Home tour: Designing around nature (part 1)
When TREE was invited to design a show flat for Kerry Property’s Dragon’s Range
We’ll be doing a series of posts showcasing the style and the thought process behind each room. Even if you live in the concrete jungle, you can take inspiration from this flowing yet simple design to bring a little nature into your own home.
In part 1, we’ll be touring the open plan living and dining room:
To create the feel of the space, we filled our moodboard with light hues and lots of neutrals to give a sense of airiness that matches its peaceful outdoor surroundings. The wood flooring was an important factor and, to enhance that airy feeling, we opted for sustainably sourced oak wood furniture with similar lovely, light tones.
TOP TIP: When selecting furniture for your home, always consider the flooring – it is literally the foundation on which everything else is built. If you have dark wood floors, for instance, consider furniture pieces in darker toned wood - like walnut - to complement, not clash!
Featured:Lean L-shaped sofa | Shadow TV cabinet | Naomi coffee table
For the living room, we balanced the light oak furniture with a chic but comfy sofa in a neutral dark grey, then anchored it with a beautifully patterned rug – a few shades lighter than the sofa to create a naturally luxurious feel.
A large wall mirror was added to reflect the mountainside greenery into the space, and the look was completed by adding a beautiful orchid and nature-inspired accessories – instantly connecting the room to the scenery just outside the window.
TOP TIP: To create a sense of balance and natural flow, consider layering different variations of one colour. For Dragon’s Range we opted for shades of grey – a darker tone for the sofa and lighter hue for the rug which connected with the silvery shade of the window blinds. This trick will bring a space together and help to create a harmonious feel.
Featured: Solid oak table | Marilyn fabric chairs | Mr. Marius glass cupboard | Frame console table
To create an elegant experience in the dining room, we kept a clean palette with lots of light oak and tasteful, beige-coloured fabric chairs, to break up the all-wood look.
A classic dining room design like this one is wonderfully versatile. You can easily layer on favourite accessories or seasonal tableware, or keep it clean for a refined, pared-down look that never goes out of style.
The narrow console table was added as a beautiful yet practical piece, handy for any occasion – be it for use as a bar or buffet for entertaining or as an everyday catch-all for keys and essentials.
We completed the dining space with lots of plants, succulents and patterned oriental ceramics – the perfect finishing touches for bringing a touch of nature, and a pop of botanical colour, into the home.
TOP TIP: When you want to create an airy feel, choose storage solutions that don’t weigh down your room – cupboards and showcases with glass doors are a great choice for creating an open look and reflecting light around the room.
Love what you saw? Stay tuned for more design tips from our Dragon’s Range series next week!