Decorate with elements of Virginia’s native environment.
Turk’s Cap Lily
Photo by Steven Katovich, USDA Forest Service / courtesy of Bugwood.org
Lush and green in the summer. Ablaze with color in the fall. Virginia’s natural environment is distinct and beautiful. Nature makes us happier, kinder, and less stressed out. You can bring all the benefits of the outdoors to the indoors by decorating with nature.
Create Indoor Gardens
The quickest and cheapest way to get started is to grow native plants inside. Virginia’s five distinct regions are each home to their own flora, but you'll find oak trees, Virginia creeper, and common wood sorrel throughout the state. Native flowers include Jack-in-the-pulpit, common wild ginger, deep pink wild bleeding heart, and Turk’s cap lily.
Fig trees and snake plants are easy to grow indoors and require very little maintenance. Ferns, blueberries, and the Eastern red columbine thrive here and make beautiful additions to an indoor garden or can serve as hanging plants. Moss is also an easy element to add to terrariums and indoor plant arrangements. At Christmas, incorporate the native holly into indoor gardens.
Go Natural from the Ground Up
Give your indoor space a nature-focused upgrade by installing wood or stone floors. The chestnut oak and the red oak are common all over the state, and work well for flooring, wall paneling, or cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom.
Granite is an igneous rock found in the Blue Ridge Mountains and a common building material. Granite tile floors will immediately bring a natural vibe to your place.
Use Nature as Art
Decorate your space with art depicting native landscaping and flora, and look for a painting showcasing Virginia’s gorgeous fall color when the oaks turn red and orange and gold.
Or, next time you’re exploring nature, capture the essence of the land as inspiration for your own artwork. Press native flowers between the pages of a book until they are dry, and then frame them and hang them on the wall. Rhododendrons, wild azalea, pink Virginia spring beauty, and purple passion flower are eye-catching natives. In the springtime, purple wisteria and honeysuckle bloom are beautiful additions.
Dried plants also make great arrangements and wreaths. Moss and ferns help anchor any dried plant arrangement, and oak or pine branches can be bent into a wreath and enjoyed long after the leaves have fallen.
