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Looking for a way to spice up your home décor with a concept that’s both unique and trending? Forget all of the obvious nature themes like flowers and pumpkins—bring in the bugs. According to the Garden Media 2024 Garden Trends report, there is a growing intrigue and awareness of insects like butterflies, bees, and beetles. Interestingly, this is inspiring more people to decorate with insect décor.
“We started noticing a shift in home décor to incorporating colorful and realistic-looking insects on items such as high-end rugs, vases, pillows, and wall art, along with a major shift in home gardening to plants and organic practices that help support pollinators and other beneficial insects,” says Katie Dubow, president of Garden Media Group. As people connect the dots between their outdoor activities and home environment, insects are taking center stage as a hot new décor theme on social media and even in big-box stores.
Discover a variety of ways to decorate with bug imagery and designs, such as hanging real or vegan insect taxidermy as art, choosing fabrics with insect patterns, opting for butterfly wallpaper, and laying down area rugs highlighting insect anatomy.
1. Choose fabrics with insect patterns.
One of the easiest ways to add some insect décor to a room is to put out pillows or a throw with a buggy pattern. With temporary decor items like these, they can be changed out each season to create a completely different feel to the room. One unique source for these excellent insect pillows is at Etsy, where you can discover fabrics with butterflies, ladybugs, dragonflies, bees, flies, and more. We like this pastel beetles pillow by KatiaBulbenko.
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2. Adorn an accent wall with butterfly wallpaper.
Draw attention to a part of the room by creating an accent wall with whimsical butterfly wallpaper. As a colorful and bold wallpaper, it will most likely be the among the first things that someone notices when entering the room.
As a focal point, the wallpaper will be sure to add character to the space and even serve as a conversation starter when guests visit. Check out Yenhome’s butterfly peel and stick wallpaper at Amazon for inspiration.
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3. Lay down area rugs with bug motifs.
Area rugs can warm up a space and provide comfort to an otherwise cold, hard tile or wood floor. Join in the buggy fun by adding one or more area rugs that showcase insects. A popular motif has an intricate anatomy of insects to spur interest and empathy for these curious creatures, like this welcoming machine-washable pink, coral, and blue Flutterby multicolor rug by Iris Apfel at Ruggable.
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4. Liven up a space with insect art.
From vivid photography to anatomical drawings to creative abstract pieces, there is an abundance of bug-related wall art to display. Print your own photos, visit gift shops at science museums and botanical gardens, or shop online for images of everything from beetles to butterflies to posters filled with numerous insect species. Check out this Irises and Dragonfly on canvas print at Wayfair and this SHOXREM vintage entomology poster at Amazon.
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5. Bring bugs into the kitchen.
Instead of only using flowers, herbs, and produce from the garden to decorate indoors, try bringing the outside in using bug-themed kitchen items. The National Wildlife Federation’s online shop has an abundance of clever products, such as dish cloths, plates, canisters, and trivets. Purchasing from this organization helps support their mission to ensure that wildlife thrives in a rapidly changing world.
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6. Dress up house plants with insect décor.
While some may choose to decorate with mushrooomcore or Barbiecore, others prefer to see insect designs throughout their home. Get inspired by their natural surroundings and add insect decor to your houseplant display. Try planter pots with bug imagery on them, like this bee planter pot by FunSucculents at Etsy or this adorable ladybug and ant pot climber set at The National Wildlife Federation.
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7. Showcase real or vegan insect taxidermy.
Make a real statement by hanging taxidermy in one or more rooms. Insect art combines environmental conservation, science education, and design. There are both real and vegan options available.
Bug Under Glass offers framed insect displays, like this real framed dead head moth at Etsy. They use eco-friendly natural biological specimens, museum-grade 99 percent UV blocking glass, gallery-quality shadowbox frames, and natural history information about each specimen displayed. For those who prefer a faux option, check out Moth & Myth’s life-like paper replicas of moths and butterflies at Etsy. We like this realistic paper luna moth in various sizes.
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8. Brighten up a room with insect-themed lights.
It doesn’t have to be the holidays to string some lights. Go wild with insects by hanging lights that look like butterflies, bees, dragonflies, or other insects. These lights can help shine attention on a certain area of the home, such as a dark corner of a room or a cozy nook to sit back and relax. Check out dragonfly lights and honeybee fairy string lights available at Amazon.
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9. Display insect-themed books.
Another simple way to incorporate insects into a home is by placing insect-themed books on shelves or a coffee table like the Smithsonian Handbook of Interesting Insects at Amazon. For a retro vibe, we like a vintage entomology book like this illustrated insects book from StonebridgeType at Etsy. Not only will these books add a boho chic aesthetic to the room, but people might also actually open them up and learn a thing or two about the more than one million insect species on the planet. Find such books at new and used bookstores, garage sales, and museums.
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