CREATIVE WAYS TO BRING NATURE INDOORS
It’s widely accepted that connecting with nature brings many health benefits. Yet, many homes don’t have easy access to gardens, parks, woodlands or coastal areas. The good news is that we can bring nature indoors to improve our well-being. This is known as biophilic design and it has been a popular interiors trend for years. So, as an interior designer, I offer you tips to enhance the natural elements in your home.
How Nature Improves our Well-being
There’s a correlation between exposure to nature and improvements in our health. Studies* report improved mood, restored mental capacity, reduced stress and lower blood pressure when we spend time in natural environments. As such, a picnic in the park or walk on the beach has a calming and rejuvenating impact. They don’t change the pressures of life, yet they do alter our response to them.
However, with modern lifestyles and urban living, days are spent going from home to car to office with barely a step outside. So, we miss out on this health boost. Fortunately, biophilic design offers ways to bring nature indoors and reap the benefits.
Light Up Your Interiors
Exposure to natural light has a positive effect on the body**, making us feel energised and healthy during the day and aiding sleep at night. So, the first consideration when planning interior design is optimising natural light. This means noting where the light infiltrates the home at different times of day and using it to brighten your home.
You can maximise this light with a few design considerations:
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Use sheer curtains or blinds that can be drawn out of the way every morning.
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Arrange the furniture to ensure nothing blocks the window and position desks, dining tables and reading chairs to make the most of the natural light.
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Hang mirrors as an effective way to reflect the natural light to darker corners of the room.
It’s also good to give your windows a regular clean to enable the light to shine through. And, if you have a space that receives minimum natural light, you might install a roof lantern, light tunnel or Velux window.
A Room with a View
Ideally, the view from your window can provide a connection with nature. Yet, many urban homes look out onto a road, a brick wall or a skyscraper. If possible, enhance the vision using window boxes, hanging baskets or adding some potted plants to your balcony. If there is no space outside, position house plants near windows.
You can create a more desirable focal point by hanging a large painting or print that gives you the illusion of a sea view or an idyllic landscape. Then, draw out a few colours from the image as the colour palette for that space.
Choose Natural Materials
Natural materials have an aesthetic and tactile appeal that brings character to a home interior. They will also biodegrade and, if sustainably sourced, they have a lower environmental impact than synthetic alternatives. Therefore, choose natural materials whenever possible.
As biophilic principles have been a staple of interior design for years, there are plenty of options, so you won’t be short on choice.
A few examples include:
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Real wood furniture
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100% cotton, linen or wool soft furnishings
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Terracotta plant pots
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Natural stone countertops and floor tiles
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Leather storage cases
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Bamboo blinds and cooking utensils
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Cork acoustic wall art or placemats
To boost sustainable sourcing, why not purchase pre-loved furniture and fittings from antique stores, charity shops, freecycle sites and reclamation yards?
Alternatively, engage in a craft video or workshop to create natural elements for your home. You might be inspired to make a cotton macramé plant hanger, throw a pottery bowl or quilt a cushion using fabric from clothes that you no longer wear.
Fresh Interiors
The ideal way to create a fresh interior is to fling open the windows. However, in urban areas that may lower the air quality. That doesn’t mean you need to use sprays. Instead, I encourage you to have pots of aromatic herbs in the kitchen which smell wonderful and enhance the flavours of your cooking. Then, use an essential oil diffuser or an organic, scented candle to add fragrance to your bedroom and bathroom.
House Plants in Interior Design
Possibly the easiest way to bring nature indoors is by introducing houseplants to your interior spaces. I’ve already mentioned the advantages of aromatic herbs. In addition, plants will instantly improve the air quality of your home. Their colour, foliage and blooms also provide visual delight.
Now, I know many people are concerned about caring for houseplants. You may have concerns about keeping them alive. It needn’t be a headache, you just need to pick easy care species. Patch Plants suggest unkillable house plants that are a good starting point.
A Focus on The Finer Details
A clutter-free interior creates a sense of calm. However, if shelves look empty, there is no need for expensive ornaments. If plants don’t fit the bill, a shell collected from the beach or a pine cone from the forest offers natural beauty. For inspiration, look at the spiral of stones at Kettles Yard in Cambridge. It is as much a piece of art as the paintings on the wall.
Connecting Interior & Exterior Spaces
If you do have outdoor space, whether that be a balcony, courtyard or garden, you can increase the sense of flow by using the same colour flooring indoors and out. Also, make that space as desirable as possible to tempt you outside and maximise your living area.
Using Biophilic Design in Home Interiors
So, now you have a basic insight into biophilic design and some suggestions on how to bring nature indoors. There are proven benefits to connecting with the natural world and you can enjoy these in the comfort of your home.
* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8125471/
** https://worldgbc.org/article/bringing-the-benefits-of-natural-light-indoors/
If a Personalised Design Consultation can help you understand how to incorporate this into your interior scheme and layout, get in touch.