Sustainable design takes many forms—one of the most compelling being biophilic design. This approach intends to close the divide between humans and nature, particularly in increasingly urbanized environments. And it’s even more inspiring when it’s embodied through another facet of sustainability, which is adaptive reuse. The Stone House, as the perfect realization of these design […]
4 Ways to Incorporate Natural Elements into Your Home
Nature has always been an integral part of human life. Even as urbanization and technology continuously shape our world, our innate connection to nature grows stronger at the same time. In interiors, this is usually in the form of biophilic design—a conscious effort to bring the outdoors in and create spaces that promote well-being and sustainability. That’s why this guide is here to show you the four simple ways of incorporating natural elements into your home.
Allow in Some Natural Light
Natural light can work wonders in transforming a room into a bright and inviting space. And to further optimize this in your home, you can explore these design techniques and modifications.
Light Window Treatments. Opt for white or light-colored curtains, sheers, or blinds to let in plenty of natural light while keeping your space private. These delicate window treatments diffuse light and create an airy feel as they let sunlight to filter through.
Mirrors. Mirrors make a space feel bigger by reflecting light and creating the illusion of depth. When placed strategically, they bounce natural and artificial light around the room, brightening dark corners and making the space appear more open and airy. Mirrors also visually extend the space by reflecting walls, furniture, and decor, giving the impression of more room than there actually is. For maximum impact, experiment with a large mirror or a collection of smaller mirrors.
Light-Colored Walls and Ceilings. Light colors reflect sunlight. When applied on large surfaces like walls and ceilings, these colors cause natural light to bounce around the room, distributing it evenly. White is a classic choice, but you can also opt for soft pastels and neutrals.
Strategic Furniture Placement. Avoid obstructing windows with larger furniture pieces like sofas, bookshelves, or entertainment centers. Instead, position them perpendicular to the windows to allow light to reach deeper into the room. For smaller pieces like side tables, you can utilize corners to further free up wall space.
Integrate Biophilic Colors
Even if you lack typical natural elements like wood pieces or indoor plants, biophilic colors can still evoke a visual and emotional connection to nature. The trick is to build a color scheme inspired by the scenic views of natural landscapes.
Begin with earth colors as the base. Soft browns, taupes, olives, sandy beiges, soft whites, and light grays mimic the hues of soil, rock, and vegetation. Simply mimicking nature’s abundant colors helps establish familiarity and balance in your space. These colors also anchor the interior to provide a solid foundation for introducing more vibrant hues and contrasting elements in the future. Earth tones can be used extensively throughout a space, such as on walls, floors, and anchor furniture pieces. But they can also serve as a versatile base for fabrics and decorative items.
After forming your base color, it’s time to introduce vibrant pops of other nature-inspired hues. Accent colors introduce a palette beyond the earthy tones, incorporating colors like blue, yellow, orange, and red. You may use them to highlight specific areas of the room like accent walls or awkward corners. They can also be on smaller items such as rugs, artwork, throw pillows or lamps.
Add Natural Scents
Aside from tangible natural elements, incorporating natural scents is another simple way to bring biophilic design’s essence into your home. These aromas not only stimulate memories, emotions, and senses but also induce a soothing atmosphere.
The most natural approach to this is arranging fresh plants and flowers arranged in bouquets or simply placing them in vases. They can be herbs like rosemary, mint, and basil or fragrant blossoms such as roses, lavender, and jasmine.
But if you want scents that last longer, opt for scented candles made of natural wax or essential oils with citrus, floral, woody, or herbal fragrances.
Layer Your Current Natural Materials
You might already have items and areas in your home made of wood, stone, metal, textile, clay, and plants. While these pieces are a great start, effectively incorporating natural elements requires a more layered approach. And there are three common techniques to do that.
Textural Contrast. This applies to similar and different types of natural materials. For example, you may pair a spalted maple coffee table with polished walnut stools. Or choose chandeliers and lighting fixtures with alabaster stone or ornate metal detailing.
Color Play. This can be achieved by manipulating colors within similar materials or through mixing different materials with similar or varying palettes. For instance, you may utilize warm oak for flooring and dark cedar furniture or display aluminum decor with gold, silver, and copper accents. You may also decorate a room with stone, wood, textiles, and ceramics with different shades of white. Contrarily, you can experiment in incorporating different natural materials with different colors, too.
Scale and Proportion. This is the key to building a harmoniously and visually pleasing interior despite having diverse natural materials. Large-scale pieces typically serve as the room’s focal point and either creates balance or hierarchy among other items. A large woven rattan rug can be balanced by wool ottomans. Meanwhile, a low-lying leather sofa and metal side tables with clay vases can complement and support massive wooden wall art.
There are multitudes of ways to incorporate natural elements into your home. But it doesn’t have to be as complex as a full-scale botanical garden to embody a biophilic design. With these four simple ways, you can equally encapsulate a deeper connection to nature within your living space.
Read more: Ultimate Guide to Best Sustainable Fabrics for a Greener Home
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