By StatePoint
This spring home improvement season, get inspired by the outdoors with biophilic design.
“Biophilic design – the concept of integrating nature into interior design – is not only gorgeous, but it also fosters a healthy living environment, promotes happiness and comfort, and reduces stress,” says Jennifer Kline, multimedia graphic artist at ProVia. “There are many ways to reap these wellness benefits while adding vitality to your living spaces.”
To connect to the natural world within your home, consider these ideas:
Let Light in
“If you’re lacking natural light, it’s time to open those blinds and drapes and let the sunlight stream through your windows. It may also be time to consider a few enhancements that will help you enjoy more sunshine and observe your natural surroundings, even when you can’t be outdoors,” says Kline.
For kitchens and breakfast nooks, bathrooms, and dens, consider garden windows, which invite more light into your space and include shelves ideal for housing indoor plants, such as fragrant herbs. Their three-dimensional design helps give rooms an airy, spacious feel. Family rooms and bedrooms are great locations for picture windows, which let in large amounts of light while providing unobstructed views of outdoor scenery. Need inspiration? Visit ProVia’s Window Photo Gallery at provia.com/windows.
To brighten your foyer, add an entry door with glass. Glass accordion doors offer wide, unobstructed openings that let in sunlight, and give you the option to invite fresh air into your home or enjoy the melodies of singing birds on nice days. Skylights can flood small or closed-off spaces such as walk-in closets or bathrooms with light and give you views of blue skies.
Let it Grow
To give your home a welcoming, fresh feel, add various houseplants and indulge in fresh-cut flowers. A windowsill with small plants of varying shades of green can add texture, while larger potted plants near doorways help guests feel welcome. Fill dark, underutilized spaces with taller plants and place bright, lightly scented garden flowers in such spots as the kitchen island and coffee tables. Use earthen or wood-carved vases for additional warmth.
Create Drama
From the warm brown tones of a picturesque southwestern mesa to the cool, earthy feel of quarried rock, manufactured stone veneer adds rugged texture, intriguing patterns and shapes, and a variety of hues straight from Earth’s natural color palette.
Whether you’re creating a focal point in a bedroom with an accent wall, adding character to your kitchen with a stone veneer backsplash, surrounding a tub with stone veneer for a spa-like bathroom, or highlighting your fireplace, different stone profiles and grout colors can help you customize the look. Experiment with combinations using ProVia’s visualizer tool found at provia.com/stone/grout-visualizer.
“Incorporating biophilic elements into your interior design can transform your home into a warm respite from your busy life,” says Kline.
