Ecosystems as Interior Design - Creating An Indoor Desertscape

As someone who takes a holistic approach to interior design, I glean a lot of inspiration from the natural world. The happy feelings that various landscapes and ecosystems imbue us with can be brought inside our homes in a sophisticated way making for really interesting interior design that promotoes well-being. 

The desert offers endless inspiration - such a distinct color palette and mood - so if you want to mimic that desert feeling inside your home, here are a few essential guidelines to keep in mind. 

Designing That Desert Mood Into Your Home - A Few Guidelines:

Flora

Succulents are the name of the game when creating an indoor desertscape. 

But not just all succulents - try to keep a specific color combination in mind, rather than just including any and all plants. 

Choose your pots or displays deliberately, favoring sandy light hues for the green or blue of the plant foliage to contrast with. 

Blossoms in the desert are a rare occurrence, so flowers might throw off the vibe of a desert design. 

Colors

The colour palette you want to go for is sand, sky, and plant - all equal participants in the desert mood. 

Take a trip to the desert or look online for photo inspiration. 

Make sure to be mindful of these colors in all decor of the room - from furniture to rugs to wall hangings. 

Here is a little color palette inspiration for you:

Scent

Go all out for a total sensory experience by bringing the aroma of the desert into your space. 

The quintessential scent of the desert is - without a doubt - sage. Sometimes juniper 

Use sage bundles to bless your space and fill it with the incense of the desert, or grow sage in pots around the room. 

Decrease Moisture

It's no secret that the desert is a very dry place. Many people feel this dry air has a healing effect on them - sometimes helping with allergies and breathing problems. The dryness infuses a clarity into the mind. A sharpness. 

Try this out in your own home by running a dehumidifier. See how it makes you feel. Often, our modern sealed homes retain too much moisture leading to mold and mildew problems. 

An added benefit is that your succulents will love this dry air - it'll feel like home to them. 

minimalism

The desert is relatively void of life, giving it an expansive and empty feeling in a lot of ways. 

A way to capture this feeling is to revert to minimalism in your space. Not the stark industrial form of minimalism, just a simple decluttering. 

You'll be amazed how removing clutter, paired with light sandy desert tones will make your space feel. So light, airy, and clear. 

Furniture

When it comes to what you do fill your space with, be mindful of the above points. 

A white couch with a tan colored throw, or vice versa. 

Stick to wooden furniture, in light tones that go with the desert ambience. Look for clean, straight lines. A perfect example are the Zion End Tables inspired by Utah's red rock country. 

If all else fails, hire an interior designer to create the space for you

Our spaces matter so much. We're with them every day, in relationship, being impacted for better or for worse. 

Hiring an interior designer to set up your space professionally is an investment with lasting daily benefits. 

Feel free to reach out if you'd like to schedule a consultation with us. Just click here to do so.