Biophilic design: Bringing nature indoors for better living

It’s no secret that the outdoors makes you feel good. It’s only logical that by bringing the outdoors in you can replicate its feel-good factor in your home too. The concept is known as biophilic design, a set of design principles that help to provide a connection with nature within our living and working spaces, and to help improve how we feel physically, mentally and emotionally.

As a buyer, it may be something that you are looking to incorporate in your next property. The design principles broadly fit into three ways in which the outside can be brought inside to where we live. These include tangible representations of nature, such as animals, plants and views; non-living representations such as natural materials, colours and patterns, and finally the reflection of space seen in nature within the design of a property.

Although the design principles can be incorporated more deeply into building design and architecture, there are simple and inexpensive ways that you can incorporate biophilic design into your next home.

Maximise sunlight and natural light

Lack of natural light and sunlight can have a big impact on mental health and is also believed to be a major cause of Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) – often referred to as winter depression because that’s when symptoms are at their worst. Exposing your home to as much natural light and sunlight as possible can help improve your mood during the darker months as well as other times of the year. Use mirrors to bounce light around a room and minimal window dressings to maximise the light coming in. Consider where light comes in during the day ,and at night use soft, ambient lighting that helps to prepare your body for sleep.

Opening windows and doors

Another easy way of bringing the outside in is by opening windows and doors. As the temperature drops that may feel a little less appealing, but even just a quick blast of fresh air from an open window or door will do wonders to lift your mood, letting in the sounds of the outside and also bringing fresh air into your home. As well as being good for you, it’s also good for your property, helping to reduce the danger of mould by reducing humidity.

Create space for indoor plants

Filling your house with plants brings in biophilic elements in abundance, as well as improving the condition of the air in your home. You can start small if you want – with just one or two durable houseplants so you can get into the habit of watering and looking after them. Ultimately though, aim to build your plant-based indoor space with a collection of plants that have a mix of colour, textures and smells. You can also add edible plants to the mix – maybe expanding on the herb collection on your windowsill with more ambitious planting.

Make the most of your views

Whether you are overlooking a small garden or have far-reaching views of the dramatic landscape the City provides, even just looking at the outside from within can help boost how you feel. So, when you move into a new property and are considering room layouts, look to position sofas or desks by windows so that you can gaze at nature even when you must be inside.

Incorporate natural materials

Grained wood in coffee or dining tables not only looks stunning but also brings natural materials into your home. Natural flooring and rugs will have a similar impact. Smaller biophilic design touches can include ceramic pots for plants or natural fabrics such as rattan and organic cotton for accessories. Natural objects such as feathers, pebbles and shells as ornaments can also add interest to your home while also adhering to the principles of biophilic design.

Here at ludlowthompson, we love the outdoors too and know how energised bringing the outside in makes us feel. We want to help you find your dream space in which you can do that so get in touch with an expert at your local branch today to see how we can help you find your next property.  We offer a range of services and promise to deliver maximum performance, communication and trust for the London market.