It's a jungle out there!

The month of March has been an absolute whirlwind and now it's almost over! In like a lion and out like a lamb...they say! Speaking of animals, I have been fortunate enough to travel to both Montreal and Toronto this past week and have been checking out some design trends in these cities as well as my own, Ottawa, and I have seen so many 'animal inspired' elements in home decor. Lots and lots of animal prints in upholstery - pillows, area rugs and throw blankets. Leopard, snake skin, tiger and giraffe, oh my! What is great about animal print is that although bold it is classic and seems to never go out of style. It is a great colour palette to work off of and offers a great splash of visual interest. Don't think you can go that bold? Start small with a faux fur pillow in a bedroom or on an occasional chair. Integrate a few animal prints that are in a tone on tone colour wave to your living room space. Don't like earth tones? We are seeing animal prints is many different colour waves including turquoise and magenta!The boldness of the animal print pattern is so engaging and interesting. Other great ways to integrate nature into your home

- check out driftwood, it is organic and naturally sculptural

- add some bamboo to a bathroom, greenery makes any and every space feel alive

- check out bits and bobbles with natural inspiration on a coffee table or any showcase area, a small display of little birds, shells or starfish add serenity and simplicity to any space

- framed artwork with animals, birds and flowers can look very traditional but many stores have a more modern take on nature inspired art pieces.

- animal prints are not the only way to integrate animals and textiles into a space, many stores offer options with a softer approach with colours from nature like green, blue and yellow or look for floral and fauna prints.

Take a close look at the image above, they have embraced the elements of nature biut still have a contemporary style. The wallpaper has a leaf motif, the zebra print area rug is bold, the framed artwork is various shapes and sizes of leaves, a few collectibles of coral and shells are on display and of course, some greenery.

Bringing the outdoors inside can make every space feel relaxed and comfortable yet still stylish. Nature never goes out of style!