Refresh Your Home With Nature-inspired Pieces

Adding new accent pieces—truly the jewellery of any room—is an easy and economical way to update your space

The imminent arrival of spring might inspire us to do a bit of a clear out and clean up of our spaces, but it also puts us in the mindset of freshening up from a decor perspective.

“The latest aesthetic trend for interiors, for both furniture and accessories, is inspired by nature, and is found in the type of materials, finishes and colours being used to create the products,” says Sebastien Fauteux, general merchandise manager and creative director for Vancouver-based Urban Barn.

Greens and blues are the dominant grounded-in-nature colours. “Well, there’s nothing more inspired by nature than greens and blues,” Fauteux observes.

“They’re saturated colours but they have a softer layer to them, almost like a dusty tone to the greens and the blues,” he says. “Even the terra cotta colours or the wine or port colours, they’re softer colours.”Urban BarnThe soft colours are amplified with texture coming from the way fabrics are crafted. “It’s textural in the accent pieces: all the throws, cushions and bedding as well,” he notes. “We see a lot of texture being introduced.”

Juxtaposing those greens and blues are softer natural and neutral hues like creams, ivories, sand, beige and taupe. Fauteux points to Urban Barn’s recently launched Aly Velji collaboration as an example of a contemporary interpretation of combining those nature-inspired hues.

“The rug, with the matching cushion, is a good example. There’s kind of a terra cotta/cinnamon colour with the green but it’s very organic as well,” he explains.Urban BarnHe adds that introducing contrasting tones of black and cream accents complement the dustier colorations in textiles for cushions and throws. Even wood tones, though more dominant in furniture than accessories, also reflect the trend of contrasting black and cream.

“What’s interesting about wood tones is that we’re seeing very, very dark wood tones, almost black or coal or anthracite colours of wood tones are really popular,” Fauteux says. “And the opposite is really popular as well. I think a bit more of the driftwood tones, the lighter colours but maybe with a sand or grey undertone. Those are the extremes that seem to be resonating.”

Often shifts in silhouettes or shapes in design for large furniture pieces are also reflected in accessories.

“Curves are what I’m really seeing,” Fauteux observes. “Curves in the shape of a product, in the shape of a coffee table or a dining table. The shape of a piece but also in the design detail of an edge of a dining table or a dresser. I’m seeing a lot of curves even to the upholstery pieces.”Urban BarnThat roundness translates to candles holders, vases and planters.

“For vases and planters, people want them to be almost an art object. To have a visual appeal without plants or flowers. It’s very sculptural.”

Fauteux says, over the last 18 months or so, Urban Barn has seen an increased demand for indoor planters and attributes that to people’s desire to bring nature into their homes.

“You might buy a condominium in a concrete tower and suddenly you realize, ‘Oh I need to warm this place. I need to introduce nature.’ So, even an urban dweller wants to bring a bit of nature into their space as well.”