Biophilic Design: What Is It And How Do You Make It Work In Your Home?
If you are a nature lover, you may have previously heard of the term biophilic design and might be keen to implement it into your home. However, if you’re new to the biophilic design concept, we want to tell you all about it at Plants by Post.
We have created a guide to biophilic design to help you get started with the basics, from what it is, its benefits and how you can implement it in your home.
What is Biophilic Design?
The term biophilic comes from biophilia, the human tendency to interact with other forms of life. As a species, we love to dote on animals and help plants to thrive. So, in terms of design, biophilic is the creation of harmony between the indoors and outdoors.
But why do so many people care about biophilic design at the moment?
Why is Biophilic Design Trending?
Biophilic design is a trending interior choice, which is why you might have seen it mentioned or talked about a lot more often. In fact, it is one of the biggest interior design trends this year, and we’re sure it will continue to grow in popularity.
We believe the spike in interest in biophilic design is a consequence of the recent global pandemic which resulted in countless lockdowns across the globe. In the UK, we were stuck in a national lockdown for the better part of two years, and so being trapped indoors made many of us yearn for nature.
Plus, the resulting after-effects of the pandemic, like remote positions and working from home opportunities, means we are doing more to surround ourselves with nature. This is where biophilic design comes in! But it is not just about missing the outdoors; there are many more benefits of biophilic design.
3 Benefits of Biophilic Design
Each year, we spend more time indoors. So the need for biophilic design has never been higher. But there are actually a number of benefits to incorporating biophilic design into your space. To help convince you to implement this trending yet timeless design choice in your home, we want to open your eyes to the way it can benefit and improve your life.
1. Physical Benefits of Biophilia
Introducing a biophilic design into your space will actually make a physical difference to those living in your home. Having leafy house plants and greenery on your property will improve air quality, as plants will naturally remove harmful volatile organic compounds. These are usually found in paint, carpets and furniture.
2. Reduced Stress and Anxiety
Did you know that proximity to nature improves our mental well-being? This is often why so many of us instinctively want to take a walk when feeling down or stressed.
Spending too much time in confined spaces, like a home office, can cause feelings of stress and anxiety. So, incorporating a biophilic design can counteract this and help us to maintain a calm and soothing atmosphere. The presence of nature in our space allows us to feel more confident and improve self-esteem with a more positive outlook on life.
3. Improved Productivity and Engagement
Suppose you work from home or spend a lot of time at home during the day. In that case, utilising a biophilic design can improve your productivity. It helps to create a space full of life and removes any sterile atmosphere usually related to working conditions. In the past, offices were kept clear and simple to allow focus and minimal distractions. But we now know that this has the opposite effect and makes us feel uninspired.
Filling your workspace with greenery and nature will improve your engagement and energy levels drastically.
How to Implement Biophilic Design in your Home
So, have you been convinced to incorporate biophilic design in your home? Whether you want to improve your lifestyle in just one or all of the ways that biophilia can benefit you, then we can help. Here are all the ways that you can implement biophilic design into your home, from the small and simple steps to transformative gestures you will fall in love with.
Prioritise Plants
One of the first and simplest ways you can implement biophilia into your home is with live house plants. If you have a natural green thumb and love to spend time in the garden, you may already have an idea of what plants you would love to bring indoors and how to care for them.
But if you are a new plant parent, start with some easy-to-care-for plants. Succulents, spider plants and aloe vera plants are all low-maintenance and great for beginners looking for a way to add more greenery to their homes. However, you can browse a wide collection of unkillable houseplants at Plants by Post to help you get started with your collection.
Emphasise the Outdoors
Of course, a huge part of bringing nature inside is the focus on the outdoors. So, if you can help it, make sure you’re taking full advantage of windows in your space and using them to create a focal point in every room. This allows you to highlight the view outside and use it as a replacement for wall art.
If the windows in your space are small and few between, then you can use mirrors on the opposite walls to reflect back the view from outside and open up the space even further with this clever trick.
Create an Indoor-Outdoor Connection
Fostering the connection between your indoor and outdoor space is a huge part of creating an effortless biophilic design. This is easy to incorporate, especially if you have sliding or bifold patio doors that you can open while you work and create a seamless transition from outdoors to in.
However, even just opening the windows throughout the day and breathing in the fresh air and taking in the sounds from outside are enough to accomplish this.
Finish with Natural Elements
For a truly encompassing biophilic design, it is not all about fresh air and adding as many plants to your space as possible. Just like any interior design choice, you must also pay attention to the little details to tie the look together.
With biophilia, this means utilising natural elements to create a cohesive space. Fill your home with tones and textures that are reminiscent of nature, such as soft brown and beige tones or green and blue shades. Adding wood, leather or stone materials to your decor is an easy way to do this, and then accessories with woven and jute materials add more dimension to your home.
Decorating with Nature
Are you ready to make the biophilic design work in your home? We hope we have inspired you to open up your space, add live plants and create a calming atmosphere. Once you get started, we know you’ll fall in love with the aesthetic and vibe you achieve. Explore our wide collection of indoor plants available at Plants by Post now.
However, remember plants are not just for decoration; they are living organisms we need to take care of properly. If you don’t think you’re ready to become a full-time plant parent just yet, explore our low-maintenance plant collection to get started.