“Its appeal is perhaps symbolic of our desire for a simpler life and a need for a stronger connection with the natural world,” suggests Sarah Quilliam, head of product design for Hillarys, the window blinds specialist.
“When times get tough there’s a tendency to return to a more organic, holistic and nature-inspired feel in the home.”Annie Deakin, editor of online home shopping emporium mydeco.com, agrees: “Naturism – as in earthy tones, leafy prints and organic shapes – is a hot look for 2009.
“This year marks the bicentenary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the focus on nature has helped heighten the focus on textiles and home products which echo that theme.”
Deakin says it’s time to turn on to funky botanical wallpaper and fabrics for a bang-up-to-date take on bringing the ’outdoors in’.
Create your own enchanted forest on a feature wall with woodland print wallpaper, scatter nature-themed cushions like fallen leaves, or just have a bit of fun with tree or branch-shaped wall stickers.
If you’ve resisted the wallpaper revival so far, this could be the time to take the plunge, as these patterns and designs are easy on the eye and unlikely to overwhelm.
“Woodland patterns are huge this season,” says House Beautiful style editor Charlotte Boyd.
“Even if you don’t have a large garden, it’s possible to create a sense of the natural world in your home by using one of the new designs.”
She suggests adding a touch of woodland spirit to your walls with one of the new metallic tree motif papers, which are perfect for creating stunning feature walls.
If faking it with lookalike patterns isn’t your style, make it real with murals. The passion for retro has triggered a revival for photographic-style murals.
Groves of trees, fluttering leaves and fronded foliage are perfectly suited to a room that should be a tranquil sanctuary, says Ivy Rawson, designer for bed linen specialists Margaret Muir. Nature and leaves are the signature look for its new collection. “We believe there is nothing more beautiful than the delicate intricacies of a leaf to provide a stunning motif for bed linen,” Rawson says.
“A leaf suggests earthiness, purity and serenity which, in turn, exudes a feeling of tranquillity and peace – ideal for the bedroom.”
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