Bringing the Outside In

If you love spending time outdoors in nature and feel at your most relaxed when you're surrounded by plants and greenery, you'll love the plantation style trend for decorating your home.

By using raw natural materials, a calming colour scheme, and keeping the whole feeling light and airy, you can create a laid-back, colonial style feeling in your own home that offers the perfect backdrop for relaxing and entertaining.

Plantation style living is all about blurring the boundaries between outside and inside and using plants and greenery to provide a fresh and vibrant atmosphere.

Wherever possible, physically open up your home to the outdoors with French doors, glass sliding doors, or large windows, and use your outdoor space as an extension of your living area.

House plants are also a major part of this look - the more the better. Large palms are particularly effective for creating that British Colonial-West Indies style. They can be used in every part of the house to create a focal point and decorative element.

Plants can be displayed in large decorative pots both outside and inside, but don't restrict yourself to placing plants on the floor. Smaller plants and cut flowers placed on tables and sideboards also add to the look. Hanging planters work well in small rooms where you may be short of floor space.

If you don't have green thumbs and find you often forget to water house plants, all is not lost. There are now some very convincing artificial plants available that provide the same effect without the fear that you'll kill them off.

Indoor greenery is really back in vogue at the moment, making plantation style a popular style trend that is likely to be popping up in more and more homes over the coming year.

Neutral and natural colours work well in a plantation style home - think cream and off-white with natural wood and rattan furnishings, enhanced by splashes of green provided by the plants.

A touch of blue can also work well - perhaps in cushion prints or Dutch blue and white porcelain decorative accents and planters.

Choose fabrics in natural materials such as cotton and linen. Opt for solid colours and plain designs or classic subtle patterns, rather than bold, modern prints.

Mixing textures and finishing styles also contributes to the look - try adding some cushions in different fabrics and a comfortable knitted throw blanket to a sofa or day bed. Contrasting bamboo blinds against white linen curtains is a cost-friendly and perfect window treatment for plantation styling.

Animal prints and furs are also in keeping with this style, and can be used for additional decorative accents as well as comfort.

Plantation style furniture is traditionally made from the natural materials of the countries where colonial homes were built - tropical hardwoods such as mahogany, teak, and rosewood, as well as bamboo, and rattan. Furnishings are normally left in their natural shades, or stained a dark brown.

As well as the indoor greenery, effective accessories in a plantation home include decorative ceramics, and artwork and mirrors framed with carved wooden frames. Adding some vintage decorative items such leather trunks also looks amazing in this style scheme and can be used for additional storage.

Get started and have some fun.