What is a Biophilic Design and How to Create It

 

If you’re a fan of the great outdoors, you may likely be looking at how to bring elements of nature inside when it comes to interior design. In recent years, this concept has been coined as biophilic design, and in essence, it is simply taking your love of the natural environment and incorporating it into your interiors.

In recent years, statistics have shown that an alarming 93% of our time is spent indoors, which explains why there has been a real increase in biophilic interior design in recent years – with people keen to bring nature within their own four walls. Biophilic design principles are incredibly simple and easy to follow and, in this blog, we’ll delve into a bit more detail looking at what a biophilic design is and how to create it in your home.

Being Able to See Nature

When it comes to biophilic house design, it’s important to look at how you can incorporate nature and the outside environment into your home. The most obvious solution is through plants – not only are the majority of house plants air purifying but creating a visual connection to nature has also been proven to improve mental well-being and attentiveness, and lower blood pressure. If you’re not very good with houseplants, start with something simple like a Snake Plant.

Natural Light

Letting the light in wherever is possible is key for biophilic interiors. The biophilic design concept focuses on recreating the sun’s natural glow – all the artificial lighting indoors, such as the glare from our computer screens, TVs and phones can be detrimental to our mental well-being and the health of our eyes. Where possible, incorporate natural light into your interior, which will change the look and feel of your space depending on the amount of sunlight on any given day.

Biophilic Shapes & Patterns

When implementing a biophilic design into your home, think about the materials you use and how they can relate to nature. If you’re trying to create a biophilic bedroom, consider a wooden bed with a linen or woollen throw. If you’re focusing your design on a biophilic living room, choose a sofa with a wooden frame, or perhaps consider a green material, for example, choosing the Stirling sofa in green velvet.

Align the Senses

While it has been proven that being able to see nature makes a real difference to our well-being, the interior biophilic design also takes into consideration stimulating our other senses, such as sound and smell.

Whether you introduce a water feature into your interiors, choose some candles with a scent of the outdoors, or download an app that replicates birdsong or the sound of the ocean, these can all help to create a relaxing, more tranquil ambience that aligns with biophilic design principles.

Ultimately, if you love being outside, chances are you have already introduced biophilic design into your home. If you’re keen to make it more of a focus, a few simple additions to your interior can make a real difference.

Want more design ideas? Check out our blog for more inspiration