How to bring the great outdoors into your Gold Coast apartment

With 2.2 million people across Australia living in apartments, and much of the Gold Coast's property being of the strata variety, many residents don't have an outdoor space to call their own. Gardens and green space are associated with peace and serenity, so it's no wonder we want to bring it indoors. It's not just your well-being that benefits either. Some house plants are associated with reducing CO2 and absorbing chemicals and toxins from the air.  

Here are some easy ways to bring the outdoors into your home, without a total redesign or the budget to match.

Indoor herb gardens

What better way to bring some green into your living space than to invest in something you can also use to liven up your dinner? Indoor herb gardens have exploded over recent years and there are tons of ways to fit one into your kitchen area. If space is extra tight, try hanging planters from the ceiling, or affixing them to walls or cupboards. For a fashionable look, find some vintage glass jars or mini watering cans to grow your herbs in. Other options include window sill plant boxes, or holders specifically designed to house multiple herbs, available from various garden stores. 

As well as plants you can eat, get some fragrant flowers that will give your senses a little shot of nature every time you walk past. You can extend this idea to scented candles and natural oils too. Use a diffuser or oil burner to really get the fragrance circulating around the whole apartment. 

Plants that like the indoors

Most people have a plant or two dotted around their home, but if you're missing the great outdoors, why not add more than a couple to your apartment? There's no reason not to buy a few extra, with studies showing that just seeing the colour green can contribute to calming stress levels, say the Telegraph. Try out different plants with a range of colours, leaves and heights to add some variety to your home. Spread them around, or group a few together to make a calming green corner.

Remember to check before buying how often your plants need watering, and what they like in terms of sunlight so you can keep them happy going forward. Dead plants will not have the desired effect! If you don't think you're particularly green-fingered, find something with minimal care required.

Accessorise with natural colours and prints

For things you can't actually bring into your apartment, find a way to represent them instead. If you'd like to create your own forest, try some tree-based artwork instead, or find a cushion with a leafy pattern. Perhaps you have a photo you've taken yourself that could be printed onto a canvas?

Emulate the seaside with some shells and pebbles, that you can pick up next time you head to the beach. Even a few pebbles in a jar or plant pot can add that little bit more nature to your home.

Also try focusing your decor on natural colours and materials. Start with buying furniture made from wood or other natural materials, and avoid plastics and other synthetics. When picking a colour scheme, consider incorporating shades that reflect the great outdoors when picking up rugs or throws; green for forests, blue for the sea or sky, and grey for stone.  

It's easy to get your nature fix, see what you can find to add to your apartment.

To talk about your next Gold Coast apartment, and what kind of property we have available right now, contact Ray White Surfers Paradise today for a friendly discussion.