What Is Biophilic Design And Why Do I Want to Use It In My Kitchen Design?
Have you been wondering what Biophilic Design is? Good news: we’re here to tell you everything you need to know.
Not just another buzzword or passing trend in Interior Design, Biophilic Design is a clever way to benefit from the therapeutic power of nature in your own home.
Planning a kitchen is not an everyday thing so you already have lots to consider:-
This may not be your forever home, but it's one you definitely plan on living in for the foreseeable future - so you want to pick something that you will love for years to come
You’re at a point in life where you appreciate the finer things so you don't want the cheapest product - but you do want value for your hard-earned money.
At the point of purchase, it's impossible to know exactly how your chosen kitchen will look in your home - leaving you feeling anxious, nervous and willing for it to “just be over”
And this is all before you have pinpointed your style, appointed your contractor and found the kitchen of your dreams. As a dedicated kitchen showroom, we have helped many people just like you. We help you to create the design of your dream kitchen that not only functions well but looks beautiful and is on-trend at the same time.
Let’s dive in, shall we?
What Exactly Is Biophilic Design?
Biophilic Design is the concept of bringing elements of nature into your home. Known to influence health, well-being and productivity, it’s a growing trend in the design world. Designers worldwide are embracing the concept as research continues to prove its benefits.
Biophilic Design is all about bringing the outside in, and reaping the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of surrounding yourself in nature. Designing homes with natural elements, allows us to be more mindful.
It’s no secret why people love the outdoors – it has a calming effect on us that allows us to relax, re-energise and re-connect.
Are your days spent racing the clock? Do you find yourself always focused on the next thing and missing what’s happening in front of you at that moment? If this sounds familiar, then Biophilic Design could be the perfect concept to introduce into your home.
Today, we’ll explore some of the ways to bring the natural world into your kitchen design.
With our insights, you’ll discover a concept likely to become fundamental to any design project.
Why Is Biophilic Design Important?
“In every walk with nature one receives far more than one seeks” - John Muir 1877
Research shows a connection to nature can significantly improve our health. It can:
improve our sleep
increase our focus
boost our immune system
reduce stress
elevate our moods
cut down injury recovery time
When you consider that we spend up to 90% of our lives indoors, it's easy to see why we can often feel detached from nature.
Can you remember the last time you sat outside and soaked it all in? How long has it been for you? As we enter into the spring, it could easily be 6 months since you last immersed yourself in nature, away from the distractions of daily life.
With the rise of technology, our always-on fast-paced lives leave us feeling disconnected. Along with the desire to whip out our mobiles to check our notifications, our brains also crave natural environments.
As a society, this is generally reserved for weekends off and holidays. This is not enough to fulfil us. We need to explore other ways in which to immerse ourselves in the natural world.
In times of stress, we counteract that stress by getting out in some form of nature. A simple walk is enough to reduce our stress levels and find clarity amongst the chaos. Those of us that run enjoy the effect of pounding the pavements, surrounded by nature in its simplest form.
A sunrise stimulates us, a sunset restores us.
Now imagine bringing a little piece of that into your home. The effect that could have on your daily existence, and that of your children. Your family.
To put things into perspective:
A window in a hospital room has reduced the patients' stay as well as the amount of medication they needed.
Test scores increased by 25% for students in a classroom with daylight.
Studies have even shown that sleeping in a wooden bed can reduce your heart rate.
It is clear that the smallest connection to nature can have the most profound effect. By celebrating all that is good about being on this earth, we can become a better, happier and healthier version of ourselves.
So with that in mind, let's explore some ways in which you can incorporate a little bit of nature into your home. Why don’t we start with one of the most important rooms in the house…the Kitchen.
Biophilic Design Is Less About How A Space Looks And More About How It Makes Us Feel.
Since interiors primarily gain a visual response, to achieve Biophilic Design, the full sensory experience is important.
Sensory features are a key goal. Creating several points of interest will stimulate the senses. Shape, Texture, Pattern and Colour are all considered.
Organic shapes are one of the most influential characteristics of Biophilic Design. They are easy to incorporate too. Just imagine…
…the soft, seamless, organic curves of a waterfall tap
…a floating orb light fitting inspired by the warmth of sunshine or the coolness of moonlight
…curved cabinetry to contrast against the horizontal and vertical lines of buildings
Natural shapes are found everywhere in interior design – but shapes aren’t the only aspect of design that’s inspired by nature.
The grain of wood mimics the texture of trees and adds a rich, tactile finish to your cabinetry. Our appeal to wood in the home makes perfect sense when you consider Biophilic Design – it’s stimulating to the touch as well as sight. Wood is the most natural material you could choose which adds warmth and texture as well as pattern to your space.
Created over thousands of years and carved from the mountains, marble is nature, in its purest form. Used for beauty in architecture, it's a perfect example of bringing the outdoors in.
Using marble is a great way to introduce pattern into your space too. The unique veining found in these exotic slabs of stone oozes luxury. Marble worktops work well with most material palettes and are such an elegant addition.
When it comes to colour, take a moment to consider how the colours of nature instinctively make you feel and build your palette this way. You’ll find that most colours exist in nature in one way or the other.
The immediate colour that springs to mind when you say “nature” is green. Green is universally associated with the great outdoors and looks timeless on kitchen cabinetry. Shades of blue can be inspired by the deep colour tones of the sea to the interchangeable colour of the sky. Borrow pastel colours from the glowing cast of a beautiful sunset. Or the enchanting tones of twilight that seamlessly follow.
To Transform Your Kitchen Into A Biophilic Sanctuary, You Need To Think About What Truly Inspires You In Nature.
Take a look at the outside around you and let inspiration flow…
Lush green forests with towering trees, and scattered sun rays beaming through.
Captivating sunsets with their multi-tonal hues lighting up the evening sky.
A pebbled beach at night, bathed in moonlight with water so still, you feel at peace simply at the sight of it.
Everything around you is yours to draw inspiration from. So let's take a look into the elements found in nature and examples of how you can bring a little of the outside in.
Bring The Outside In With Biophilic Design.
Try adding in texture throughout your space. For example, fluted glass is a stunning texture currently adorning cabinetry. A nod to the 1920’s resurgence, we’re seeing this material pop up on lots of interior finishing products – and it's not hard to see why. Elegant fascias of fluted glass give the illusion of flowing streams of water. Calming, serene and reminiscent of nature. This is Biophilic Design.
If you want to create real visual interest in your kitchen, then consider using tiles as a splashback. Scalloped shells, textured waves and striking sunbursts tick every box in biophilic design. This incorporates shape, texture, pattern, and colour.. A simple, inexpensive (yet effective) way to make a powerful design statement.
So many people overlook the cabinet handles in kitchen design. Often an afterthought, this is a mistake. There are some amazing cabinet handles on the market. A half-moon handle design is a stunning feature and is a great way to embellish your cabinetry. A simple moon design is the perfect small touch to bring nature right into your kitchen.
The More Urbanised Our Lifestyles Become, The More Important This Concept Will Become.
And it's up to you – you can incorporate as much, or as little Biophilic Design into your space as you choose.
If you feel you’re at your happiest when you're at one with nature then it will all make sense to use Biophilic Design more thoroughly.
When Google and Apple incorporate Biophilic Design into their workplace, people pay attention. Hospitals have proven research showing patients with a green view have recovered quicker. Reducing your heart rate by sleeping in a wooden bed is mind-blowing. These are compelling examples of how close contact with nature can benefit people. And on the reverse of this, how they can suffer when excluded from it.
Unlike Traditional Designs, Biophilic Design Is Evidence-based.
Its approach is as scientific as it is aesthetic. These principles have the power to make us more mindful purely, by putting humans as the focus when designing a space. The powerful force of nature can be life-changing in our own private sanctuaries.
Feeling inspired? Book a consultation.
A simple conversation can uncover so many of your hidden dreams and desires. As self-confessed experts, we are here to take those dreams and make them a biophilic reality. By getting to know you, we can recommend products uniquely suited to you. Let’s give you a kitchen capable of more than a place to cook and entertain. Let's give you a kitchen capable of changing the way you and your family live your life.
