Shelves with biophilic design elements like plants, stone, wood, and artwork

Have you ever dreamt of living in a tranquil home that connects you directly with nature? If so, biophilic interior design may be for you.

While once considered to be nothing more than a niche trend, biophilic design has expanded to become an international phenomenon among sustainable interior design decorators, architects, and homeowners looking to bring the natural world into their homes.

But what is biophilic design, how is it defined, and how can we incorporate it into our homes? This blog will take an in-depth look at biophilia.

What is Biophilic Design?

In short, biophilia means to have a love of nature, thus, biophilic home design means to incorporate elements of the natural world into our home’s architecture and interior design.

In architecture, elements like natural lighting and ventilation from the outdoors are examples of biophilic design principles, as is internal and external landscaping.

For interior biophilic design principles, choosing specific colour schemes, decorating with natural materials like wood and stone, and of course, house plants…lots and lots of house plants! Here is a more in depth look at some examples of biophilic home design.

Bringing in the Light

When we think of bringing nature into the home, we might only think of plant life, but light is an integral part of nature. Incorporating natural light into your home makes your home feel fresh, airy, and more spacious.

Biophilic homes often utilize large windows that are free from obstructions like heavy blinds and curtains. On the outside of the home, be sure that any trees and shrubberies don’t obstruct light from entering the windows.

Re-arranging your furniture into zones where sunlight hits can help you to enjoy the natural light. As for some décor ideas, utilizing mirrors and other reflective materials like glass and crystal can help to refract light and maximize its spread throughout a room.

Think Green

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that green is a favourite colour when it comes to biophilic design. Studies have shown that green in a home can help reduce stress, improve focus, and lower heart rates. The colour is also very multi-purposeful and can add comfort and flexibility to almost any space.

While the mind first thinks about house plants, there are many other ways that the colour green can be incorporated into the home. Green furniture, walls, and décor items like blankets and pillows can all be beneficial in simulating the outdoors.

Consider Natural Formations

In many modern architectural designs, straight lines and sharp angles reign supreme. But with biophilic design, natural patterns and rounded shapes are welcomed and celebrated.

Curves are everywhere in our natural world, from rolling hills, to flowing waves and flower petals. Incorporating curves into a home is not only esthetically pleasing, it can also help to decrease stress and improve mood by stimulating the senses when viewing their designs in the home.

As for some examples of décor options, consider: rounded coffee tables, patterned carpets, scalloped detailing, motifs such as botanical leaves or swirling waves. Many of these design elements can be found when looking at mid-century modern aesthetic inspired décor.

Plant life

Plants are obviously one of the biggest elements of interior biophilic design. Having an abundance of plant life in your home can help to boost mood, lower stress and fatigue, improve and purify the air quality. It can also add a finishing touch to the perfect office space in your home, and improve your focus while working.

Plants work in nearly every room of the house, from entryway to bedrooms.

In the kitchen, consider using functional plant life such as a small herb garden containing basil, mint, parsley, rosemary, etc.

If managing plant life is not your forte, consider purchasing hardy plants that are capable of withstanding almost any elements, such as:

  • Cacti and succulents
  • Devil’s Ivy
  • Terrariums
  • Sweetheart plants

Meanwhile, your bedroom is your personal sanctuary that should bring you peace and relaxation.  Consider using plants that bring you the most joy in your bedroom, or ones that are known to produce an abundance of oxygen, such as orchids, peace lilies, and aloe vera. Having a room with more purified oxygen is conducive to better sleep.

Use Other Natural Elements

Besides utilizing light and plant life, there are other natural elements that can be incorporated into biophilic design.

Water, for example, adds both design and beauty into your home. The presence of water elements can also add tranquility to a space, lowering blood pressure and adding to overall well-being.  Water gardens, aquariums, fountains, waterwalls are all great options.  Older wood elements in a home can also be given new life, when considering the art of restoration.

Air is another natural design element that is easy to forget, due to its passive and invisible state. However, many architecture spaces that have been designed with biophilia in mind include access to natural air flow, without relying on automated systems like air conditioning. The idea with these designs is that you could open a window in one room, and feel the effects of the air flow in another. This not only helps a space stay fresh, it can help stimulate focus, alertness, and focus.

Fake It Until You Make It

While living in a home full of natural elements like plant life and water, it’s not always an option, whether it be due to allergies, pets, space, or practicality. It’s perfectly okay to add faux elements in cases like this.

For example, if real water to your home isn’t feasible, consider using accents and décor that feature wavy patterns, photos or artwork of water, and accent colours like blue.

For greenery, faux plant life like fake flowers, bamboo, and ivy all work well, as do incorporating artwork and photographs depicting nature, such as landscapes and forest scenery.

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