Do you have a thing for surrounding yourself with trees swaying in the wind or watching ocean waves crashing against the sandy shore? Biophilia is the scientific term that describes one’s innate tendency to connect with nature, and biophilic interior design is the perfect way to feed this instinct.
Biophilic design refers to incorporating nature into your interior — creating a relaxing space that helps you maintain your connection with Mother Nature, even when indoors. Such designs not only add to the visual aesthetics of your space but also have multiple health benefits and are proven to boost productivity levels.
Without further ado, let’s talk about how you can incorporate biophilic design into your home and avail all those benefits immediately!
Bring The Outdoors In
The first step to creating a biophilic interior involves bringing the outdoors in — by allowing in plenty of fresh air, sounds of nature, and natural light.
Slide open any windows at least once a day to allow air ventilation. The wind blowing outside will refresh your interior and give it the outdoorsy feeling you’re craving. Additionally, open windows welcome sounds of nature (as long as you’re not too deep in an urban jungle that is). And who doesn’t love the sound of birds chirping?
For lighting, make the most out of windows and skylights. Reposition any furniture pieces and/or textiles that obstruct the entrance of sunshine, and use mirrors to reflect light evenly in your space. Remember, the brighter the room, the more natural it will feel.
Tip: be sure to transition lighting according to the pattern of nature, which means dimming the lights as the sun goes down. This can be achieved by layering artificial lighting. Use accent, task, and ambient lighting in coherence to set up a lighting system that can be brightened and dimmed as the time of the day changes.
Use Natural Materials
Using natural materials adds depth to your interior while reflecting elements of nature. Use wood for the flooring and furniture, incorporate woven textiles, and hang a rattan chandelier. You can get even more creative and use bamboo, cork, and clay in your decor pieces.
If you want to step up your game, make use of reclaimed natural materials. You can do this by incorporating, for example, a refinished furniture piece.
Factor In Flowers And Houseplants
The most obvious way to incorporate a love of nature into your home is by growing indoor houseplants and flowers. These, quite literally, pick up pieces of nature and place them right in your interior.
From the beautiful Jade Plant to a climbing Heartleaf Philodendron, there are plenty of options to choose from. If you’re someone who struggles to keep plants alive, Monstera Dubia and Snake Plants are low-maintenance varieties that thrive on neglect. You could forget to water them for weeks on end and they wouldn’t mind.
There are also many indoor-suited flowers to grow, including Peace Lily, Lipstick Plant, and Flowering Maple. Our favourite is white hydrangeas — they’re so sleek yet stunning!
In addition to helping you add biophilic design to your space, plants clean the air, have several health benefits, and add a sense of purpose as you care for them.
Introduce The Water Element
If you’re someone who loves the ocean or any body of water, you can consider introducing the water element to your space. This one’s a little tricky, but you can achieve it with slightly more consideration.
The easiest way to do this is by incorporating a tabletop fountain. If you’re looking for the extra touch of luxury, you can consider an indoor waterfall! For folks wishing to go the extra mile — an aquarium with different species of fish can help bring in marine life, too.
Add Hints Of Biophilia To Your Decor
Biophilic design can be incorporated subtly into every piece of your decor. For artwork, display pictures of stunning landscapes (bonus points if you’ve collected them on your travels). You can also choose to put up art pieces with botanical or animal prints.
In terms of colour palette, you can choose a neutral backdrop and let the decor make its statement. Alternatively, you may opt for earth tones, i.e. colours from nature. These include different shades of blue, brown, and green. You can select subdued shades of these so that the colours don’t become too overwhelming.
Additionally, play around with organic shapes, or shapes inspired by nature. These include curves and asymmetries that add the perfect (read: natural) touch of imperfection.
Final Words
Biophilic design provides us with a much-needed connection with nature, even when we're indoors. It's no surprise that it’s become all the rage in the interior design world (and we’re not complaining!). If you’re ready to improve your well-being and wake up to an outdoorsy indoors every day, it’s time to infuse some biophilic elements to your interior!
Need some personalised help with incorporating Biophilic elements to your interior? Just book one of our Interior Design Gurus here! They can look at your space over video chat and give you tips, ideas and guidance on how to achieve your dream interior.