Forest-themed decor is having a moment on Pinterest, and it’s easy to see why. It suits the colder months, it’s calm, and it works in rooms where a holiday theme would feel like too much.
The risk is that it tips into lodge kitsch: carved bears, plaid everything, antlers on every wall. The version that works in a regular apartment is quieter. Think of what a forest feels like rather than what’s in it.
Start with color
Forest rooms are mostly green, brown and a soft off-white, with a little black.
Pick one deep green and use it in more than one place. It could be dark green pillow covers (on Amazon), a throw, a painted accent wall or a single armchair. Repeat it at least three times around the room so it looks intended.
Then let wood do the rest. A wooden coffee table, picture frames, a stool, a cutting board leaning on the kitchen counter. Mixed wood tones are fine as long as one dominates.
Bring in something living (or close to it)
Real plants are the obvious answer. A trailing pothos or a fern does more than any object. If your apartment doesn’t get much light, mix in the preserved and faux kind:
- Preserved moss (on Amazon) in a shallow bowl or tray. It needs no water and holds its color for a year or more.
- Faux eucalyptus (on Amazon) or pine stems in a tall vase.
- A wooden dough bowl (on Amazon) on the coffee table with moss, pinecones and a candle.
Branches and low light
In the evening, a forest room should feel lit by small warm points, not one bright overhead. Lighted twig branches (on Amazon) in a floor vase do this nicely and stay up all winter, not just at Christmas. Add candles and a lamp with a fabric shade.
On the walls
Botanical prints work better than literal forest photos. Old fern and mushroom illustrations, tree studies, a landscape painting in muted colors. Group three or more in matching frames.
If you rent and want a bigger change, peel-and-stick wallpaper (on Amazon) in a small leaf or branch pattern on one wall, or just the back of a bookshelf, does a lot.
What to skip
- More than one antler or animal piece per room.
- “Live, laugh, lake” style signs.
- Too much plaid. One plaid item is cozy. Four is a costume.
- Fake fur everywhere. One sheepskin on a chair is plenty.
Small-space version
No room for a green chair or a gallery wall? Do one shelf. A small plant, a framed fern print leaning at the back, a candle, a pinecone and a wooden box. Put one green pillow on the sofa to tie it in.