Humans and nature are intertwined. However, many indoor spaces, such as our homes, tend to be without natural elements. Biophilic interior design aims to bring aspects of nature inside.
You don’t have to be an interior designer to incorporate biophilic design into your next home remodel, though. In fact, learning how to incorporate nature into your home design is relatively straightforward. All you have to do is keep several biophilic design starting points in mind.
50Floor understands the importance of creating harmonious living spaces and can help you integrate natural elements into your home seamlessly.
What is Biophilic Design?
Biophilic design is about creating a connection between indoor spaces and the natural world. This approach involves integrating natural elements like plants, natural light, water, and materials to improve our well-being and make our environments more vibrant and relaxing.
Benefits of Biophilic Interior Design
- Improved Well-Being: Being around natural elements can reduce stress and improve mood. Studies have shown that exposure to natural environments, even in small amounts, can significantly improve our mental health and overall well-being.
- Health Benefits: Better air quality and a sense of calm from natural surroundings can lead to better health. Plants, for example, help purify the air and reduce toxins, contributing to a healthier living space.
- Enhanced Productivity: Natural light and greenery can increase productivity and creativity. Offices that incorporate biophilic design often see higher levels of employee satisfaction and efficiency.
- Environmental Impact: Using natural materials can be more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Choosing renewable resources and eco-friendly options helps reduce your carbon footprint.
Ways to Add Biophilic Touches to Your Interior Spaces
If you’re interested in connecting your home to the outdoors, try implementing the following design strategies.
Use Natural Materials
Whether you’re redoing the floors in your living room or switching to different kitchen cabinets, think long and hard about the materials you pick.
For instance, hardwood and engineered hardwood flooring will give your space an all-natural look and feel. You can use the Janka hardness rating scale when picking these flooring options.
Opt for Nature-Inspired Designs and Lines
When you take a walk outside, you’ll rarely see sharp 90-degree angles and perfectly straight, long lines when looking at plants, trees, or stones. Instead, you’ll see connections between curves and shorter lines.
When you’re purchasing furnishings, artwork, and other upgrades, invest in a few that offer natural lines. These designs could include a table with a top made from reclaimed barn wood that features rounded corners.
Pick Earthy Colors
The colors of nature frequently lean toward tones such as browns, grays, and greens. Of course, those hues can also include pops of color like brilliant reds, purples, and yellows. If your goal is to achieve biophilic interior design harmony, choose colors found in nature instead of more artificial ones like neon.
Make Living Plants Part of Your Room Scheme
Adding living plants and flowers to your home is a fast, simple way to incorporate nature into any design. Plus, you’ll get added benefits when your home is filled with plants. Perhaps the most important of all is improved indoor air quality.
Plants “scrub” the air, leaving it fresher and cleaner. When paired with other items that can improve indoor air quality, such as certain flooring types, plants can be a huge advantage to you and your family.
Choose Organic, Natural Furnishings
You’ve painted your walls and ceiling using a natural palette. You’ve installed oak hardwood floor planks. But your furniture may not mesh with your biophilic design dreams. In that case, look for furniture featuring natural materials. When used appropriately indoors, bamboo, wicker and rattan can boost a biophilic interior design.
Expose Your Home to Sunlight and Moonlight
It’s time to open up your rooms to natural light. The simplest way to do this is to add more windows and skylights to each room. If you don’t have the budget to put in larger windows, you can also bring in light by using sheer curtain designs. Also, integrating an open floor plan may help your space feel more bright and airy.
Add Water Features
Consider adding an indoor fountain or an aquarium for a soothing ambiance.
The soft sound of running water creates a serene atmosphere that eases tension and encourages relaxation. This dynamic element adds moisture to the air, which is especially helpful in dry climates or during the winter, while also improving the atmosphere in your home.
Water features are classy focal points that elevate any space and increase its visual appeal. Their presence creates a connection to nature and adds to a biophilic design that supports well-being and a balanced living environment.
Practical Tips and DIY Projects
- Vertical Gardens: Create a vertical garden on a blank wall. This is a great way to incorporate a lot of greenery without taking up floor space. Vertical gardens can be as simple as a few hanging planters or as complex as a living wall system.
- Indoor Water Feature: Install a small tabletop fountain. This is an easy way to add the soothing sound of water to your home. Tabletop fountains come in various styles and sizes, so you can find one that fits your decor.
- Natural Art: Use prints of nature scenes or frame pressed leaves and flowers. Artwork inspired by nature can enhance the biophilic feel of your home. Look for pieces that resonate with you and complement your existing decor.
Upgrade Your Home with Biophilic Designs From 50Floor
By incorporating a few biophilic design elements into your house, you can create a more relaxed and nature-inspired home environment. Also, you don’t have to change everything all at once. Instead, you can choose to slowly integrate these tips.
Start small and update one of your favorite spaces, like the kitchen or living room. Afterward, you can move on to other parts of your home as you have the time and budget.
Want to find out how nature-inspired flooring will look in your home? Schedule an appointment with 50Floor now to learn more about the biophilic design difference natural flooring could make.
