In this quick guide, we'll show you how to make your own wood sealant at home using two simple ingredients: olive oil and beeswax. This method is cost-effective and it also ensures that your wooden kitchenware stays fully sealed using a food-safe and natural sealant.
]]>In this quick guide, we'll show you how to make your own wood sealant at home using two simple ingredients: olive oil and beeswax*. This method is cost-effective and it also ensures that your wooden kitchenware stays fully sealed using a food-safe and natural sealant.
*If you want to use olive oil but you don't have any beeswax, you can still make a food-safe wood sealant with any of the 5 alternatives to beeswax listed below the step-by-step recipe.
What you will need:
How much wax and how much olive oil do I need?
For an average-sized cutting board, the amount of each ingredient needed will be about 80ml / 3 fluid ounces of olive oil and about 28 grams / 1 ounce of beeswax. If you're not exactly sure how much you will need, we'd suggest making slightly more than you think as you can always store the remainder for next time!
To melt the beeswax, use a double boiler or any regular cooking pot filled with water and a heatproof bowl (not plastic) on top. Simmer the water and stir gently until the beeswax is fully melted.
Once the beeswax is melted, remove it from the heat and slowly add in the olive oil while stirring the mixture continuously.
Mix the ingredients thoroughly until you have a smooth and well-blended golden liquid. Beeswax and olive oil will create a semi-solid paste when cooled down to room temperature, ideal for spreading onto wood.
Let your food-safe wood sealant cool down for a few minutes before transferring it into a glass or metal container with an air-tight-fitting lid. Make sure to allow the sealant to fully cool to room temperature before actually sealing the lid for storage.
If you want to use your wood sealant right away, let it reach room temperature and form a paste before using it (you can put it in the fridge to speed up the process if you’re getting impatient!)
This natural wood sealant can be used for all types of wooden kitchenware, homeware, decor and furniture. It is 100% food-safe and will typically provide sealed protection to the wood for 12-24 months, depending on the type of use the wooden piece gets.
If you don't have beeswax but still want to make a wood sealant using olive oil, there are a few alternative ingredients you can use to achieve a similar protective effect, and still be food-safe. Here are some options:
1. Carnauba Wax: Carnauba wax is a plant-based wax extracted from the leaves of the carnauba palm tree. It is harder and more durable than beeswax, making it an excellent substitute for wood sealants. Use the same ratio as in the original recipe, replacing beeswax with carnauba wax.
2. Candelilla Wax: Candelilla wax is another plant-based wax, sourced from the candelilla shrub. It has similar properties to beeswax and can be used as a substitute in the same ratio as beeswax.
3. Soy Wax: Soy wax is made from soybean oil and is commonly used in candle-making. While not as hard as beeswax, it can still provide some protection to the wood. You may need to adjust the ratio slightly, using a bit more soy wax than beeswax.
4. Paraffin Wax (food grade): Paraffin wax is a petroleum-based wax that is usually pretty readily available. It's not as eco-friendly as the other options, but it can work as a substitute in a pinch. Use the same ratio as in the original recipe, replacing beeswax with paraffin wax. Important note: Always make sure that you are using food-safe paraffin wax.
5. Coconut Oil: If you're looking for a completely plant-based option, you can use only olive oil as the wood sealant. While it won't create a solid paste like with beeswax, a combination of olive oil and coconut oil can still provide some protection and conditioning to the wood.
When using any of the above ingredients instead of beeswax, keep in mind that the wood sealant you make may have slightly different characteristics, such as texture, runniness and hardness. It's a good idea to test the sealant on a small area of the wood surface first to ensure you achieve the desired results.
Using wooden kitchenware such as cooking utensils, cutting boards and bowls & plates has many benefits. Saying this, wooden kitchenware also requires a little more maintenance than kitchenware made of plastic or metal.
Depending on the level of usage the wooden piece gets, and the type of wood it’s made from, the amount of maintenance will vary.
One of the most important parts of caring for wooden kitchenware is making sure the wood remains properly sealed. Well-sealed wood is more resistant to water and germs, as well as protecting it from getting cracked or warping. Keeping the wood sealed will also help it to hold on to its bright colouration for longer.
Hopefully, you learned something useful here today in this step-by-step guide.If you are looking for some more tips and tricks for wooden kitchenware, check out our list of related guides below.
Your environment and surroundings have a huge impact on your mood and productivity - this is why it can often be confusing or conflicting to do tasks that we associate with work while we are in our nice cozy homes.
This guide is going to show you exactly how to maximise your productivity and inspire creativity in your home office - by setting it up the right way, using biophilic design.
]]>7 Min. Read
-Setting up a workspace or home office that will keep you inspired, productive and creative is just as important as the work you’ll actually do in there.
Your environment and surroundings have a huge impact on your mood and you actually take subsconsious cues for what to do and feel directly from your surroundings and its characteristics.
This is why it can often be confusing or conflicting to do tasks that we associate with work while we are in our nice cozy homes.
This guide is going to show you exactly how to maximise your productivity and inspire creativity in your home office - using biophilic design.-Biophilic Design In Your Home Office
Biophilic design taps into the connection between humans and nature, it also has been proven to promote well-being and enhance cognitive function.
While biophilic design a whole entire subject that deserves a deep-dive of its own, this guide is going to give you a summary of the principles and how you can use them to set up your home office.
You can use these core principles of biophilic design we've outlined here to create a home office or workspace that will inspire more creativity and productivity within you.
There are three main categories that you will need to change or set up in your home office to get the perfect nature-lover workspace and to increase productivity.
All of the tips we'll show you today for creating a biophilic home office will fit into at least one of these 3 categories.
While biophilic design is partially about creating a space that you enjoy being in, we aren't only going to focus on that side because enjoyment alone will not make you more productive or necessarily inspire you to get creative.
You will need to factor in a few other specifics to really get the most out of your home office for its intended use. So, let’s get into it, here are 9 tips for how you should set up a home office or workspace using biophilic design to inspire your creative productivity:
Natural light has a profound impact on our mood and overall well-being. Whenever possible, position your desk near a window to take advantage of natural light. Not only will it reduce eye strain, but it will also increase your levels of alertness, focus, energy, and improve your overall mood.
If your office lacks sufficient natural light, consider using full-spectrum light bulbs that mimic daylight (about 4500 Kelvin and above).
Avoid the afternoon slump and after-work jitters:
If you have less natural light available, consider using a smart bulb that will connect to your phone via some sort of app or remote where you can change adjust the lighting.
This will allow you to change the light as the day progresses, helping you to both feel more alert in the earlier part of the day, and to wind down towards the end of the work day.
Pro tip: Arrange your desk perpendicular to the window to minimize glare on your computer screen while still enjoying the benefits of natural light.
Indoor plants are an excellent way to bring nature indoors and improve air quality. They have been proven to reduce stress, increase productivity, and enhance creativity. Choose plants that thrive in indoor environments, such as pothos, calatheas, snake plants, or peace lilies.
Position your plants strategically around your office to create a calming and refreshing atmosphere. For the best effect, get plants of varying size, leaf shape and growth pattern, this will give a nice effect of variety, detail and interest to your eyes, and your subconsious.
Pro tip: When positioning your plants, you can make a ‘cove’ around where your desk will be situated, or have the plants directly in front of you (depending on the position of your desk).
Remember a key part of biophilic design: the notion of Prospect and Refuge:
What is prospect and refuge? Simiply put, prospect and refuge shows how we feel most comfortable and safe in a position where we can take refuge while also being able to prospect our environment - ie keep an eye out on our surroundings from a ‘safe’ positon.
Think of how a cat will like a perch most that is both nestled away but also allows them to gaze over the entire space from her position...
Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean you have to put your desk up on a perch. You can position it in such a way that gives you good periferal vision of the room you are in, or of the view outside, all while not feeling as though you are exposed or floating out in the open of the room.
Plants can be a great way to simultaneously create a nook that you can still prospect from.
You can also use open-style shelving. Open shelves will give you the opportunity to be able to see through to the other side without feeling exposed or distracted, and also to feel calm and focussed in your nook without feeling cramped into a box or corner.
The use of natural materials like wood, stone, wool, rattan and bamboo will really evoke a sense of warmth, comfort, and connection to nature. When selecting furniture and accessories for your home office, opt for pieces made from sustainable wood or bamboo.
Consider using maybe a wooden desk, bookshelf, chair or accessories that not only look aesthetically pleasing but also enhance the whole biophilic ambiance you're reaching for. There are plenty of beautiful wooden pieces for your home office to be discovered out there.
Pro tips: Choose a wooden desk with clean lines and minimalistic design to create a grounding workspace that promotes concentration and focus. Use wooden desk storage and other accessories to create a tactile experience with natural materials while you are working.
If your office doesn't offer you a scenic view of the outdoors, you can still bring the outdoors inside through artwork or nature-inspired photographs and artwork.
Hang images of natural landscapes, texture or wildlife on the walls to create a sense of depth and connection to the outside world.
Pro tip: Consider framing and displaying photographs that you have taken during nature walks or trips to remind yourself of the beauty and inspiration found in the natural world in your area.
When you use photos that you have taken yourself, it also will evoke personal happy memories and feelings, think of it as a simple reminder for what you’re working towards.
Introduce patterns and textures inspired by nature to create visual interest in your home office. Consider using wallpapers or artwork featuring floral or botanical designs, landscape scenes, a jar terrarium and use natural textures like woodgrain or stone.
These elements can stimulate your senses and evoke a sense of tranquility, helping to boost your creativity and focus.
The sound and sight of water can have a soothing effect on our minds and bodies. How about a small tabletop water fountain or a fish tank for your home office to create a serene and calming atmosphere? The gentle sound of running water can help mask distractions and enhance focus.
Pro tip: Place a small water feature on a nearby shelf or desk, ensuring it is within your line of sight but not directly in front of your workspace (within arms reach) to avoid any potential distractions.
Colours have a profound impact on our emotions and productivity. Opt for a colour scheme inspired by nature, such as shades of green, blue, and earth tones. These colours promote a sense of calmness, balance, and focus and can be used for your walls, furniture, decor and accessories to create a harmonious and inspiring workspace.
Aromatherapy, unsurprisingly, can also boost your mood, increase focus, and reduce your stress levels (sensing a pattern?)
Use essential oils or scented candles with natural fragrances like vanilla, lavender, citrus, or eucalyptus. These scents can evoke a sense of nature, helping to create a peaceful and energising atmosphere in your home.
If your workspace is going to be a room in your home - or even a section of a room, you will have to use some sort of restraint in removing certain objects from that area - at least the ones within your line of sight or sound while sitting at your desk.
If you are trying to get work done, but you have a TV, games console or any object that you associate with a hobby nearby (guitar, football...etc), you are going to come across a lot of times where you will catch yourself listfully glancing over at it and wishing you could be doing that now instead of working. This can sometimes be an urge too hard to resist...
It can make it nearly impossible to stay focussed or motivated on your work if you have constant reminders of what you would rather be procrastinating with right there in front of you.
Of course, sometimes this is easier said than done - if you can hear or see a TV that somebody else in your home is watching for example, you may or may not be able to politely ask them to turn it off while you are working!
By using the principles of biophilic design in setting up your home office, you can quite easilly create an environment that will boost your creativity, inspiration, and productivity all at once - and consistently.
Sidenote - If you find yourself getting stagnant in your workspace, you might want to change around a few things - not necessarily by aquiring different things, rearranging a room can make it feel entirely new again.
Natural light, indoor plants, natural materials and furniture, nature-inspired artwork, and water elements are just a few ways to bring the calming and refreshing benefits of nature into your workspace.
Remember to use natural materials and elements where you can.
Plants, wood or stone decor like desks, shelves, chairs and accessories all help to create a workspace that feels harmonious, is visually appealing to you, and bridges the gap between you and nature.
That is how you set up a home office to foster productivity creativity using biophilic design!
Remember, a well-designed workspace will produce well-designed work.
Not to mention, you don’t want to be living in what feels like the set of a home remodelling show for days or even weeks on end…You want a change, and you want it to be swift, affordable and painless - and this guide is going to show you how to do just that.
This 8-minute guide gives you 8 fast tried and tested ways to completely transform your home interior without the need for renovations or buying new furniture and decor - as fun as those two things are to do..!
]]>Doing some redecorating in your home can seem like a daunting, expensive and time-consuming thing to bring on yourself...
Not to mention, you don’t want to be living in what feels like the set of a home remodelling show for days or even weeks on end. You want a change, and you want it to be swift, affordable and painless - and this guide is going to show you how to do just that.
For some people, DIY home renovation is no joke. Sometimes what started out as a ‘quick redecorating’ can very quickly become an entire interior remodelling lasting weeks and costing much more than planned.
But, there is a better way to do things - if you’re not looking for a full-out renovation overhaul - and you want to make impactful changes inside your home without investing much time, effort or money.
When you want to make a change in your home interior, it’s important to consider two things, or pillars:
Re-arranging the furniture that you already have is probably one of the easiest and definitely one of the most affordable (it’s free!) ways to restyle your home and change how you interact with it.
If you want to embrace the cosy winter feeling, you can arrange living spaces and especially seating areas so they are facing one another - think: gathering around a fire.
For those who want to prepare for welcoming in the spring or summer, you can think about experimenting with new furniture layouts. You can use your existing furniture, just rearrange a few things here and there, and your room or even home can feel like an entirely new place.
In general, you want to place or face more of the furniture towards the windows for spring and summer. Create more open spaces and remove the 'clutter' that might have served as seasonal decor a month or more ago. An easy example is to put a small table and armchair over by the window to sit and read in the natural daylight as the days get longer and brighter.
For more on how to get the most out of your furniture arrangement, check out our Zen home styling guide.
Painting is a super easy and affordable way to give a facelift to an entire room. Adding some new colour to a space can bring a huge lift of energy and change how you actually feel while in there.
A new splash of paint can also be a welcome refreshment to the eyes in the coming year.
With paint, a little goes a long way - both in terms of the amount of paint needed for an area, and the time you spend preparing and painting. This makes it a great way to achieve something productive for a couple of hours in a day.
If you just want to paint part of a room, there are some great ideas for partial wall painting that you'll love below. You can also paint a piece of furniture, such as maybe the top of a wooden console, or even the entire thing. Just make sure that you really do like a colour... before you end up painting an entire sideboard bright orange.
There are so many routes that you can go with this one, it all depends on what kind of planted area you want. There might also be some limitations that you have to consider, for example, space.
If space is a factor for you, there are lots of options for mini or micro gardens in various shapes and sizes. Here are the most popular and easiest ways you can create a mini garden with limited space:
If space is not an issue and you have a large garden area outdoors, now is the perfect time to start clearing out any overgrown patches and reshaping any parts of the garden that you want to change before the new growth of spring begins.
A lot of the shaping and foundation of a garden can be done before the spring arrives, and you’ll have a giant head-start on getting your garden to exactly where you want it for summer.
A perfect weekend activity, if you’re feeling a little creative, is to make a centrepiece or display piece to match the season. Don't worry, this doesn’t have to be too extravagant or elaborate. Below are some ideas for winter and spring. You can also find more seasonal centrepiece ideas for autumn/winter in another guide of ours.
Create a cosy basket display that will make the room feel warmer...
How? Pick a basket that you like, a woven one looks great, and load it with dry wood logs and a comfy blanket to display near the fire or by the doorway.
You also can add details to side tables, windowsills and other areas that will serve as warm reminders of the season at different points throughout your home.
At this time of year, it’s natural for us to want to store and graze on lots of rich foods, so adding some bowls of walnuts, chestnuts or almonds can be a great touch for topping off your seasonal scene.
Make a wildflower centrepiece for your kitchen worktop or dining table.
While you're on your next walk, try and pick the next sunny day (hopefully, for you it’s soon!) and collect some wildflowers that you see growing along the way.
This can be a very cathartic experience in itself, and then you have a beautiful centrepiece to easily make back at home too!
Most of us have just come out the other side of the most expensive time of year, so saving a little budget on home styling is always welcome for the new year.
Having said that, it’s natural to want to make some changes in your living space as we begin a new year and particularly if you want to embrace an early spring mindset.
So, a great way of sprucing up your interior without hurting the post-holiday budget is by changing a small but impactful element in your room.
If you switch out something like the curtains or the rug, it will instantly make the room feel like it has a new lease of life - and this only requires one new item to make all that difference - now that’s efficient. ;)
… You know the one! Everyone has a part in their home that could do with a revamp in terms of organisation, and probably some things that could be ‘cleansed’.
Just as with your garden, getting an early start on your spring-cleaning inside of your home can make the world of difference to how your year begins and ultimately, continues.
Again, this is the perfect time of year - because, well, when else are you going to do it?
If your kitchen or pantry is on the list of areas you'd like to reorganise, definitely check out our collection of wood or cork-topped storage jars, and other wooden home storage pieces after you read this!
There are literally hundreds if not thousands of amazing things that you can do with all kinds of glass jars, including, of course, our own glass display jars.
For those reading that might have some reusable glass jars stashed away, you can check out our post of 41 Ways to (Re)Use Your Jars at Home for some creative ideas to put them to use, rather than simply recycling them at your local bottle bank.
Mini herb gardens are such a great thing, for several reasons:
1: They’re fun, easy and low-cost to make at home.
2: The obvious reason: it's free, freshly grown, organic herbs year-round at arms reach from your food-prep area.
3: You can use the various herbs that you grow to inspire new recipes and dishes that you might not otherwise discover.
4: It’s a fulfilling and relaxing hobby to tend to your little herb garden and watch it grow and thrive, a great help for de-stressing.
5: Many herbs, such as basil and rosemary are known to act as a repellant for flying household pests that might come by your window and now will think twice about coming inside.
Soon we'll add a new guide on how to make your very own mini indoor herb garden, but for now, there are plenty of great guides out there, including this one.
Whether or not you make a mini herb garden is not needed for this one, but it is a nice Segway into our bonus step to styling your home for a new year...
All of us have a very strong natural connection with food (seems obvious enough why), so the kinds of foods we prepare and eat help communicate to our bodies and minds which season, climate, and time of day we are in.
With that in mind, making a seasonal recipe (be it winter or spring) is a perfect way to embrace the season and give you that winter or spring feeling.
For winter-lusters, there are so many recipes for both sweet and savoury foods that pair perfectly with the cosy, warm, calorie-rich vibes of winter! And for spring-chasers, there are still plenty of seasonal things that can be prepared. Here are some great savoury and sweet springtime recipes that we can recommend.
You see! You don't need to invest a whole load of time, money or resources to make a dramatic transformation in your home, at any time of year. All it takes is applying a fresh perspective on what's already there, and maybe a little finessing here and there, to get your home feeling rejuvenated without the need for renovating or remodelling!
|
There are plenty more of our home-improvement guides and other blog posts to read! ;)
To shop our collection of beautiful & practical wooden kitchenware and more, visit our homepage and collections page now.
|
Leave your comment down below and tell us if you tried these tips and what you thought of them!
]]>No matter what time of year it is, it's always a great time to make a terrarium. You might be surprised to hear that terrariums are actually incredibly easy to make and require very little maintenance.
One of the easiest and greatest ways to make a terrarium/micro garden is by using a glass jar.
Jar terrariums make wonderful conversation pieces, gifts or rainy-day activities - as well as being relaxing, easy and fun to make.
You'll love watching as they change over time and the best part is that they're simple to make and maintain, just follow this guide and you'll have your very own encapsulated ecosystem that you created!
]]>No matter what time of year it is, it's always a great time to make a terrarium. You might be surprised to hear that terrariums are actually incredibly easy to make and require very little maintenance.
One of the easiest and greatest ways to make a terrarium/micro garden is by using a glass jar.
Jar terrariums make wonderful conversation pieces, gifts or rainy-day activities - as well as being relaxing, easy and fun to make.
You'll love watching as they change over time and the best part is that they're simple to make and maintain, just follow this guide and you'll have your very own encapsulated ecosystem that you created!
Before you start, there are essentially two kinds of terrariums you can make:
Do you need to add activated carbon (horticultural charcoal)?
Pro Tip:
You can also make your own charcoal by burning some wood and collecting the charcoal that's left over. Alternatively, you can also use store-bought barbecue charcoal, just make sure that it doesn't have any additives such as oils or other chemicals.
Cover the bottom with about 1cm of small pebbles, this will allow the water to drain and prevent rot. You can use colourful pebbles if you prefer.
This goes on top of the gravel and prevents odours and toxins from building up. The bottom of the terrarium should be about 3/4 pebbles to 1/4 charcoal or moss. Be sure to wet the charcoal so it doesn't stick to the glass.
Place a layer of mesh (or any non biodegradable material) on top of the charcoal or moss. This will allow water to drain but prevent the soil from falling into the drainage layer.
Use a 3:1 ratio of soil to pebbles (eg. if you used 1cm of pebbles, add about 3 cm of soil). Make sure the soil is moist but not soaking. Fertile nutrient-rich soil will work best.
More on choosing plants below, but in general, choose small plants that will tolerate humid environments. Start off with placing any rocks, wood or ornaments, then add the plants afterwards, starting with the larger ones.
This is also optional, but if you can cover up any remaining surface soil with moss it will make it look a lot less 'constructed' and appear more natural. Finally, don't forget to add some water!
Any plant classified as 'tropical' or tolerant of humid/damp environments are ideal.
You'll need to keep your terrarium in indirect light, so avoid plants that require full direct sunlight.
Your jar terrarium has limited space, so be sure to get plants that are small and won't outgrow your jar.
Can you make a terrarium with cacti or succulents?
Pro Tip:
Be sure to also add more soil and pebbles in your jar if you choose to keep cacti or succulents in them. This will ensure that the plant is higher up in the jar and will be able to get enough air circulation, particularly if it's in direct sunlight.
Open Vs Closed Terrariums:
If it's a closed terrarium, any water you add at the start will remain inside the jar and continue to evaporate, condense and 'rain' down again - just as it does in nature. Keep an eye on the soil and if it appears to be drying out, add a little more water.
Occasionally you can open the lid to allow some fresh air inside the jar. Especially if too much condensation builds up on the glass. Some condensation is perfectly fine, but you don't want it to be water logged.
If you see some parts of the plant beginning to turn yellowish-brown and die off, trim those parts with a scissors.
It's important to use good soil in your terrarium, but it won't need any additional fertilisers. provided there is a good layer of soil in there, it will flourish for many years to come.
Don't put your jar terrarium in direct sunlight as this will cause it to become a hot condensation-filled fungal farm! Keep your jar in a position where it will get indirect light.
If you see lots of condensation and signs of water logging around the pebbles at the bottom, it's got too much water. Always start off with less water than you think and add more if things look too dry.
Are you ready to make your own terrarium in Wondrwood jars? If you don't already have some, you'll need to get yourself some jars!
All of our glass jars are fitted with air-tight seals and are ideal for all kinds of uses, including terrariums. The rest is up to you, all that's left is to pick your favourite jars and start creating!
It happens at work.. it happens at home, maybe when you're immersing yourself into a creative project, or even just carrying out your daily routines - there's nothing that can make you want to scream and give up more than a cluttered space or surface.
Now look, we all understand the importance of separating, prioritising and organising our tasks in order to actually do them, that's just how our brains work. We thrive on creating order out of disorder...but, why are we all-too-often so bad at it?
The truth: dealing with clutter seems boring... clutter is just things that we need at some point soon, but not right now.
But, clutter and untidiness is severely distracting and actually causes an underlying level of stress in humans, almost like our brains having too many browser tabs open at the same time, and we tend to crash - or shut down altogether!
For anyone who's in a work-from-home environment, it can be particularly difficult to separate your home and work life - let alone the clutter that blends in between these two worlds...
If you're anything like me, and you just tend to accumulate things - clutter - wherever you happen to exist for more than 5 minutes, then you will be delighted to hear that there is a clever solution to help us keep those crowded surfaces clear and tidy, be it at home, at work, or both!
What's the best thing to minimise clutter? The humble drawer, but what if the desk, vanity table or countertop doesn't have enough drawers, or any at all?
Now, we've all seen a drawer before, but you almost definitely have not seen ones like these...
Very often, organisational products for your desk can be bland and lack the build-quality that you'd expect of something you actually want to use everyday.
What's more, is that good storage drawers are usually stuck in one place - which, as we all know, clutter does not like to stay in.
Wondrwood's new modular desktop storage drawers aim to solve these two problems.
They are built like full-sized dressers, but are miniaturised to 14 Inches / 36cm wide, making them portable and the ideal size to fit on any desk, vanity unit or countertop.
There are currently two kinds of hardwood storage drawers available; the first is a 3-drawer unit, made from black walnut (pictured below):
...And the second type, (which we are extra-excited about) is an individual drawer unit, that is available in both beech and black walnut (pictured below):
Individual Desktop Modular Drawers
Aside from the build-quality and materials, what really makes these desktop drawers stand out is that they function as standalone storage drawers; as laptop risers; and they can be combined or stacked together to make a modular, portable, multi-levelled chest of drawers.
In fact, both types of desktop drawers released (the 3 drawer chest and the individual modular drawers) can be stacked on top of one-another.
Of course, they're not only made for your desk or home-office setup.
You can use them anywhere that you need some extra storage, organisation, and elevation (perhaps as a plant stand).
Their full-sized build quality ensures that they are built to last and work with almost any kind of room decor, adding that little extra bit of character and a lot of extra storage space.
''We wanted this project to be something smart and functional with a little bit of fun mixed-in...Something that will fit-in both a home or work environment, but at the same time stands-out from a design perspective... All the while, almost secretly providing its core function - organising life's clutter.''
These drawers are now available in Wondrwood's home storage collection and can be purchased individually or in multiple sets to suit your particular needs. To learn more, see the product pages, if you have any questions you can always contact us here.
]]>
Creating a designated Zen space at home - or even designing the whole entire home interior around zen minimalist style - is becoming more popular as the overall desire to unwind and de-stress becomes more prevalent.
While there's no strict rule book on zen-style interiors, they are usually categorised as having visual continuity, simplicity and balance. The goal is to create a sort of bubble-environment within your home that you can step into and unwind.
So without further adieu, here's 10 easy steps to creating a zen-style space in your home, whether it's for one room, or your entire home.
]]>Nowadays, more than ever, it's crucial to have a space in your home where you can feel safe, at peace and forget about any stresses in your day-to-day life.
Of course with many of us working from home and thus bringing our entire work and personal life under the same roof, it's more important than ever for us all to be able to create a separation between 'on' and 'off' time.
Creating a designated Zen space at home - or even designing your whole entire home interior around a zen minimalist style is becoming more popular as the overall desire to unwind and de-stress becomes more prevalent for us all.
While there's no strict rule book on zen-style interiors, they are usually categorised as having visual continuity, simplicity and balance. The goal is to create a sort of bubble-environment within your home that you can step into and unwind.
So without further ado, here are 10 easy steps to creating a zen-style space in your home, whether it's for one room, or your entire home.
A zen home interior is all about soft natural colours, so we definitely recommend using tones such as white, grey, beige or pastel peach. These types of colours evoke relaxation and serenity.
It’s also important to use chromatic harmony (matching or complimentary colours) throughout the different elements in the room. What separates zen-style interiors from a lot of other styles, is that for zen you are trying to create a space where no one single element stands out more than the other.
This is all about the flow of each and every element working together in a room or space, visually speaking. Those who want a zen space need to think about the visual synergy or continuity between the everything from the walls, to furniture, to the flooring and decor.
Take a step back and look at all of the various lines in the entire space, try to align certain elements with others, or have them running parallel to one another. You can even follow the existing shape of the room for guidance.
You can also place a larger item (such as shelving, a large plant or a vanity unit) perpendicular to the main directional-flow of the room to create a division of two separate spaces in the same room. However, this is only recommended for larger rooms that will not end up feeling cramped as a result of being divided.
If you're not sure if the room is big enough to be divided and still feel zen, it's best to just try it out yourself and see what works for you and your home. If it makes you feel more relaxed and at peace, that's what ultimately matters.
Use soft materials on some of the surfaces that you physically touch - such as a soft rug underneath your feet, or a fluffy throw over an armrest.
Softness doesn't need to be kept only for physical touch, it can also be applied in terms of visual softness, for example you could use a light-toned wood (such as ash or silver birch) for the flooring to create sense of visual softness.
You might think that the more natural sunlight that can spill into your space the more zen it is going to feel. But, that’s not actually the case, too much natural light spilling into a room can have the potential to make it difficult to for you to relax and wind down after a stressful day.
It’s usually best to use curtains to frame any windows in this space (even if they end up blocking out a small portion of the natural light).
Remember to stick to the rule of light-ness when choosing any textile or materials for this room - ie. try to go for materials without heavy patterns, vibrant colours or a dense texture.
Lighting is such a crucial part of setting every sort of mood - and ultimately deciding how you actually feel - in a room. In addition to the natural light coming in from the window, you should use candles, small lamps and other indirect lighting such as fairy-lights to tie the entire space together.
Again it's important to pay attention to the colours you choose when getting any lights, candles or bulbs. Remember that warmer tones such as yellows, oranges and even small accents of red are far better to use, rather than tones of blues, greens and purples when creating a zen interior.
Zen-style furniture is all about simple clean lines, furniture pieces for a zen interior should be high quality and preferably made of natural materials. The more natural elements in the room, the more relaxing and peaceful it will feel overall.
Look for furniture that is visually simple and elegant, without any frills or ornamentation. It's best to avoid pieces that are highly detailed or complicated, the aim is to try not to have any one element in the room be too distracting or imposing. This is much more visually balanced and in turn promotes a sense of wellbeing and relaxation in your space.
When it comes to adding smaller touches to a zen-style interior, less really is more in terms of what you should use for decoration. Any accent pieces or ‘everyday-clutter’ should be kept within the same taste as the remainder of the room and follow the characteristics listed above.
Keep decor pieces simple and make sure that they contribute to the visual-smoothness of the room overall. Try to resist adding any brightly coloured hangings, paintings, or pictures (even if they're nature photos) as they will stand out and create a 'bump in the road' for the entire zen experience that you are creating here.
I don't need to tell you that it’s probably not the best idea to keep your wifi router in the same room where you’re planning your zen space, the same goes for any screens, smart-home devices or any tech at all, (besides lighting) if possible. Of course, if you find it relaxing when Alexa plays you whale songs then by all means, ignore this step.
Another great option for those who still want some visual stimulation in this room is to consider adding a small aquascaped aquarium. Fishkeeping - and Aquascaping in particular - is a highly relaxing and rewarding past time. If you're using a filter in the aquarium, it also doubles as a hypnotic water feature as far as your ears are concerned. 😉
This goes back to the whole natural elements theme running throughout these steps, what better of a natural element than some potted plants or an indoor vertical garden!?
We'll do a full breakdown and guide to creating a vertical garden / green wall at home in one of our upcoming posts, so be sure to check back for that when it's published! In the meantime, there are some inspiring videos for vertical gardens that can be found on Youtube, such as this one.
For the final piece of the zen interior puzzle, it's time to tap in to the ol' olfactory system. Smell is by far one of the more powerful factors in evoking feelings or senses, our sense of smell is very good at bridging the gap between a sensory experience and our overall bodily experience.
In short, our sense of smell truly immerses us in an overall experience. To create a sense of harmony and zen, you can use lavender, incense, fragrant flowers (such as lilies), beeswax candles, rose-water diffusers, or any other scent that brings you peace and serenity!
You can even make these yourself by using flowers or ingredients that you happen to like best - cinnamon and elderflower are personal favourites of mine.
So here you have it...
Now that you have the 10 steps to creating a zen-style space at home, here comes the really fun part: It's time to take what you've learned and put it into practice. Start out with choosing which room or even which part of a certain room you are going to designate to being your zen space, then decide what elements, textures and tones you want to add!
If you're feeling inspired, have a look through our entire collection of wooden decor, wooden tableware and other wooden accent pieces for your home here.
]]>Nature rejuvenates, reduces stress, depression, anger and frustration. It improves our mood and physical health in countless ways, many of which we are still learning about today.
Now that we're indoors much more and missing out on natural elements, it takes a conscious effort to bring nature back into our lives, an ideal way is through your home or work space.
Believe it or not, keeping nature close by is much easier than you think - even if where you live happens to be in the midst of a full-on lockdown.
So, read on and find out how and why you should change your interior spaces for the better!
]]>The health benefits of simply having nature close by is not new or groundbreaking news. But, the list of benefits, and the understanding of humanity's true need for nature is growing exponentially.
You probably already know that your natural surroundings have some affect on your mental and physical state. We all feel better after a walk on the beach or through the forest, but there's a lot more happening between the inside and outside worlds than we are aware of.
In fact, while we were delving into the topic of biophilic design - mimicking nature in your home interior - we learned that simply having the view of a garden outside the window can have a measurable impact on your mental and physical health.
Believe it or not, keeping nature close by is much easier than you think - even if where you live happens to be in the midst of rolling on-and-off lockdowns.
So, read on and find out how and why you should change your interior spaces for the better!
Pre-2020, the average person in the US, UK, & EU already spent about 85% of their time indoors, be it at work, at home, commuting, or socialising.
Since the Covid-19 Pandemic, our time indoors has drastically increased to around 95% for the average person.
All of this time spent inside our homes, vehicles and workspaces surrounded by artificial sights, sounds, smells and sensations; a wholly unnatural environment, has an equally unnatural affect on our minds and bodies. But, it wasn't always this way, for humanity, it's been a slow move away from nature.
Now that we're indoors much more and missing out on natural elements, it takes a conscious effort to keep nature in our lives, an ideal way is through your home or work space.
''[Nature] invigorates, rejuvenates, reduces stress, depression, anger and frustration. It improves our mood and physical health, enhances focus and clarity... promotes a sense of belonging, calm and acceptance'' - wise words from Holistic Architect and Interior Designer Anthony Ashworth.
So, in a world with pandemics, urbanisation and a reality where more of us spending more of our time indoors and shut away from the wild, how do we welcome more nature into our lives?
Well, the first answer you may have already guessed: go outside and immerse yourself in nature as much as you can.
The second answer is equally important and a little more complex. If you ask holistic architect and interior designer Anthony Ashworth: you enlist the help of some biophilic design.
In the words of Ashworth, biophilic design is about 'bringing a sense of the natural world into our built environment.'
If you ask Wikipedia, they say it's about 'increasing [the homeowner's] connectivity to the natural environment through the use of direct nature, indirect nature, and space and place conditions.'
Simply put, it's about bringing a little more nature into your interior spaces; whether that be through reflecting nature's textures, patterns, lighting and rhythms, or by physically adding more natural materials and plants to a space.
Biophilic design has its roots in an inter-connective way of thinking; that human wellbeing is derived from (among other things) a balance with nature, and so we need nature in our lives to be able to live a happy and healthy life.
Biophilic design is about so much more than adding plants to your home, it's an ethos where interior design is not just for functionality or aesthetics, but is a tool that you can harness to improve your mental and physical wellbeing through your surroundings.
So, if you want to learn some easy biophilic design tricks to transform your interior spaces, check out the next chapter here. (Next Chapter Coming Soon)
Making more time and space for nature increases the quality and even the length of our lives.
-
Read More Articles In This Blog
Or
Header Photo By: Tom Raffield
]]>In this quick guide, we'll explore a few easy ways that you can transition and prepare your home for the fall season.
Seasonal decor should always begin at your front door. Now, some of you may say wreaths are just for the holiday season (and that's ok) - but for those who love the warm welcome of natural autumn decorations, it's arguably never too early to hang a wreath.
For anyone who is more arts and crafts-inclined, a thrifty wreath can be easily made from the materials in your surroundings such as local leaves, branches and petals, grasses, wheat and of course, pine cones.
Right from the moment you approach your front door, the natural hue of an autumn wreath will be the first impression that your home gives, and a great one to remind you of this great season.
Lighting is one of the most important elements in any space, warmer lights emanate a snug fall-feel and help to create a comfortable, safe indoor atmosphere.
Using smaller lights or candles are a great and quick way to set the right mood as it creates a perfect inviting environment and usually smells amazing.
There are many fall scented soy candles that will give your home the enthralling scent of the season. You can also put some candles in glass jars and place them on a tray to create a fall centrepiece.
One of the easiest ways to transition your home from summer to fall is to add cozy textiles to your bedrooms.
Swap out your white summer linens and light textiles with darker, textured materials - velvet is a great option or microfiber. This is a simple way to add warmth to your room without really having to make too many changes to your furniture.
Use colours that are reflective of this time of year, taking inspiration from the changing leaves. Reds, yellows and beiges give off great autumnal moods and can be complemented with accents of sage-green, navy-blue or white.
Changing your dining experience is another key way to get into the fall mood. Switch your kitchen or dining room from summer to fall by setting your table with warmer colours and wooden serving-ware.
You can also scatter some handmade leaf cut-outs (made from craft paper or a material of your choice), or you can even use real leaves - just make sure that you trust their source is clean and safe!
Wooden plates, candles, fresh fruits and pine cones certainly increase the fall overtones in your dining room - and makes for a very attractive spread.
Rustic seasonal touches from nature will add a lot of character to your home, try adding painted pumpkins or squash, as well as pampas grass and woven materials such as rattan, willow and bamboo.
Rearrange your furniture to centre around an element in your living room, this will most commonly be a fireplace or stove, but you can also focus more on a coffee table or rug if you prefer.
Again, adding some cozy blankets, throws and cushions will never go amiss.
The most important thing to follow when you're changing your home from summer and adding fall decor is to make it a space that matches your tastes and makes you feel comfortable, safe and able to unwind.
When you look around your home this fall, picture yourself curled up with a blanket and a book on an autumn Sunday enjoying a hot drink...Think what kind of scents, lighting, materials, colours and textures would you want your surroundings to have?
Then, just work backwards from your vision, room-by-room, adding elements as you go!
It's all about the magic of the beautiful changing colours of the leaves, pumpkin spice lattes and spending cozy evenings indoors surrounded by mountains of pillows, throws and blankets...
]]>