The natural world has more beauty in it than people will ever be able to appreciate, so it is no surprise that natural elements, colors, and motifs are often used in interior design. The proper term for this is ‘biophilic design’, which means bringing nature into manmade environments. In addition to looking attractive, it can also make a big difference to the feel of a space, giving inhabitants a sense of peace and tranquility. Some people believe that biophilic design also has the potential to reduce stress which in turn can improve physical and mental health. If biophilic interior design appeals to you, here are five ways to bring mother nature into your home.
- Bring in plants and flowers
The first and possibly most important step is to bring living plants and flowers into your home. There is no better way to embrace nature, whether you choose succulents, colorful flowers, herbs, or potted plants. Living plants absorb toxins and emit oxygen into the air around them, which can help to cleanse the air you breathe. This has been linked to better quality sleep, improved cognitive capacity, and less stress. If you are not particularly green-fingered, click here for some ideas for low-maintenance houseplants.
- Use natural colors and tones
To truly embrace biophilic design, you need to choose a natural color palette. However, that does not mean that you must go all-in on green, gray, and brown. Think of a sunrise, sunset, or the many colors of flowers. There are literally hundreds of colors that can be found in nature, including terracotta, orange, ochre, mocha, creams, blues, purples, and more. The key is to find subtle tones. If you do want to embrace green, consider using multiple shades that complement each other. Alternatively, you could keep walls and floors neutral and use bolder colors in your furniture, ornaments, fabrics, and artwork.
- Use botanical patterns and prints
When choosing patterns and prints for your walls, look for designs that incorporate flowers, leaves, branches, trees, or pebbles. You might want to wallpaper a room entirely or paint some decorative motifs on a plain wall with a flower stencil. There are also lots of design companies that specialize in botanical fabrics and soft furnishings if you are looking for curtains, sofas, or cushions.
- Choose natural materials
In addition to recreating the look of nature in your home, you can also bring in materials directly from the natural world. For example, using reclaimed wood as flooring or furniture, stone or marble flooring, bamboo partitions, cork housewares, pinecones, or pretty pebbles or seashells gathered on the beach. Natural cotton and linens in your housewares can also look fresh and clean in your design.
- Bring the smells of nature into your home
We have covered the look and feel of biophilic design, but we cannot forget about the smells of nature. Nothing is quite so refreshing as the scent of an ocean breeze, the forest, or fresh flowers and herbs. Rather than buying a synthetic plug-in air freshener, having real flowers, fresh herbs, and essential oils will bring beautiful aromas alongside some possible aromatherapeutic benefits.