biophilia: Science in design
ABOUT BIOPHILIA
What is it?
Biophilia — our innate human connection to nature — has become an essential element in interior design. Rooted in the understanding that people thrive in environments that reflect natural elements, biophilic design integrates nature into designed spaces to promote well-being, intrigue, and harmony.
When applied to home staging, biophilia not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of a property but also creates an emotional connection with potential buyers. Elements such as natural light, organic materials, and nature-inspired textures evoke feelings of calm, vitality, and belonging. In a competitive real estate market, incorporating biophilic principles can draw buyers in at a subliminal level. When using these principles in design, spaces become more intriguing and they put people at ease. An experienced biophilic designer can make inhabitants feel at ease and recharged by the rooms energy.
how it improves your space
1. Lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones
We have evolved to live in the built environment, but we originally lived in nature. The latest scientific research shows that integrating natural elements in your home such as wood, stone, and plants have significant effects on our stress response. With so many of us spending most of our work days under bright lighting with little connection to the natural world, its no wonder we yearn for a spa like space to come to. Rearranging furniture, minimizing clutter, adding a variety of light sources and bringing in natural patterns, textures and elements can improve our stress response significantly.
2. increases emotional connection
Biophilic design appeals to the subconscious and within 3 seconds we determine whether or not we want to stay in a space. When trying to sell your home or trying to retain and attract customers, biophilic principles can add to your profit margin! People are attracted to spaces that makes them feel safe, spaces that are intriguing and that put them at ease. They will linger longer in these places, and in a competitive market that is an edge that is hard to achieve. By adding the right combination of color, curious details and quiet refuge we can help you achieve just the combination of designs that speak to your customer.
3. Creates a Calm, Inviting Atmosphere
Whether we are conscious of it or not, we crave connections to nature. Curved sofas and tables, grasscloth walls, quiet reading nooks all tap into needs we have for repose and relaxation. Just the sound of birds or a mountain stream has been proven to reduce blood pressure and promote healing. The evolving science of fractals proves that seeing naturals patterns such as tree branches or the veins of a leaf activate the “default mode” network in our brains. This helps us switch gears from high thought to daydreaming mode.
WHat can it do for me?
In the post pandemic era, we reassessed some priorities as a society. Many of these centered around wellness and our home or spaces we spent a lot of time in. “If we are going to be stuck in here, we might as well make it a space we feel comfortable in” was the logic. Little did we know, great design doesn’t just look pretty, it can also lower our blood pressure and improve our cognitive abilities. Does all design do this? No, but biophilic design does.
This is more than just the use of a fiddle fig tree in the corner. Biophilic design incorporates the use of lighting, sound, textures, patterns and color to help calm the nerves and give sense of safety. For example, even the suggestion of nature (the picture of a tree versus a real one) can be calming in a room. Adding a jute rug (texture) can give a sense of home while also muting echos or noise outside the space. Dappled lighting created by a wicker shade can calm nerves and curved sofas or tables can give a soothing sense of ease in a living room or meeting space.
Want to know more? We would love to speak with you. We are currently working on small retail and residential projects in the Sarasota and Bradenton area. We may travel further for other projects.
Please give us a call at 941-212-0062 for more detailed information about how we can curate your space.
Examples of biophilic style
