It is widely reported that spending time outdoors is good for your health. The sky, water, trees and other outdoor aspects make us feel refreshed and calm. A common question for a modern city centre dweller is how to bring those outdoor elements into your home? Read on for our top tips:

Greenery

Houseplants have made a real comeback in recent years, as more and more of us are opting to decorate with greenery. Houseplants are a great way to fill an empty space in your apartment and bring life into a room. The benefits of houseplants go much further than aesthetic, as they bring oxygen into a room helping to refresh the air, they can also remove pollutants. Spider Plants and Dragon Trees are great for this as they rapidly remove formaldehyde from the air. Ivy Plants are also great for purifying the air and look great hung from a high shelf.

Manchester city centre has loads of great plant shops, a few notable ones are Flourish , Glasshouse and Northern Flower.

Add texture to the floor

A rug is a great way to add a little personality to your apartment. At Manchester Apartments, all of our developments feature sustainable underfloor hearing and Amtico Flooring. We choose natural tones and textures that are versatile and compliment a variety of styles. If you’re looking for a rug that will bring an earthy element to your space, look for a jute, sisal or wool rug. The natural weave of these rugs not only look great but are made from natural materials, meaning you are shopping sustainably and adding texture and style to your space.

Rugs Direct and John Lewis have a great selection of natural fibre rugs.

Accessorise

Accessories are another great way to bring the outdoors into your apartment. A lot of boho-style home accessories are good at bringing in textures and patterns that resonate with the outdoors such as straw and rattan. Woven baskets, cushions and blankets are great examples of inexpensive ways to add a natural element to your apartment.

Local to Manchester? A few of our favourite places to head to are Homesense, Sostrene Grene, Form Lifestyle Store and OKLAHOMA. If you’re an online browser (aren’t we all?) the best of browsing is at Bohemia, Rose and Grey (who also have a showroom in Altringham, 20 minutes from Manchester city centre) as well as Etsy.

Mind your candles

Candles are relaxing, cast a warm glow and can add scent to your room. Be mindful of the candles you’re burning as some contain paraffin wax which contain harsh chemicals that are released when you light them. Choose Soy candles as they last longer and are more natural. If you want to add a fresh smell, look at clean-scented candles like linen, freshly fallen rain and pine, to name just a few.

Unsure where to find a soy candle? Etsy stock a huge range of home-made soy candles.

We hope this guide has given you some inspiration to bring the outside in and how to make the most of natural design whilst living in the city centre.

If you’re looking for a high-spec city centre apartment to call your own, get in touch with our team today and we’ll help you find the perfect apartment to call home.