Beyond considering personal style and preferences, modern architecture and design can also draw inspiration from the natural environment to ensure it fits seamlessly into its location. For example, a previous post illustrates how a Malibu residence harmoniously blends into the landscape and topography of coastal California through its sinuous roof, strategically placed skylights, and custom-designed furniture. Designed by Victor B. Ortiz Architecture, this seaside sanctuary enjoys ample natural light and outdoor scenery.
Whether it’s a residential home or an entertainment area, the desire to connect one’s property with the environment or a specific geographic location has contributed to design themes that incorporate natural elements into the space. One example is interior designer Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Home, a collaborative collection with furniture retail chain Living Spaces that combines nature with unique and unexpected materials for a cozy and cohesive style. Below, we look closer at the Magnolia Home collection and how homeowners can embody the same style in their own spaces.
Inspired by the ‘California Casual’ style
Living Spaces regularly collaborates with celebrity designers, and Magnolia Home features design inspiration from American interior designer and television personality Joanna Haines. The HGTV star describes the furniture and home decor collection as “a source of inspiration and function,” characterized by a blend of nature and texture that results in a perfect space for a family to call home.
True enough, the Magnolia Home Furniture and Accessories line is reminiscent of Joanna Gaines’ living space, as featured in a Hello Magazine article in 2023. While the ‘Fixer Upper’ host’s stylish property is located in a suburb of Waco, Texas, the open-plan layout and cozy interiors perfectly fit the California casual design trend. The living room boasts hardwood floors, an exposed brick wall, floor-to-ceiling windows, and plants of varying sizes — similar to how the Magnolia Home collection marries furniture pieces with unique textures, finishes, and materials.
Overall, Magnolia Home consists of eight furniture genres thoughtfully designed by Gaines herself. These range from living room collections with tranquil neutral tones of rust, walnut, and charcoal to dining room and bedroom sets that mix old-fashioned materials like wood with contemporary colors and metals for a hybrid look of comfort and sophistication.
Embodying the natural uniqueness of ‘Magnolia Home’
In addition to adding furniture pieces from the collection to their homes, homeowners can replicate Magnolia Home’s natural uniqueness by starting with calm, neutral tones. An Architectural Digest article provides neutral color palette ideas that express the same serenity as Magnolia Home without looking boring or mundane. These include layering in different hues, such as whites and creams, to warm the otherwise neutral living room. Since Magnolia Home emphasizes playing around with textures, you can layer cool linen and warm cotton with unconventional materials like concrete and painted brick for added visual interest.
Meanwhile, when arranging your own room, you can draw inspiration from the Magnolia Home bedroom collections’ woven materials and organic wooden look. When browsing the California king bedroom sets from the same furniture retailer, you’ll find that Living Spaces offers styles and textures similar to those of Magnolia Home. For example, the Cambria Grey Wood 3 Piece California King Storage Bedroom Set comes with nightstands with the same refined lines and mixed materials as Gaines’ Hartley bedroom collection. Meanwhile, the Hillsboro California King Bedroom Set has storage functionalities that evoke the same aesthetic and practicality as Gaines’ well-loved style.
Lastly, there’s nothing like representing the essence of Magnolia Home by adding indoor plants to your living space. Interior stylist Hilton Carter guides you through styling your interiors with greenery, such as using low-maintenance fig trees as a pop of color in your neutral living room and adding a Swiss cheese plant or Monstera deliciosa as a statement piece together with a textured clay or terracotta pot.
With all these interior design tips referencing Magnolia Home, you can easily bring nature into your home while keeping it cozy and comfortable for the entire family.
