We love shopping for our homes, we really do, but more and more we are feeling unsettled about constantly purchasing ‘new’ as the plight of our planet looms over us. We believe the way forward is to shop more considerately, buying only the items you truly need or love, and finding out about it’s story – where was it made, by whom and with what. To compliment these special items, decorating with finds from the natural world is the perfect way to create a home with soul.
Foraging for your home does not just mean wandering in the woods picking up sticks – although this is part of it! So, we are sharing five ideas gathered from the book to inspire you to become a home decor forager yourself….
- Get out in nature – go walking in the woods and keep your eyes peeled for branches that could be turned into a curtain pole or a clothes rail. Plus, all year round you can find foliage that can be used in vases for a rustic display – cow parsley, gorse, seed heads all look wonderful, for example.
- Forage online – Foraging doesn’t even have to mean going outside! You can scour websites like Freecycle from the comfort of your sofa. Look out for great pieces of furniture that people are getting rid of. But only take them if you really need or want them.
- Scour skips and bins (!) – Often people put objects in skips or by their bin that are in perfectly good condition, so keep your eyes peeled when you are out and about. Ideally, if you see something interesting it is best to ask if you can take it first, unless they have left a sign on it to say ‘take me’!
4. Look out for discarded timber – old palettes and discarded pieces of wood can easily be transformed into pieces of furniture with a little bit of work. You can ask shops if they have any palettes going spare or even at your local recycling centre.
5. Beach combing – the beach is a great place for foraging – from beautiful pieces of driftwood to pebbles and shells to items washed up by the tide. While you are there, why not do a mini beach clean and pick up any rubbish you find too.
For lots more ideas and to see more of the homes of these inspirational foragers check out this lovely book, published by Thames and Hudson and available here.
All images: Joanna Maclennan
