We have always enjoyed having plenty of plants around the house, and at last count have over 20 dotted around the place. We always felt that plants added something to a room, with their oxygen-giving green leaves providing the best form of interior design. So, it didn’t really come as a huge surprise to learn that biophilic design is an actual thing!

Biophilic design is an architectural and interior approach that deliberately incorporates natural elements, materials and patterns into the built environment. Rooted (literally) in our biological connection to nature (biophilia), it aims to enhance human health, reduce stress and improve overall wellbeing.

Count me in.

Of course, plants are the most obvious way to bring biophilic design into a home, but I was intrigued to discover what else can create that same feeling without requiring quite so much watering, repotting and occasional guilt. Here are six things that can bring a little more of the natural world into your own abode.

01. Greenery

It’s not just lush green plants that can have a positive impact on our sense of wellbeing. Green walls can do a similar thing, which might explain why we chose Resene Paddock for our dining room. Apparently, surrounding ourselves with the colour of leaves and grass makes us feel more connected to nature.

So perhaps our paint choice wasn’t entirely accidental. Or perhaps I’m just very good at retrospectively finding scientific justification for my decorating decisions.

Either way, I’m sticking with it.

02. Water

Water features, whether still or running, bring a sense of calm and serenity to a space. There is something about the sound of trickling water, the reflection of light or simply being able to see water that makes us slow down a little.

A water feature outside, a pool, water bowl or even a home with a sea view can have the same effect. We have a corten steel fire pit bowl in our garden filled with water, which has become the local bird watering hole, so it has double the benefits!

03. Natural Light

Natural light is another mood booster, and perhaps the easiest way to bring a little more nature into a home. Large windows, skylights, glass doors and strategically placed mirrors can all help draw daylight further inside.

It’s not just about brightness either. Natural light changes throughout the day, bringing a different quality to a room in the morning, afternoon and evening.

04. Organic Shapes

Nature isn’t particularly interested in straight lines. Trees bend, stones are irregular, rivers curve and leaves certainly don’t come in standard rectangular sizes.

Introducing some of these softer, organic shapes into a home can make it feel more relaxed. A curved sofa, round coffee table, arched doorway, sculptural light or quirky piece of furniture can soften all those hard lines and right angles we tend to fill our houses with.

I particularly like this one because it doesn’t require a renovation. You can achieve quite a lot simply by swapping a few square things for curved ones.

05. Wood & Stone

This one makes perfect sense to me. Timber and stone are two of the oldest building materials around, and they bring an immediate sense of warmth and texture into a home.

There is something very different about real timber with visible grain or a piece of stone with all its natural variation compared with something manufactured to look like it. They have imperfections, knots, cracks, colour changes and little quirks. As nature intended.

06. An Earthy Palette

Finally, there is colour. Earthy greens, warm browns, sandy neutrals, terracotta, clay and soft natural whites can all help create a feeling of connection to the outdoors.

This doesn’t mean your house needs to look like the inside of a cave or that everything needs to be beige. It might be as simple as an olive-green wall, terracotta cushion, natural linen curtains or warm timber against a softer background.

And that, I think, is what I like most about biophilic design. It isn’t really about creating a particular “look”. It’s about creating a feeling.

The homes that feel the nicest to be in often have some combination of these things without the owners ever having heard of biophilic design. Plenty of natural light. A view of trees. Timber underfoot. Stone around a fireplace. A plant or two. Maybe water nearby. They feel calm and welcoming, and somehow a little easier to relax in.

So if your home is feeling a little flat, perhaps the answer isn’t another piece of furniture or the latest interior trend. Open the curtains. Bring in a plant. Paint a wall green. Add some timber. Find a beautiful piece of stone. Or simply move the sofa so you can see the garden.

You might just discover that the best interior designer has been nature all along.

And if nothing else, you now have a perfectly legitimate reason to buy another plant.

All images sourced via Pinterest

The Good Vibes Of Biophilic Design