Nature Inspired

Bringing the outdoors in has been a growing trend over the past two years as we recreate our homes as relaxing and working spaces, writes Norah Casey.

Biophillia design, which was on-trend, during the pandemic has evolved into nature inspired design, in what we wear and where we live. Blending the beauty of the landscape, wildlife and botanicals has evolved to a whole new level, reflected in print, shapes (round and curvy) to textiles and textures.

I discovered a brilliant Irish designer a few years ago, Sahsa Sykes, whose work brings all manner of things from the outside in. She creates hedgerows in Perspex for room screens, a bale of hay encased in a see-through rectangular table and cubes of scattered lavender. For me she made some very special pieces. A table embedded with the white roses used in my wedding bouquet, bright magenta and red peonies encased in an orange Chinese liquor cabinet, rose petals cascading down the sides of a console table and some big blowsy purple hydrangeas in bedside tables. They are the most joyful pieces in my home, beautiful to gaze upon.

Here are some of my favourite nature inspired selections to update your living space and you can find Sasha’s work at sashasykes.com.

2.SONYA WINNER RUG STUDIO Tree Trunk Silk Rug POA, visit sonyawinner.com 3.MICUCCI INTERIORS Ceramic Ladybugs & Ceramic Praying Mantis €252.27, visit micucci.co.uk 4.MINDTHEGAP Tropical Cottage Fabric Swatch €130.94, visit mindtheg.com 5.MOUNTAIN & MOLEHILL Parliament of Owls Lampshade €78.08, visit mountainandmolehill.com 6.MICUCCI INTERIORS Seahorse 12 Piece Dinner Set €432.47, visit micucci.co.uk

7.SOPHIE ALLPORT Bees Teal Napkins Set Of 4 €21.02; Bees Teal Table Runner €33.64, visit sophieallport.com 8.ANNABEL JAMES Flora and Fauna Jug €22.76, visit annabeljames.co.uk 9.LIME LACE Stag Silk Twill and Velvet Cushion €108.12, visit limelace.co.uk 10..HOMESENSE Duck Door Stop, £7.99, visit Homesense 11. PENNEYS Multicoloured 3 Tiered Cake Stand €20 visit Penneys 12.TK MAXX White Koi Pattern Deck Chair €24.99 visit TK Maxx

Fashion

1.The White Company Horizontal-Stripe Zip-Through Hoodie With Cashmere €128, visit thewhitecompany.com 2.M&S Collection Linen Blend Knee Length Shift Dress €37, visit marksandspencer.ie 3.Jessica Wilde Atlas Moth Luxury Silk Scarf €167, visit jessicawilde.co.uk 4.Peony & Butterfly Kimono Robe €160, visit kimandono.com 5.Mint Velvet Eda Silver Leather Sliders €119, visit mintvelvet.co.uk 6.Jaeger Leaf Print V-Neck Mini Shift Dress €170, visit marksandspencer.ie 7.Joules Golightly Printed Waterproof Packaway Jacket €59.95, visit kilkennyshop.com 8.Veja V-10 Cwl White Orange Fluo Butter Sole €140, visit veja-store.com 9.Loewe Small Leather-Trimmed Woven Raffia Tote €380, visit net-a-porter.com

10.Rectangular Straw Bag €69, visit arket.com 11.New Look Off White Bee Floral Canvas Bag €6.99, visit newlook.com 12. Kate & Pippa Luca Shirt Dress €79.99, visit nicolaross.ie 13. Lucy Nagle The Cashmere Bed Socks In Northern Light €45, visit lucynagle.com 14.Oliver Bonas Floral Secret Garden Print Pyjama Set €78, visit oliverbonas.com 15.Lavani Jewels Green Leaf Earring €84.50, visit lavanijewels.com 16.Oasis Lace Trim Eastern Floral Blouse €66, visit oasisfashion.com 17. R&O Amber Baltic Leaf Multiple Colour Pendant Necklace In Sterling Silver €155, visit rubyandoscar.com 18.GeoCube Bracelet Light Amethyst and Haematite Lilac €89, visit coeur-de-lion.com

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