Designing a Happy, Healthy Home – An Introduction to Biophilic Design

Over the past few years, biophilic design has become a true buzzword in interiors. Once a conversation reserved for architects and urban planners, it is now making its way into our homes, reshaping the way we think about wellbeing in the spaces where we live. With biophilic design predicted to grow as one of the biggest interior movements of the of the coming years, let us explore what it actually means, and why it matters.

So, what exactly is biophilia?

Bio-philia

From the Greek bio meaning “life” and philia meaning “love of.”

Biophilia describes our innate love of life, nature and living systems. It is the instinctive, ancient bond between humans and the natural world. Biophilic Design builds on more than 30 years of research to create human-centred spaces that actively support health and wellbeing.

Why reconnecting with nature has become so important

The term “biophilia” was first used by psychologist Erich Fromm in 1973, who believed that humans carry a natural, inherited connection to the outdoors. Biologist Edward O. Wilson later popularised the idea in the 1980s, recognising how rapid urbanisation and the resulting lack of contact with nature, was contributing to rising stress levels. But history also tells us that the Greeks and Romans understood the importance of lives lived in connection to nature, knowledge that has been mostly forgotten as our species is ever hungry for rapid technological advancement.

Today, the average person spends around 90% of their life indoors. Our time is spent indoors at home, work, in cars, or in public spaces. Indoor air quality can be 4–5 times more polluted than outdoors, with many VOCs (volatile organic compounds) coming from everyday materials, paints, furnishings, and cleaning products. What you choose to surround yourself with can either heal or harm.

Technology has added another layer of unseen stress to our lives, even though it is meant to support us. According to uSwitch, 93% of UK adults own a smartphone and spend an average of four hours a day on it - checking every 12 minutes, and touching their screens over 2,600 times a day. No wonder we feel constantly “switched on.”

Our disrupted circadian rhythms, exposure to artificial light, lack of fresh air and digital overload are all impacting our mental and physical health. Stress has become a near-constant state and is something the World Health Organisation now considers to be a global epidemic.

Biophilic Design offers a way to counter this by designing considered and thoughtful spaces that help restore our natural balance.

So, what is Biophilic Design?

Biophilic design is an evidence-based approach to creating interiors that support wellbeing by reconnecting us with nature. It brings the health benefits of the outdoors into our everyday environments, with measurable effects such as:

• Reduced stress

• Lower heart rate and blood pressure

• Improved recovery from physical and mental fatigue

• Increased creativity, focus and productivity

• Better mood and reduced irritability

There are fourteen key patterns of biophilic design, ranging from direct contact with nature (plants, natural light, airflow, water) to more subtle, sensory references like organic shapes, natural textures, earthy colours, and materials that mimic the feel of the natural world.

The 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design (with Simple Ways to Use Them at Home)

Nature in the space - direct connections to nature and living systems

1. Visual Connection with Nature

What it means: Seeing natural elements -plants, water, sky, landscapes, natural materials.

At-home example: Place houseplants at different heights around your living space or position your sofa to face a window with a view of trees or sky.

2. Non-Visual Connection with Nature

What it means: Engaging the senses beyond sight, sound, scent, touch.

At-home example: Use a gentle indoor water fountain, open windows for birdsong, or use essential oils to fragrance your home.

3. Non-Rhythmic Sensory Stimuli

What it means: Brief, subtle, natural movements like dappled light or rustling leaves.

At-home example: Hang lightweight curtains that move gently in the breeze or position a bamboo plant near an open window to rustle softly., add a glitter ball to catch moving sunlight.

4. Thermal & Airflow Variability

What it means: Natural shifts in temperature, airflow, and humidity.

At-home example: Use breathable natural textiles and open windows regularly to create gentle temperature variation instead of relying solely on central heating.

5. Presence of Water

What it means: Seeing, hearing, or sensing water.

At-home example: Add a tabletop water fountain or a small indoor water feature to create soothing, flowing sound or listen to water sounds while you work.

6. Dynamic & Diffuse Light

What it means: Light that changes throughout the day.

At-home example: Keep windows unobstructed, use sheer curtains, or place mirrors to reflect natural light around the room.

7. Connection with Natural Systems

What it means: Awareness of seasons, weather, growth cycles.

At-home example: Display seasonal branches, rotate décor seasonally, or keep herbs on a windowsill that grow and change over time.

Natural analogues - references to or representations of nature within a space

8. Biomorphic Forms & Patterns

What it means: Shapes, lines and patterns that mimic nature such as waves, leaves, shells, branches.

At-home example: Use wallpaper, textiles or artwork featuring organic lines, curves, botanical motifs, or natural geometry (like ferns or fractals).

9. Material Connection with Nature

What it means: Using natural materials that feel authentic like wood, stone, linen, wool.

At-home example: Choose solid wood furniture, woven baskets, natural-fibre rugs, or linen bedding.

10. Complexity & Order

What it means: Subtle, harmonious complexity in the patterns found in nature that feel organised but not chaotic.

At-home example: Combine layered textures and natural patterns (plants, textiles, books, baskets) in balanced, intentional groupings.

Nature of the space -mimic natural environments to evoked or enhance our response to the spaces we inhabit.

11. Prospect

What it means: A sense of openness and long views similar to looking across a landscape.

At-home example: Keep sight lines open by arranging furniture to avoid blocking windows or use low-profile seating to maintain a spacious feel.

12. Refuge

What it means: A cosy, sheltered spot where you feel protected and safe.

At-home example: Create a tucked-away corner with a comfortable chair, soft lighting, and surrounding textiles or plants to form a cocooning space.

13. Mystery

What it means: A sense of intrigue we feel when partially hidden views encourage you to explore.

At-home example: Use a curved pathway through a garden, place a tall plant that partially reveals what’s behind it, or hang a curtain that hints at a cosy nook beyond.

14. Risk/Peril

What it means: A safe sense of thrill that brings tiny moments of “exciting but not dangerous” design.

At-home example: A glass floor panel, a balcony with transparent balustrades, or a plant shelf placed unexpectedly high (securely!) to create playful tension.

These fourteen design patterns form the edited highlights from over 70+ ideas from the original ground-breaking work of Stephen Kellert, Professor of social ecology at Yale University. American environmental and sustainability consultants Terrapin Bright Green edited these fourteen patterns into a framework to help guide design.

Every space you inhabit does not need all fourteen patterns; in fact, some are really more suited for new builds or renovations. There are however design solutions that we can all bring into our homes to make a significant impact on our physical health and mental wellbeing. In coming story posts, I will be exploring these key patterns of biophilic design in more detail, in the meantime follow me on Instagram for more nature-inspired design ideas