Do you find yourself breathing a little deeper and stressing a little less after spending time outdoors? You’re not alone.
Numerous studies have demonstrated the healing power of nature, with direct outcomes including lower blood pressure, better immune function and better mental health. (A recent study in Nature Communications even showed nature exposure reducing feelings of acute pain.)
As today’s consumers become increasingly aware of all the feel-good vibes of nature, they’re looking — both consciously and subconsciously — for ways to bring them inside their homes. That’s why nature-inspired colors, materials and designs were seen extensively at The Inspired Home Show® and are one of the biggest trends for home and housewares in 2025.
Color
“Our love of nature and concerns about the environment certainly played into our choice for the 2025 Pantone® Color of the Year, Mocha Mousse 17-1230, as there is a continuing movement to align ourselves more closely with the natural world,” says Lee Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute and director of the Eiseman Center for Color Information and Training. “Characterized by its organic nature, this rich brown shade honors and embraces the sustenance of our natural environment.”
In fact, many of the color palettes in the Pantone® View Home + Interiors 2026 forecast have nature-related themes.
As Eiseman told the standing room-only crowd at her Inspired Home Show 2025 keynote, the “Out of the Ordinary” palette includes familiar neutrals alongside a few more unique hues to represent the imperfect beauty of nature. “Ancestral” is designed to remind people of our human heritage—think caves and early native dwellings with raw, earthy warmth. And “Exotic Retreat” taps into nature in a totally different way, with vibrant colors that that help bring the colors of an exotic vacation back home (tropical glamour meets boho paradise).
Materials and Design
Nature is also playing a prominent role in design and material trends for home and housewares products.
“Wood and stone are making a striking resurgence in design, proving that these organic materials are timeless staples in our living spaces,” says David Santiago, principal designer at Casa Santi and president of the New York Chapter of the International Furnishings and Design Association.
He says acacia, poplar and walnut are trending in popularity, as are alabaster and marbles like the classic Carrera and the rich Vino Breccia.
Forces of Nature — the 7th portfolio in the HomePage News™ InSight Trend Index 2024/25 – recently highlighted important nature-inspired materials and design trends for home and housewares:
- Sustainable, contemporary and lighter wood forms and finishes
- Woodgrain patterns
- Natural stones in a variety of colors from neutrals to deep and expressive jewel hues
- Forest themes
- Flora that is textural, expressive and slightly over-scaled
The InSight Index also calls out coastal styles and sea-inspired product designs as a successful way to tap into consumers’ “instinctive associations with relaxation, tranquility and natural beauty.”
View a wide range of home and housewares products embodying the latest nature-inspired trends in Forces of Nature, the 7th portfolio in the HomePage News InSight Trend Index 2024/25.