One of the top reasons why being outdoors is so relaxing and energizing is due to the effects of natural sunlight. Thankfully, you don’t need large, floor-to-ceiling windows to get the full benefits of natural sunlight in your home—you just need clean glass and the right window treatments. Dirty windows have a big impact on the quality of the light that enters your home, and taking the time to thoroughly clean them both inside and out can make the lighting more brilliant and intense. But in order to control the light, you’ll need the right blinds or shades. For maximum light control, you can’t go wrong with our Deluxe Light Filtering Double Cellular Shades with a top down bottom up option, which gives you the ultimate freedom over both natural lighting and privacy.

With granite, concrete, and steel dominating the look and feel of many modern homes and apartments, it’s easy to feel completely detached from nature in the industrial-like environments that these materials often create. That effect is even more pronounced when you don’t have easy or comfortable access to an outdoor space. To offset the ambiance created by these materials, hang nature-inspired artwork and choose furniture, accent pieces, and window treatments that use natural wood and contain natural textures and patterns. Our Cordless Bamboo Woven Wood Shades are among our newest window coverings, and they’re manufactured using all-natural materials and woven on hand-fed looms. Choose from six distinct natural wood stains and colors, including Aruba Camel, Key West Cocoa, and Waikiki Tortoise.

If you want to bring the outdoors inside, think of your favorite landscape paintings and look carefully at the colors the artist used. You’ll find plenty of shades of green, brown, blue, white, and tan. Using these earthy colors as a guide when purchasing new furniture and painting your living space is a great way to transform even the most “man-made” areas of your home into more natural environments. For an even greater effect, choose window coverings, bedding, and décor that incorporates these colors.

Smell is one of the most powerful senses, as a particular scent can immediately evoke strong memories and feelings associated with a particular time or place. That’s why bringing the smell of the outdoors inside your home is so effective when it comes to replicating the ambiance of your lawn, deck, or patio area. Candles with the scent of fresh grass, the ocean, or an evergreen forest are a great way to bring the outdoors inside, but when weather permits, you should also try opening your windows and letting the breeze carry outdoor smells indoors. Make sure to install screens on your windows to prevent insects and allergens from entering your home, especially if you plan on keeping your windows open for long periods of time.

You’ve created an indoor space that looks, smells, and feels like the outdoors—now it’s time to make it sound like you’re outside as well. Spas and massage clinics often use natural soundtracks or the sounds of soft rain and distant thunderstorms to create a feeling of relaxation, and using those sounds inside your home can create the same mood while also making you feel like you’re outside.

The biggest perk of enjoying time outdoors is enjoying the sights and smells of the natural life that surround you. And while you may not be able to convert your home into an actual greenhouse, you can enjoy many of the perks of your outdoor space by filling your home with plants. In addition to filling your home with life, color, and a natural fragrance, plants also help purify the air. Some of the best indoor-friendly plants to bring inside your home include ferns, peace lilies, succulents, yucca, and palms.

One of the easiest ways to bring your love of the outdoors inside is by adding nature-themed art or furniture. You could even make your own DIY nature art by collecting branches and pine cones from your yard. Raw edged wood tables and slabs have become increasingly popular over the past few years as rustics looks create warmth in the home.

If you have a small pond or creek near your home, you know how relaxing the sound of running water can be when you’re enjoying your outdoor space. If you’re not a fan of replicating the noise artificially via a stereo, you can get the same effect by purchasing a small fountain. These decorative pieces are relatively inexpensive and use a pump to recycle the water, creating the relaxing sound of running water that you love.