Biophilia is one of the most written interior design trends from recent years, but…
what actually is biophilic interior design?
The word ‘biophilia’ originates from the Greek ‘philia’ meaning ‘love of’ and ‘’bio’ ‘life. It literally means ‘Love of life’ or living things.
Biophilic interior design attempts to connect our homes / workspaces with nature by incorporating things like natural lighting and plants. By doing so, it’s said to improve our health, general wellbeing and boost our productivity. It’s also thought biophilic interior design can reduce stress, enhance creativity and clarity of thought.
Here are my 4 simple interior design tips to introduce biophilia into your home.
1) maximise natural light
Maximising exposure to natural light is one of the cornerstones of biophilic design:
- Reposition any furniture, blinds, curtains etc. which may be obstructing natural light from windows;
- Set mirrors in areas where light hits to bounce it back into your room;
- Place reflective / shiny textures into darker corners.
2) fill your home with plants
Houseplants can also play a role in improving indoor air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. This improves our wellbeing by helping us breath more easily.
3) use natural materials
Include sustainable natural materials like bamboo, cork, stone and rattan into your home. Natural textures are beautiful to look at, feel good to touch and can create a direct connection to nature.
La Redoute is a great place to seek out stylish nature inspired furniture – I love these rattan armchairs
4) embrace green colour schemes.
The colour green is known for its stress reducing and calming properties. Green walls, furniture and accessories can create a relaxing space that recreates the beneficial effects of being outdoors.
Go one step further and include nature inspired wallpaper designs, like these from borastapeter
Are you a fan of biophilic interior design? If you would like me to help introduce biophilia into your home, get in touch!
