Holistic design for healthful living
Utilizing holistic design elements and practices creates a healthy home where you can live well and thrive! Creating spaces that connect us with nature through natural elements and principles creates homes where you can live your best life. The term "biophilia" refers to the inherent human affinity for the natural world, and biophilic design aims to enhance well-being and productivity by incorporating natural features into built environments. If you’re ready to upgrade your home to create a more serene, relaxing atmosphere, Biophilic Design is for you!
Our neurological connection between our environment and mother nature has been studied for centuries. We all know a well designed space can create an atmosphere of comfort and calm or exuberance and intrigue. Have you ever walked past a new hotel lobby or restaurant and something caught your eye? That's intentionally designed to get your attention and draw you into the space to find out more. What about visiting a boutique hotel and never wanting to leave your luxurious room? This luxury level of design is intentionally created with certain elements to create a healthy, restorative space.
Holistic Interior design is not just about incorporating individual elements, but about creating a cohesive and integrated design that encourages a strong connection with nature. Follow along while we break it down, element by element.
1.) Biophilic Design Features
Color: My favorite ways to enhance an outdoor living space's environmental features is through color, plants and natural materials. If you have alot of blues, adding in a complementary orange will add a pop of color that creates contrast and interest.
Water: Adding a water feature adds a visual and audible level of calm and comfort. It can also drown out the sounds of traffic and noisy neighbors!
2.) Using Natural Shapes and Forms
Integrating design elements inspired by natural shapes, patterns, and textures is a great Biophilia addition to our outdoor living area. I often select tree-like, column shaped tables that have an organic softness. Natural features are rarely straight! This table is formed from a thin layer concrete and adds texture and dimension to the space.
3.) Creating and using Natural Patterns & Processes
An all time favorite design feature is "living finishes." These are materials that patina and change over time. Using natural materials like teak, bamboo and outdoor metals are all items that will change in color and texture when exposed to air and sunlight. This makes each space different every time you visit! This natural teak table and chairs will grey as they are exposed to natural light.
4.) Be intentional about Light and Space
When used in a Biophilic outdoor space, you can enhance the experience by intentionally incorporating filtered, diffused light, reflect light and shadows. A great way to accomplish this is through outdoor drapery.
5.) Place based relationships
Using lanscape features that define your outdoor living space is an element many people use without even knowing! By building around and integrating an existing landscape, you enhance the connectivity of your outdoor living space with the larger natural area. The best example of this is the Falling Water house by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Incorporating place based relationships can be as easy as orienting window and furniture layouts to enhance views to an outdoor landscape.
