Life can be very stressful and the perfect antidote is usually to get out into nature more. While this is certainly good advice, we can take things a little further. Instead of just getting out into nature, we should bring nature into our home.

By surrounding ourselves with natural elements, we create a space that is meant for relaxation and it becomes much easier to destress. By all means, take that trip out to the mountains or the sea to get your fix, but for those times when you can’t get out, you should have your home set up as a little natural retreat as well.

In this article, I will go over several ways you can transform your house from ordinary to something out of nature that will be as inviting as can be.

1 - Use water and fire

The two elements that can create an atmosphere immediately are fire and water. When you incorporate these natural items in various forms into your house, you will completely transform it.

Adding a fireplace is an ideal way to add warmth in terms of temperature, but also in terms of ambience. A wall fireplace like one the ones you can see from the Soothing Company are ideal as they take up so little space. If you have more space then a traditional fireplace can be put anywhere. Even the center of the room if you like modern floating fireplaces.

The sound and sight of flames jumping about are irresistible and draw people around it. There is nothing more relaxing.

Well, one thing that does compete with fire for being the ultimate element for relaxation is water. The sound of running water soothes the soul and creates a natural atmosphere that is hard to beat. If you have even just a little space you can place a water fixture with rocks or wood and some water running over them for a very dramatic natural effect.

2 - Use lots of houseplants

Plants are an ideal way to make your house feel like you have brought nature inside. Plants are healthy to have in your house for your physical and mental well-being. For starters, they keep the air clean and add lots of rejuvenating oxygen which gives you more energy.

They also help you feel better when you are surrounded by green and natural plants. And taking care of them is also good for your mental health.

Look for plants that do well according to how much light your home receives. And make sure that you do actually take the time to water them and understand how they need to be cared for.

3 - Add raw materials

A very hot trend right now is to use raw materials for a rustic look. Not only will this be rustic, but it will also be natural and warm as far as the atmosphere it can create. Instead of just having a coffee table made of wood, have one made out of an entire tree stump.

Lighting fixtures made out of driftwood are both stylish and natural at the same time. The best part is that they are not even that difficult to make yourself if you are the DIY type that enjoys these types of projects.

Stone is also under-utilized in its raw form. You can place stones of all sizes around your home for use as decoration, but even a pedestal for your plants or other decor.

4 - Bring in natural light

To really feel like you are outside, you need to bring in light. Have lots of windows around and big ones at that. Make sure to trim any trees outside that will be blocking the light from entering your home.

A skylight such as Sunsquare roof lights in the living room is a wonderful way to add more natural light to your favorite room. Besides the light looking nice in the house, the big windows will draw your eyes outside. Any birds and other animals out in your yard can be observed which will make you feel closer to nature. And seeing the trees and flowers is also a huge benefit.

5 - Add natural art

Art for nature lovers is as simple as finding prints with lots of trees and even landscape paintings. You can even do one better and find a way to make some artwork out of actual plants and flowers by making lightboxes similar to the way botanists used to study the flora from a particular area.