Biophilic Interior Design – Make Your Home a Natural Sanctuary

With age, we realize how important our overall health is. The sooner you understand this and take actions that will improve your wellbeing, the better. With that in mind, you might have already introduced a healthier diet and included more physical activity into your everyday schedule. However, it’s also important to take your home into account. Where we live also influences how we feel, which is why we should look for a type of interior design that can make our living quarters a natural sanctuary that will always promote health and prosperity. So, one type of design to consider is certainly biophilic but what is it exactly and how can you incorporate it into different areas of your home? Read on for some helpful ideas.

What is biophilic interior design?

First and foremost, we should define what biophilia and biophilic interior design are. For starters, biophilia is an innate connection that humans are thought to have with nature, meaning that spending time outdoors, in the fresh air enjoying greenery and sunshine, can make us feel better and overall healthier.

When it comes to interior design, there are various ways you can use biophilia in order to create a home that will encourage wellness. These range from letting fresh air and sunlight into your home to implementing natural materials when building all the way to adding greenery in all parts of your home. If you’re interested in more details, keep on reading to see how biophilic interior design can be used in your living abode to make it more health-inspiring.

Bedrooms

In terms of relaxation, there is no place more sacred than the bedroom. Fortunately, ways of introducing nature into it are countless. For example, you can start by replacing the windows in the bedroom with larger models that will let in more sunlight. While sun rays that enter your home might not be able to provide you with the necessary vitamin D, getting an abundance of natural light is still a big advantage as it can help you regulate your circadian rhythm. Your body will know that it’s time to go to sleep when it starts getting dark outside, so make sure to use sheer curtains in case you cannot expand your windows. Something else that is vital for the bedroom is to ventilate it regularly and let in plenty of fresh air.

Furthermore, colors are another great way you can add a touch of nature to the bedrooms. For one, opting for wooden floors in all sorts of hues is a surefire way to connect to the great outdoors. Then, you can always put a fresh coat of paint on the walls. Consider blue and green shades as well as some earthy tones like greiges and tans. Reworking the color scheme is very easy to do as you can make it happen through accents like cotton bedding and jute rugs as well.

Finally, you want to tie the room together with a few houseplants. Most common bedroom plants include lavender, snake plant, and peace lily.

Kitchen

The kitchen might be the place where your family gathers most often. Therefore, it’s a good idea to create a space that will help everyone stay healthy. Besides having the kitchen showered in natural light, you can consider replacing the flooring with hardwood or natural stone tiles while you can simply mimic the look with some of the more affordable and durable alternatives like luxury vinyl. When choosing new flooring, it’s important to keep in mind how much traffic the area sees and opt for something that suits your family.

Switching up the color scheme is also easy as you can not only paint the walls but also replace the backsplash, have the appliances repainted, and paint the cabinet fronts in a nature-inspired hue. Dark greens and blues as well as yellow and orange shades can all work wonders in a modern kitchen.

Of course, you don’t want to skip plants here either. You might want to consider some vining varieties here, such as pothos and English ivy, but you can also go with aloe vera, various herbs, and the cast iron plant.

Dining room

No matter if you have every meal in the dining room or only use it for special occasions when you have guests over, this space also deserves a biophilic makeover. While it’s not always possible, it’s a great move to get bigger windows so that you can enjoy your food in natural light.

Then, you can consider swapping the current flooring solution with something a bit more eco-friendly, like cork or bamboo. Moreover, look for a dining table and chairs made of wood, for example, as that can create a feel that is more evocative of the outdoors. Painting the walls in a suitable shade of orange or green can result in a great atmosphere as well.

The dining room shouldn’t be overlooked either when it comes to houseplants. If you’re working with more space, you can add a large fiddle-leaf fig or an umbrella plant. However, if the space is limited, opting for interesting flower arrangements might be a better alternative. In that way, your dining room table can have a different focal point every week or so and you’ll have a great talking point when you have visitors.

Living room

Sure, the living room is for lounging and kicking back, but that doesn’t have to mean that you can’t be healthy while doing so. To promote wellness in this room as well, you can start with the color palette. Paint the walls, change the carpet, add more throw pillows and blankets, and display some art that is reminiscent of the outdoors.

What is more, use interesting plants to purify the air and feel closer to nature. For example, you can get a larger monster or get a smaller areca palm and watch it grow into a big baby over the years. Find earthy-toned planters that will perfectly fit into the space.

The living room is a great place to introduce a water feature if that is something you have the space for. This doesn’t have to be a huge fountain in the middle of your home. It can be a small, side-table fountain that will provide your lovely abode with the sound of running water, which can be very calming and inspiring.

On a bigger scale, you can also do a larger remodel and connect your living room with your outdoor space. If your living room already has a door to the backyard, why not replace the whole wall with huge bi-fold doors that will let in plenty of light and make going from inside to outside a breeze.

Bathrooms

Regardless of how many bathrooms you have in your home, you want to pay special attention to their design as well. From doing a complete renovation and using all sorts of natural materials like wood and stone to simply replacing some details and adding organic cotton towels and bamboo bath mats, there is a lot you can do.

While adding a bigger window might not be a possibility, don’t forget to check the ventilation system in order to decrease the humidity of the space, which can result in mold and health issues. However, you’ll be glad to hear that there are still houseplants that thrive in humidity and you can easily place them in the bathroom. For instance, look for different types of ferns and orchids that will make every bathroom cozy.

Home office

As 2020 saw many people start working from home, you might have also created a home office for yourself or at least designated a space for work in your home. The goal of this area is to be as productive as possible so you want to use the biophilic design to your advantage.

Fortunately, blues and greens that are a big part of this approach to design can also be used to boost focus and tranquility. With that in mind, painting your home office in a soothing sage hue can ensure you are getting everything done on time. Moreover, getting enough natural light will also improve your concentration and reduce the risk of headaches and eye strain.

Lastly, add a few plants to this area as well. For instance, there are plants that can absorb harmful radiation that comes from various electronics like TVs and computers. So, think about getting a peace lily, aloe vera, or rubber plant.

Other spaces

When it comes to other parts of your home, such as hallways, mudrooms, garages, and other utility rooms, there are things you can do as well. From replacing the windows to have more light to using natural materials, these spaces can also easily be transformed to have your health as their top priority. Getting a few plants in there and maybe some art that represents nature can also go a long way.

As you can see, the biophilic approach to interior design has the aim to connect us with nature during these hectic times. Luckily, you can do this in countless ways so find those that suit you and your family.

META: Learn more about biophilic design and the various ways you can incorporate it into your home in order to promote wellbeing.