It’s a jungle in here                    

When it comes to transformation, nothing has transformed our lives more than lockdown – moving us all inside and away from each other, into a new way of life. With the pandemic forcing us indoors, an interesting design trend has flourished – a move towards bringing the outdoors in, and enjoying the beauty of nature from the comfort of our own homes.

It’s a trend that makes perfect sense in these crazy times we are living in. It’s only natural that we’d want to bring the great outdoors into our enclosed spaces. And nothing says outdoors more than big bold jungle prints and gorgeous blooming plants. If you force us to cocoon, we will emerge as fabulous, trend-savvy butterflies!

Eijffinger Pip 309132 exotic jungle landscape mural

Welcome to the jungle!

Cut through the clutter of other trends out there and hone in on just this one: biophilia! Which is actually just a fancy word for people’s love of nature, but when it translates into wild, untamed jungle fever, it’s a design trend we can get behind. It seems the rest of the world is behind it too, because whether you’re in for full Amazon jungle, tropical rainforest, or something a little more discreet but just as exotic, there’s a wallpaper and a print out there for you.

We’re not just talking about brightly coloured tropical prints either – think fresh sophisticated colours, stylised designs, soft graphics interpretations and giant leafy illustrations. Literally something for every taste, and every room. What’s more, pairing your print with a plant is HUGE in 2021. Forget emotional support animals, this year it’s all about emotional support plants – plants as therapy, plants as décor, plants as food, and plants as a way to let your love of nature shine.

So how can you bring this flourishing new trend into your own home? Let’s take a look.

Colour

Yes jungles are mostly green but that doesn’t mean your wallpaper for walls needs to be as well. Find prints in every colour of the rainbow or what about a classic black and white option instead, and freshen up your walls and your life with a wonderfully exuberant jungle design. Add a splash of contrasting colour with a orchid or if you have orchid-fatigue, try a Bromeliad in flower and you’re all set.

Eijffinger Pip 300141 multicolour jungle wallpaper

Tres Tintas Rubrica RU3405-4 black & white jungle wallpaper

Eijffinger Karlijn van der Wier 309143 graphic jungle Circle sticker

Scale

It’s like Marianne Williamson says, “Your playing small does not serve the world.” So forget small prints and go big and bold! Unless you’re decorating a very small space – then a giant print could end up overwhelming it altogether. Bear the scale of your room in mind, and choose the size of your print accordingly, or not if you want to shake things up. Then add a Wild Banana or a Fiddle Leaf Fig, because when it comes to plants, big is also beautiful.

Tres Tintas Rubrica M3405-2 giant jungle mural

Eijffinger Geonature 309017 large scale fern mural

Accessories

Jungle prints are usually bold enough on their own without needing help from overly fussy or cluttered styling. Keep it simple by minimising any accessories in your jungle space, and focusing all attention on your fabulous print. But if you do want to add a little something extra, a hanging plant like the Forest Cactus or perhaps a String of Pearls would be the perfect finishing touch.

Eijffinger Vivid 354601 leafy mural

   Eijffinger Reflect 378010 repeating jungle wallpaper

Murals and Patterns

Do you want to tell a full-on story with a mural and go for scale, or do you prefer the overall effect of smaller repeated patterns instead? There’s no wrong answer here, it completely depends on your own personal taste, and thanks to design trends having swung in the way of the jungle in recent years, there’s plenty to choose from in both categories. Don’t forget to add a plant to your final choice though – a Fern or a Bamboo Palm would pair with either a mural or a pattern perfectly.

Eijffinger Skin 300612 large landscape jungle mural

Eijffinger Skin 300544 leopard print wallpaper

Leaves or Animals

Or even both, if you’re feeling brave. Jungle prints may have started out with leaves, but they’ve branched into so much more, with birds, flowers, monkeys and even lemurs now becoming popular choices. But if you prefer the classic leafy look, then stick with it. Traditional or exotic, it’s your space and your choice – and there are literally hundreds of designs to choose from. Match with a lushly green plant like a Delicious Monster or something architectural like Mother in Law's Tongue, and give your home a touch of the wild!

Eijffinger Mini Me 399070 stylized kids palm wallpaper

Eijffinger Mini Me 399081 jungle animal wallpaper & Khroma Oxygen OXY001 leafy wallpaper

 Eijffinger Favourites Vivid 309119 jungle Circle sticker 

As you can see, when it comes to prints and plants there are as many to choose from as there are trees in the rainforest. So whatever jungle means to you, open your home to the idea and bring the outdoors in. It’s the natural choice.