral and leaf patterns for a jungle-inspired look. Want to keep things a bit more simple? Choose one statement print (we love banana leaf designs) and focus on a single area in the room.

Real plants

No botanical interior would be complete without some real plants. Take some time to research what kind of plants would be best for you and your home - how much sunlight do you get, how often are you able to water them, how much space for growth do you have? Large plants like butterfly palms can add height and interest to blank walls, while smaller ones like ferns and peace lilies are perfect for decorating fireplaces and shelves.

If you’re really not the green-fingered type, invest in some good quality fakes and no one will know the difference. Perfect for rooms with little or no natural light (or people with a knack for killing even the hardiest of plants…), some faux greenery will add life to your home.

Natural textures

We think botanical accents work best alongside lots of natural colours and textures. Think real wood, rattan chairs, linen cushions, faux sheepskin throws, jute rugs…

As botanical prints and accessories can look quite busy, it’s best to keep the rest of the room pared back with neutral colours like whites, creams, pale greys and fawns.