Embracing Nature: Integrating Sustainable Materials like Wood, Stone, Leather, and Terracotta into Modern Interiors​

Natural raw materials are a timeless trend for updating your home. Exposed wood, stone, marble, leather, terracotta, bamboo, and rattan—natural raw materials never go out of fashion. Whether you’re looking for entire home remodeling ideas or some home decor inspirations to spruce up your place, organic textures and earth tones for your interior design palette provide a neutral starting point. 

Looking for more interior design inspiration? Check out our guide on 2025 Home Design Trends for more ways to update your space.

Why Natural Raw Materials Are a More Sustainable Choice

Americans throw away roughly 12 million tons of furniture a year (up from around 2 million in 1960), and over 80% of that waste goes to landfills. Worse yet, this doesn’t even include rugs and curtains. Old and broken furniture makes up a significant portion of our household waste and seeing colossal trash piles of materials can take the shine off the excitement of redecorating. 

Choosing raw natural materials for your home can help offset some of the environmental impacts of home improvements. For example, items such as an oval wood coffee table, cut from sustainably sourced wood, would have been subject to fewer treatments and processing than a fast-furniture flatpack offering. When it comes to wood, avoiding veneers and plywoods is an excellent way to consider the environment in your choices. 

Looking for raw natural materials will often present more environmentally friendly options that are also hardwearing and last longer than throw-away furniture. If you can’t find the right piece or are unable to buy second-hand, an interior design service could help you find quality recycled pieces that save you in the long run. 

Not everyone can afford a reclaimed hardwood coffee table, but that doesn’t mean eco-friendly choices are out of your price range. Oval coffee tables made from bamboo or glass, for instance, can help you go green on a budget. 

Easy Ways to Add Natural Materials to Your Home

Setting a muted color scheme is great for those in rented accommodation or thinking about the resale value of their house. Earthen tones have a universal appeal as they neutralize a space and connect us to nature. A paired-back background allows you to execute your own flourishes with accessories and furnishings without overwhelming the space. Alternatively, choosing natural materials for items to highlight a room can help subdue a bold wall color or tie multiple areas together by creating a recognizable flow throughout your house. 

Starting with household accessories such as a stone or wood coffee table tray makes a fun touch for a boho living room design or a spa-like master bedroom idea. Equally, a glass toothbrush holder and marble soap dish are a chic combo in any bathroom. Upgrading via accessories is ideal as they cost significantly less than a complete remodel but often bring value as they are something you use or see every day. These examples illustrate how just a tiny change in your furnishings can impact your space overall. 

For those looking to remodel their homes from bottom to top, natural raw materials provide the perfect opportunity to create indoor spaces that still hold the presence of nature. Spending time outside has been proven to uplift our overall mood and mental cognition, benefiting both our mental health and emotional wellbeing. Including raw natural materials in everything from marble kitchen countertops to rattan lounge chairs can help bring this nurturing feeling of nature inside your home. 

How to Use Natural Materials for Outdoor Design

There’s nothing worse than a sterile feeling outdoor area and nothing sadder than a disused balcony or backyard. Are you looking for garden design ideas that will get you outside and make the most of sunny weather when it comes? In that case, natural raw materials are a fantastic choice as they are highly durable and can endure a range of weather conditions. Natural materials have the benefit of already being protected from the elements. 

Any local garden center is a hotspot for home garden ideas when sourcing materials and inspiration. Bamboo, rattan, and wicker can be used for both furniture and against walls to create background, texture, and depth in your outdoor space. Terracotta pots can provide a splash of color that keeps things interesting even in the mid-winter. Likewise, a leather cushion or footstall can be an unexpected twist to an otherwise conventional setup. 

Raw natural materials for your garden furniture and accessories are a way to integrate with the outdoor world without creating a jarring visual impact that disrupts the space. Instead, raw materials feel complementary when placed in nature. The organic matter echoes the surrounding environment, feeding through and nourishing the entire area. 

Ready to bring natural materials into your home? With the DecorMatters app, you can visualize sustainable designs, experiment with raw textures, and plan your dream space with ease. Download DecorMatters today and start designing a greener, more beautiful home!

UP NEXT: Sustainable Interior Design: How to Create an Eco-Friendly Home

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