B is for Biophilia

In my A to Z of interior design trends B is for Biophilia.

House plants
Biophilia is definitely a buzzword at the moment. I must admit I have been a little late joining the party. For me, until recently, house plants were a hangover from the 1970’s when everyone had Swiss Cheese Plants taking over their sitting rooms.

I must admit though, that I have made some purchases recently, but on a much smaller scale. So far I have acquired a parlour palm for the bathroom, a baby fern for the kitchen window sill, and a peace lily for the living room. If you’re bolder and more ambitious than me a visit to the Temperate House at Kew Gardens in Richmond will provide plenty of inspiration.
Design inspiration
It’s claimed that the pandemic has created a greater awareness of nature and our home environment. Nature, in all its forms, can be calming and cleansing for the body and for the soul. It’s not unreasonable, therefore, to want to bring it into to our living environment.
Whether it’s colours, textures, or living things, all can have a positive effect on our lives. Below is a scheme I developed for a home-office-cum-spare-bedroom. Green is an ideal colour for a bedroom as it creates a feeling of tranquility. The papered feature wall brings an element of vibrancy to the room which is perfect when working from home. The natural sisal floor covering and the earth tones of the wooden furniture complete the biophilic scheme.

Fresh flowers
Personally, I love to grow and cut fresh flowers to bring indoors. Sweet peas are a firm favourite with their delicate fragrance . I also love dahlias which tend to arrive a little later in the season.

Biophilia doesn’t purely rate to plants and flowers. It encompasses the natural environment from the sea to the sun and the earth to the moon.
Interior design and styling services
If you would like help designing your interior taking inspiration from nature and the natural world please contact me as I would love to help.
Helpful links
Top Tips for Repotting House Plants