Bringing nature into your home - how biophilia can improve your mood

27/07/22
Family Homes Luxury Homes Design Rural living Countryside

Biophilic design – ‘the architecture of life’ – can improve your wellbeing, boost your mood and guide you towards making more sustainable choices for your space.

The biophilic trend is an exciting and valuable interior design philosophy we can all embrace when looking to improve our physical and mental health. Biophilia changes how it feels to work, live, and play within our homes. It brings us closer to our innate human need to connect with nature and the outdoors. We’ve explored the benefits and look at how you can easily incorporate soothing and healing qualities of nature into your home.

For many of us our homes have slowly morphed into our workplaces too. The boundaries between work and relaxation are getting harder to define. It's all too easy now for the stresses of our jobs to creep into our personal lives. So, with that in mind, we want to show how biophilic interior design changes will create peaceful, mood-boosting environments to unwind in. We'll be exploring how it benefits us physically and mentally, simple ways you can introduce it, and how introducing biophilia will help the greater environment around you.

How does biophilic interior design help with wellbeing?

Biophilia meaning:

"An innate and genetically determined affinity of human beings with the natural world."

Biophilic interior design plays a theraputic role in the home. that being close to nature, even if it’s simply opening a window or experiencing a subconscious visual cue, can have a profound effect on the way we think and feel.

Biophilic design is known to help you feel calmer, more uplifted and less stressed, so it's no wonder it has become such a popular trend when we typically lead such busy, demanding lives. Spending too much time indoors - something we find ourselves doing more often - can invoke feelings of claustrophobia, frustration, anger and stress. Introducing a sense of nature into your home can sooth and ease those feelings.

Adding natural forms, colours and textures are key design elements when bringing the concept of biophilia into your home. Maximising the amount of natural light and open space available will create an airy, calm feel to the environment around you, lowering your stress levels. Adding plants into your home is a key element, increasing your connection with the natural world. House plants improve your emotional well-being with a direct connection to the outdoors, as well as having a positive impact on your physical health too. An abundance of plants wil improve the air quality of your rooms as they release water vapour into your space. This can help to improve your focus while reducing the occurence of headaches and respiratory problems.

Building in the feel-good factor

Along every step of the home building journey with Cameron, from selecting the ideal location to finalising fixtures and fittings, we are driven by the belief that great homes are only made great by the way they make people feel.

Our extensive design process takes many aspects into consideration, but to create homes that people love to live in we make sure to revolve our homes around three key elements – light, space and nature.

Feel inspired by nature

Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.

- William Morris

Many decisions we make are inspired by the arts and crafts movement of the late 19th Century. Led mainly by textile designer, William Morris, the movement sought to return to a simpler, more fulfilling way of living. William Morris especially valued the use of high-quality materials and put great emphasis on bringing the natural world indoors.

There are lots of incredibly simple ways you can introduce biophilic design in your home.

Down to Earth Design

Spending time in the great outdoors provides wealth of benefits – it’s learning and understanding how to replicate some of those feelings by bringing certain elements into your home that embodies biophilia design.

Combining natural colours, patterns and textures can help bring a cosy and inviting feel. Selecting those that remind you of good experiences or happy memories when out in nature will bring those feelings back more easily once you’re inside. Blues are known to evoke calm and peacefulness, while greens make spaces feel invigorated. From throw cushions to feature walls, there are lots of opportunities to add a pop of natural colour to your home.

Growing places

Humble houseplants can do far more for you than simply spruce up a corner of the room. Whether clustered together or scattered around, choosing greenery such as hanging plants, large pots and windowsill herb gardens will have a distinct effect on the atmosphere of the space around you and your overall wellbeing.

Biophilia is just as much about interacting with nature as it is introducing it. Nurturing plants and vegetation are known to increase our sense of mindfulness, giving us a special sense of ownership and responsibility. With more time spent working at home, tending to a multitude of life around us not only connects us back to nature, but it gives a sense of purpose, satisfaction and an appreciation for the little things.

Let in the light

Natural light is a treasured commodity in the home, especially in the UK. More sunlight equals a more inviting, comfortable space and creates areas that are a joy to live in. Whether it’s entertaining guests on a warm afternoon or letting the evening sun flood into your kitchen and living areas, we can all benefit from this incredible natural resource.

Make the most of any available natural light by keeping your windows clear, clean and unobstructed by blinds and curtains during the day. It’s also a good idea to blur the boundaries between indoors and outdoors simply by swinging open the garden doors and letting the room breathe.

Why is biophilic design important?

At its core, biophilic design is all about sustainability. On a wider scale, outside the average home, it’s vital that we consider the environmental benefits of green architecture. Whether it’s thinking of ways to reduce water usage and energy consumption, or opting for more organic, local materials, it all has an impact on us and the world we share.

Making more sustainable choices in our homes might not solve all the world’s problems right away, but a few simple, mindful changes can gently remind us to appreciate our home, improve mental wellbeing, and revitalise our environment.