How to include Biophilic Design principles in your home

Human beings are biologically wired to feel connected to nature, so it's not surprising that we tend to feel calmer and more balanced when we spend time in the outdoors. Although we can always go out into nature, most of us don't do this as often as we should, and our busy schedules mean we tend to spend most of our time indoors instead. Biophilic Design intends to address this by bringing key elements from the outdoors into the home. This not only helps us to reconnect with nature, but also supports our mental and emotional wellbeing by creating homes that feel safer and more calming. In this blog post we will explore 4 ways in which you can do this for your own home:

Plants

Adding plants throughout your home is probably the most obvious way to feel more connected to nature and reap the rewards of biophilic design. As well as helping to bring the outdoors in and reducing feelings of stress, plants have many other benefits:

• They help to clean the air in your home. Whilst we always aim to select VOC-free or low VOC products, sometimes it's unavoidable. Adding plants in your home can help remove some of the VOCs and make the air you breathe a lot healthier.

• Some plants such as lavender, jasmine and valerian also release a calming scent that can help with winding down and getting better sleep at night time.

• Keeping edible plants such as thyme, oregano and parsley can help you save money when preparing meals, and can also be a fun project that the whole family can get involved in.

• Exposure to indoor plants has been linked to improved concentration and mental clarity, particularly in work-from-home environments or study areas.

• Some studies have even linked gardening (and exposure to soil) with improved gut health and immune systems!
  

When selecting indoor plants, ensure to consider the size of the plant and the amount of water and light they require. By selecting the right type of plant for each location (and for your lifestyle) you can be sure to keep your new plants alive and your home healthier and happier.

Colours, Materials and Patterns

Introducing colour palettes inspired by nature, natural materials, and organic patterns can also help to connect us with nature and improve our wellbeing. Natural materials can be easy to integrate as many of the cabinetry, furniture and decor we buy are already made from these: think natural stone benchtops, timber furniture, and rattan sections on chairs and linen upholstery.

Natural spaces can feel relaxing or energising and the colours in these landscapes often reflect these feelings. Take cues from the colours in each of those types of spaces to inspire your home and how you want to feel. Bedrooms and bathrooms often benefit from quieter, earth-based tones that encourage the nervous system to slow down, while kitchens, living and dining spaces can handle slightly more contrast and depth without becoming overwhelming. By aligning colour choices with how you want each space to feel, your home becomes more intuitive to live in rather than simply visually cohesive.

When it comes to patterns, irregular and imperfect tend to feel closest to nature. There is a type of pattern called fractals which are found everywhere in nature, and we find it very soothing to look at. These patterns repeat themselves at different scales so that the same shape or structure appears again and again, whether you’re viewing it from far away or up close. Examples of this in nature includes the veins on a leaf and branches on a tree, snowflakes, the irregular rhythms of a coastline, and the pattern of cracked dry dirt.

Spatial Design: Refuge and Prospect

Biophilic design isn’t only about what we see, it’s also about how spaces make us feel. Two deeply ingrained human instincts play a key role here: our desires for refuge and for prospect. Well-designed homes balance both of these in order to help support our needs throughout the day.

Refuge refers to our need for spaces that feel enclosed and protected, like a cave or beneath a thick canopy of trees. These cocooning spaces allow us to relax and slow down without feeling exposed. In the home, we want to feel this way mostly in lounge areas and bedrooms. This can be enhanced by using soft lighting strategically, selecting darker/moodier tones, and by surrounding yourself in soft cosy textures.

Prospect, on the other hand, is about having a clear view of our surroundings. Humans are naturally drawn to spaces with long sight-lines where we can keep an eye out on our surrounding environment. This is more important in active zones like a kitchen, and is one of the reasons why open concept spaces appeal to us so much. Large windows with views of gardens or the sky can also help with our need to see what's happening around us.

Non-Rhythmic Sensory Stimuli

Non-Rhythmic Sensory Stimuli (or NRSS) refers to gentle, unpredictable moments in nature that capture our attention without demanding it. This could be softly shifting sunlight, trees swaying in the breeze, or slow moving water. As our brains are constantly processing information, this means that highly uniform, static environments can become mentally draining over time. Whilst NRSS might seem like a small thing, it gives the brain small moments of rest and recovery that can help to create a calmer atmosphere.

This can be particularly helpful for home offices to let the brain rest without disengaging completely. It can also be helpful for areas where you want to encourage relaxation, like a lounge or bedroom. Some ways that we can bring NRSS into the home are:

• Sheer curtains over open windows that move with the breeze

• Skylights that track light changes across the day

• Candles or lamps with a 'flickering' light

• Fireplaces - whether real or not, flickering fire can be really soothing to watch

• Water features that you can see through a window, or an aquarium in the home

• Plants and flowers that move naturally in a breeze

  
  

Biophilic design is ultimately about designing with human wellbeing at the centre. If you’d like help exploring how these principles can be woven into your own renovation or home design, working with a designer who understands wellbeing-led design can make all the difference.

Thank you for taking the time to read our blog post. Have a wonderful week!

Nina xx