As the weather turns colder and the days shorter, we’re spending more time indoors than other months. Why not have the warmth and beauty of a summer’s garden with you all year long? Studies show that plants reduce stress and anxiety and even increase attention spans. Plants are even known to reduce the amount of airborne pollutants in the home.
There are many ways to bring the beauty of nature indoors any time of the year. In addition to adding plants and greenery to your home, you could also try natural aromatherapy. Specific plant oils, such as peppermint or lavender, are proven to have therapeutic effects on our health. Peppermint can enhance focus and attention spans and lessen mental fatigue, while lavender oil can calm. Try diffusing a few drops of essential oil in your home to enhance your mood.
Additionally, try letting some light in! Studies show that in schools, offices and hospitals, natural light increases job satisfaction, enhances performance, reduces depression and enhances recovery. One study even compared the use of pain medications in patients who were on the bright and dim side of the hospital. Those on the bright side perceived less stress and less pain and took fewer analgesics.
Your personal environment impacts your overall well-being. Think about it: When you get home after a long day at work, do you feel best when you see that your house is clean? Your personal space can significantly influence your mood. By bringing natural elements into your home decor, you can ground the house and give the sense that the outdoors is an extension of your home.
Consider bringing natural materials indoors as much as you can. As people become more aware of the ramifications of toxic materials, they’re choosing natural woods, non-toxic ceramic and even natural fabrics. At Emerson Creek Pottery, all of our dishware and home decor is completely non-toxic and 100 percent handmade.
When choosing colors for your home, go green as well…literally. Interior designers suggest that nature will never go out of style, so homeowners should stick with neutral palettes of greens, tans, mauves and so on.
Using handmade African Violet pots planted with your favorite flower allows you to bring the literal garden indoors while improving air quality.
Concerns about the safety of indoor paint, floor coverings and mass-produced food also extends to dinnerware. What is your dinnerware made of and what are the working conditions? Local Emerson Creek Pottery is safe for your family (cadmium & lead-free, non-toxic, and safe for dishwasher, microwave and oven). All pottery and processes occur on-site—clay mixing, glazing, hand-painting and firing. Purchasing your dinnerware from a domestic source promotes the economy, keeps your family safe from potential toxins in imports, and helps the environment by reducing transport costs.
Emerson Creek Pottery is one of the few manufacturers left still producing 100% American made pottery. Bring home Made in the USA pottery, keep your family safe, and enjoy nature’s beauty throughout winter.
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Print Banana Bread Warm Banana Bread is delicious any time of the year. The fragrance of this Banana Bread baking in the fall or winter can fill your home and warm your heart with reminders of grandma’s house and her home-baked goods; and tasting this
Print Pumpkin Spiced Shortbread Nothing says fall quite like the flavor of pumpkin spice. Our good friend, Aga, developed and photographed this pumpkin spiced shortbread recipe specifically for Brown Bag Designs Shortbread Pans, and we think you will love it. It combines a classic shortbread
Print Guest Post from Lucy Natkiel of Brown Bag Designs. Creator of Brown Bag Shortbread Pans and Cookie Molds. I’m retired. I keep telling people that. But the information seems to bounce right off of several shortbread aficionados I know. Particularly my friend Rox. “I
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