Biophilic Interior Design: Bringing Nature Indoors Room by Room

Biophilic interior design is the practice of connecting the inside of a building with the natural world. In a home that usually means four things: as much daylight and fresh air as the rooms allow, living plants, natural materials and textures, and shapes or patterns that echo what you would find outdoors. It is not a fixed look with a set palette. A sleek city flat and a cluttered country cottage can both be biophilic, because the idea is about how a room relates to nature rather than how it is styled.

The word comes from "biophilia", a term for the pull many people feel toward living things and natural settings. Designers borrowed it to describe buildings that make room for that pull. At home, the result tends to be spaces that feel calmer, brighter and more pleasant to spend a long winter in.

The three ways nature comes indoors

It helps to sort biophilic ideas into three groups. Most rooms only need a little from each.

Start with light and air

Daylight is the most powerful biophilic element and also the cheapest. Before buying anything, look at what blocks it. Heavy curtains left half-drawn all day, a bulky sofa pushed against the glass and grimy panes all cut the light a room receives. Pull furniture back from windows, swap dark blinds for lighter fabric, and keep sills clear enough that light can reach the floor.

Older houses deserve particular care here, since their original windows are often part of the charm. Draughty sashes can usually be repaired rather than replaced, and the guide to repairing the glass in historic sash windows explains how to keep the character while improving comfort. A window that opens easily also gets opened more often, and fresh air is part of the picture.

After dark, artificial light takes over. Warmer bulbs in living spaces feel closer to late-afternoon sun, while a crisp, bluish light at night works against the mood. Our comparison of warm white and cool white bulbs sets out which colour suits which room.

Plants without the jungle

Plants are the obvious ingredient, and also the one most often overdone. A few healthy plants placed with thought do more than a crowded shelf of struggling ones.

• Match the plant to the light. Read the label or ask at the garden centre whether it wants bright, indirect light or copes with shade, then place it accordingly.
• Vary the height. One tall floor plant, something trailing from a shelf and a small pot on a table give a room depth.
• Group them. Three pots together read as a deliberate feature and are easier to water.
• Plan for time away. If you travel often, choose forgiving species and set up a watering method in advance; there are several simple options in our piece on watering plants while you are on holiday.

Cut flowers count too. A jug of seasonal stems on the kitchen table brings colour and scent for a week, and it is worth knowing how online flower shops keep stems fresh on the way to your door if you order rather than pick. Dried grasses and branches last longer still and suit rooms where plants would struggle.

Materials you can touch

Texture does much of the quiet work. Natural surfaces vary in grain, tone and temperature, which gives the eye and hand something to notice.

• Wood in floors, tables, shelves or simply a chopping board left on display.
• Stone, slate or terracotta in worktops, tiles, plant pots or a doorstop.
• Wool, linen, cotton and jute in throws, cushions, rugs and curtains.
• Cane, rattan and woven baskets for storage that stays visible.

Colour can follow the same logic: moss and sage greens, sand, clay, sky blue and the warm greys of weathered timber. These tones overlap with other natural styles, and anyone drawn to pale oak and paper lampshades will find much in common with the Japandi approach to calm rooms.

Room by room

Living room

Arrange the main seat so it faces the window or at least has a clear view of it. Add one large plant, a wooden side table and a wool rug, and keep the screen from becoming the only focal point.

Bedroom

Linen or cotton bedding, a timber headboard and a plant that tolerates lower light are enough. Blackout curtains can sit behind lighter sheers, so mornings start bright once they are pulled back.

Kitchen

Herbs on a sunny sill are both useful and decorative. Open shelves holding wooden boards, stoneware and a bowl of fruit add natural texture without much effort.

Bathroom

Many ferns and other humidity-loving plants enjoy a bright bathroom. Stone-effect tiles, a wooden bath mat and cotton towels finish the effect.

Biophilic design in a rental

Most of the ideas above need no drilling. Plants, rugs, textiles, a rearranged layout and lighter curtains on a tension rod can all leave with you when you move. Freestanding shelves and lamps are easier to take along than built-in features, so put the budget there.

A few cautions

Some common houseplants are harmful if chewed by pets or small children, so check before bringing one home. Overwatered pots and constantly damp corners can encourage mould, which defeats the purpose of a healthier-feeling room. And resist the urge to fill every surface; a biophilic room still needs space to breathe, just as a garden does.