Get to know how to bring the beauty and glory of nature into your living spaces.
With recent developments, people have been forced to stay in our homes for a long time. Many have been missing visits not only to travel destinations, but even to ordinary public spaces like restaurants, bars, parks, and cinemas. Some are longing to take hiking and beach trips, all to experience nature once more. Yet we are only left to bring all these elements to our homes. So, we talk to Julie Jalandoni-Boschi whose house reflects an idyllic nature-inspired theme and learn how to transform our space into a beautiful home.
Socials and the outdoors
Spending her childhood having guests over her family’s home in La Carlota, Julie Jalandoni-Boschi came to acquaint herself with the world of hosting socials. “My grandmother always had company, mostly family, playing mah-jong and munching on whatever delicious dish the kitchen brings out,” she muses. From listening to conversations about sugarcane farming business and day-to-day lives during these intimate gatherings, Julie fell in love with the magic of styling interiors for socials. Her knowledge and “love for flowers and plants used in tablescapes… my love for feeding people, and my love of gathering people” all sprang from these get-togethers. “When people are comfortable, surrounded with food and warm hospitality, many ideas are shared, friendships [are] made even stronger, a new friendship [is] forged, and sometimes, a relationship [is] healed,” she reflects.
From having wonderful times in her grandmother’s home, Julie shares her family reflected such memories through the interiors in their own house. “She had a large covered lanai that is surrounded by her garden and is connected by a bridge over a small creek to her working kitchen,” Julie describes. “As such, we grew up surrounded [by] big trees, flowers, and everything that goes with it.” Now, her home in Tali features a lanai opening to their garden and pool, allowing the family to lounge outdoors. As comfort is their top priority, they have a mix of traditional and contemporary furniture pieces—elegant yet offer much solace and space to enjoy the beauty of their surroundings.
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Creating a lush jungle
With an incredible, nature-inspired home, Julie talks about the way she curates pieces and designs to maintain an invigorating ambiance. “As much as possible, have live plants,” she says, “I am not fond of dried or artificial floral arrangements but I have seen some really beautifully executed ones if that is more in line with one’s taste.” She strongly suggests having live plants around. It may take time and effort to grow, but nothing beats the soothing presence of these greens.
When asked for easy-to-care plants, she recommends white phalaenopsis orchids as it only requires once a week of watering. “I have palms, yucca trees, peace lilies, fiddle-leaf, monsteras, sellouts, and snake plants indoors. English ivy and pothos are great if you like trailing plants,” she adds.
She has a green thumb as well and so she takes advantage of it by growing plants and herbs around the house. “I am very lucky to be part of a group of plant lovers and we share our seeds, cuttings, and suppliers,” she shares. For her vegetable garden, Julie keeps the seeds of the fruits and veggies they consume, dries them, and plants immediately. “I am enjoying the fruits of my labor already such as calamansi, okra, tomatoes, and a lot of herbs,” she clarifies. “Propagation is easy; a lot of herbs grow roots in water is it is literally as easy as sticking the stem into a glass of water.”
To further complete the nature theme, she suggests to orient furniture towards the light. Having natural sunlight gives off a charming aura. “Having flowers on the tables and maybe, a larger plant, as large as you can make it, at the corner of the room. Even flower buds floating in a saucer filled with water [are] already magical for me,” she adds.
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Art from nature
Apart from growing greenery, Julie loves filling their home with botanical prints. “I collect animal-inspired or themed accessories coming from all sources usually from vintage stores, flea markets, local manufacturers, auction houses, and estate sales,” she reveals. The designs add life to the house, offering a refreshing and idyllic sight especially now that most of the family works from home. Some of the pieces in her home include those of art collector Dr. Cuanang of Boston Gallery, artists from Pinto Art Gallery, and Provenance Gallery of Raul and Joanna Francisco.
“Tara Soriano, a muralist, painted our dining room in the city with a scene from one of our favorite places in France combining elements from different photographs we took,” Julie shares with enthusiasm. Similarly, her daughter Isabella is an artist. With her love for nature and an incredible eye for colors, she painted a lovely mural of tropical elements in their powder room and in her own room as well.
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Curating pieces
Beyond decorating, Julie points out the importance of selecting furniture that amplifies comfort. For her, a top design must-have is the best bottom support for one’s bed and lounge pieces that can withstand time. She also advises those who like hosting to have a long dining table for guests. She says to make it “as narrow as possible without it looking unbalanced,” she clarifies, “a narrow width allows diners to converse with people beside them as well as in front of them.” With these design must-haves, family and house guests can definitely feel right at home.
Through Julie’s perspective on designing a nature-inspired home, anyone can transform their living spaces into places that give renewed energy and tranquility amid this “new normal.”
Photos from Julie Boschi
