Room tour: a room that makes you want to play

I've been extremely bored of interiors lately. It just seems as though white walls are the new black, modern hard wood seating is preferred over comfort and the same palm leaf wallpaper is everywhere. It's beautiful don't get me wrong. It's just that I have been craving something more. Thanks to Emily at the pink house blog, I finally found something fun and happy to sink my heart into. 

I'm not really a big pattern person and I don't really ever go too bold with colors but this room really has such a fun vibe to it, doesn't it? What really drew me in is the shade of blue on the walls and built ins. It is such a lovely, soft and serene color. Paired with kelly green, pretty pink and a dash of yellow, this room just has a happiness vibe. Totally good Feng Shui for a young family. When you think about growing kids, colors spark their creativity and sense of adventure so why not give them a room full of pulled together panache? It also serves as a great place for adults to spark the playfulness of their wild and free inner child. 

I really enjoy the office nook too. It's big enough to let your creative juices flow which is very important for all of us, especially when we are trying to live in bliss. 

What can you add to your home for some happy color? Here are a few ideas:

The benefits of decorating with natural elements

As much as I love a gorgeously glamorous home, there is another part of me that absolutely feels so called to beach living. Whenever I am around water, I feel like I am at church, it is something that feels very spiritual to me. As I was gathering inspiration for my baby boy's room, I came across this incredible kids room from the book, Surf Shack, Laid Back Living by the Water. It really spurred my connection to decorating with natural elements. There is something very calming about natural decor and it got me to thinking about creating the same sort of energy for my baby. 

Here is what I know about decorating with natural elements like wood in your home. 

• It is the chi (energy) of new beginnings and springtime
• If you are feeling stuck it is a great way to get you moving
• If you are a little lethargic it might be the element you need more of in your life
• If you live in a basement apartment you will need to lift the chi with wood
• If you want more growth and activity in your life, wood items will encourage those feelings
• It boosts vital and lively energy into your life

A few tips:

Vertical stripes represent the natural energy of growth and vibrancy

Wood fosters personal growth and increases intuition, so books and magazines are a great representation as well. 

Too much of The Wood Element can restrict your ability to make decisions, develop new ideas and experience lack of empathy for others so feel free to balance out the wood with metal. Think metallics like gold, silver, copper and even iron. 

If you don't really connect to the natural look in home decor, you may want to try and just create a small table altar and style it with wood elements and beautiful plants. That works just as well as a whole room makeover. Sea shells are fun to work with too, I love finding them at antique fairs and boutiques. 

Get yourself some natural elements here: