How to Integrate Nature into Your Home to Boost Your Wellbeing

Did you know that integrating elements of nature into our homes is proven to have powerful positive effects on our wellbeing? This is one of the things that excites me most about interior design!

We all know that being in nature has huge benefits to our mood and wellbeing. Think about that serene feeling you get when you are deep in a forest, hiking a scenic mountain trail, or my personal happy place – on a beach. ☺

And it is not just a feeling. The scientifically-proven benefits of nature in interior spaces include a reduction of stress, blood pressure levels and heart rates, therefore increasing our happiness and wellbeing. 😊

We spend such a huge proportion of our lives indoors – It has been estimated at 90%! With this in mind, it is more important than ever to continue to surround ourselves with restorative nature, even when we are tucked up inside our homes.

Like many of you, I am spending much of lockdown cooped up inside (sleep, work, cook, play, blog, repeat), and I have been craaaving nature. To stay somewhat connected, I have been obsessively incorporating as much nature as possible into the ongoing revamp of our home.

Designing spaces to nurture human connection with nature is known as biophilic design. There are so many unique ways to incorporate nature (biophilia, to use the fancy term!) into your home. Here are some ideas…

Physically Bring in Actual Nature

This may seem like an obvious one. But I am not just talking about standard potted plants (although these are great too and my home is full of them)! There are endless ways to bring in actual pieces of nature, and the more creative, the better:

• Stylish hanging planters – Have a look at this blog post I put together for lots of ideas: 10 Eco-Friendly Hanging Planter Ideas to Give your Home a Designer Edge
• Decorative wall planters
• Driftwood – Create a statement mantelpiece, textured shelving, a unique candle holder or a driftwood branch clothes hanging rail! If DIY is not your thing, you can find lots of hand-made driftwood items online.
• A herb garden in the kitchen
• A large shell as a soap dish
• Tree-stump logs – Scrape off the bark (or don’t, if you don’t mind frequently sweeping up the pieces that fall off), sand it down and apply a natural wax finish. These make the perfect side table, stool or plant stand!
• Light fixtures with integrated plants
• A living planting wall (or preserved plant walls as a more cost-effective solution as they do not need an irrigation system)
• Moss wall art
• And of course.. lots and lots of potted plants. Not only do indoor plants physically connect you with nature, but they also aid in detoxing the air in your home! For more tips on this, read this blog post: Simple Steps to Detoxify the Air in Your Home for Better Health

Make the Most of Window Views out to Nature

If you are lucky enough to have views of nature out of your windows, there are ways to maximise these views and strengthen your connection to your outdoor space.

• Adjust your curtains, window shades or blinds so that you have unobstructed views to the outdoors.
• Configure the layout of your furniture so that you are orientated towards the views as often as possible.
• Strategically place mirrors to reflect the views of nature from different vistas within your home.
• Avoid blocking sightlines to your outdoor space with bulky extractors over islands or pendant lights hung too low.
• If your home is based in an urban setting, place some potted plants on your window sills so that you can connect more with greenery than concrete or cars!
• If you are in the process of a new build or refurbishment, take the opportunity to study where the best views are from each room and frame these views with windows.
• Consider replacing windows with large glazed doors that slide or fold back to allow a seamless view to the outdoors – Weather permitting!

Choose Textural Natural Materials

For your flooring, wall finishes, curtains, rugs, cushions, baskets, furniture, decorative accessories and lampshades – natural materials are the way to go. The more you layer up different natural textiles and finishes, the more tactile your home environment will be.

Some fantastic natural materials for your home include:

• Wood
• Stone
• Seagrass
• Jute
• Sisal
• Linen
• Hemp
• Wool
• Hessian
• Water Hyacinth
• Rattan
• Clay

Be sure to go for the ‘real deal’ as much as possible. Imitation materials such as wood-effect laminate flooring, or ‘faux-wool’ – are generally made from plastic. While you will gain some benefit of a visual connection, it will not give quite the same tactile effect as real wood, or real wool.

As well as helping to connect you with nature and increasing your wellbeing, there are added benefits of designing with natural materials: They are timeless, healthy, and generally the most environmentally friendly choice.

Design for All of the Senses

You can elevate your bond with nature by bringing in elements that you can connect with using all of your senses. Thoughtfully designed, multi-sensorial spaces create a richer and more engaging experience. And they can truly boost your wellbeing!

• Vision – Try installing artwork, wallpaper, or textiles with botanical patterns or other nature-inspired images. Even seeing visual representations of nature can have a great effect on our mood.
• Hearing – How would you like to wake up to the gentle sound of a bird song (via a sunrise alarm) rather than the harsh blaring of your phone? Another idea is to install a water feature like a decorative fountain near your living area. The trickling sound is reminiscent of waterfalls and streams and induces calm.
• Smell – Place some pine cones in a decorative basket in Winter-time, a fragrant lavender plant in your bedroom, or use a diffuser with natural essential oils.
• Touch – Layering natural materials of varying textures is a great, tactile way to bring nature indoors. Or simply open a window to feel the fresh breeze on your skin.
• Taste – By growing your own herbs, you can even taste nature grown inside your home!

Humans long for a connection with nature. To meet that innate need in our homes, we should use design elements to stimulate more than just our visual senses.

Decorate with Colours from Nature – Blues, Greens & Earthy Tones

While there are endless colours in nature, the most predominant colours are:

• The blues of the skies and seas.
• The greens of plant life.
• The earthy tones of the land.

Decorating with these colours at the forefront can help to connect you with nature and enhance your wellbeing.

Brighter colours are found in nature too — think of the vivid colours of flowers, butterflies and tropical birds — but we see these in proportionately smaller amounts. Going overboard on these vivid colours can result in an over-stimulating environment, which does not mimic the natural world.

Choosing the right shade of these colours for you is an important design decision. While some people feel more at ease with lighter, neutral shades and variants of earthy colours, others may need bolder colour to uplift them or make them feel cosy in their space. This will vary person to person, and even room to room.

Colour psychology is another in-depth blog post in itself, so I’ll keep that for another day! But the important thing to remember is that colours evoke feelings. When designing a room, figure out what the room is to be used for, and choose nature-inspired colours that support those uses and evoke the atmosphere you wish to create.

Style your Space with Nature-Inspired Artwork

Seeing representations of our favourite places in nature can evoke a sense of happiness and wellbeing. Ok, it will never be as good as physically being in the actual forest or on the actual beach, but visual artwork or framed photography of these places does help to connect us with nature.

• Landscape photography – Search for beautiful scenes of your favourite natural settings. This could be somewhere local to you, or somewhere you have visited before, or even more detailed photography of the patterns or textures in nature.
• Photographs of nature you have taken yourself. Not only does this add a personal touch, but it also brings your mind to a place of positive memories in nature.
• Abstract nature-inspired artwork – Lots of artists use the complex beauty of nature for inspiration. Select pieces that bring you joy every time you look at them!
• Wall-art prints – You can buy a huge variety of these online. Or for a cost-saving solution, I have even framed off-cuts of nature-inspired wallpaper to create stunning wall art.
• Create your own artwork – If you are the creative type, take inspiration from nature and get the paintbrushes out! Creating your own artwork gives you the chance to tailor the content, colour palette and mood of the painting to exactly suit your individual personality and home style.

Maximise Natural Light

Natural light is one of the best ways to connect with nature. Living in bright, day-lit spaces brightens our mood during the day, and the warm evening sun brings a sense of calm.

One of the most important ways to connect with nature is to be aligned with the patterns of the daylight. Nurturing this connection is critical for us to maintain regular sleep and wake cycles.

To maximise daylight in your home:

• Stick with lighter-toned paint colours for walls and ceilings, particularly in rooms with small windows
• Install mirrors on walls opposite the windows to bounce light around
• Include some reflective surfaces such as bright metals and glass.
• Adjust your curtains, window shades or blinds so that you allow the maximum amount of natural light to flood your space.
• When possible, during the brighter times of the day, make use of natural light rather than artificial light. Supplement with some task lighting only when necessary.
• If building or refurbishing, consider adding roof-lights into your design, in addition to windows. Bringing natural light in from more than one dimension maximises your connection with daylight and nature.

Synchronise your Lighting to the Rising & Setting of the Sun

Our circadian rhythm (aka body clock) is naturally in sync with the rising and setting of the sun. While natural light is best, it does have to be supplemented by artificial lighting at times.

To keep your circadian rhythm in tune, the best approach is to mimic the pattern of daylight as much as possible in your lighting scheme.

Morning Lighting

The ideal scenario is to be woken naturally by the rising of the sun. However, this is not possible for many of us living in countries with long, dark winters!

• Sunrise alarm clocks – A great solution is to use a sunrise alarm for your wake-up routine. This is the one I have, and it has been a brilliant little addition to my mornings. The lamp mimics a sunrise by gradually developing from a warming red glow through to a bright daylight-type light at the time you set. It is lovely to be nudged awake by the sense of a sunrise in the room!

Daytime Lighting

During the day, use only natural light as much as possible, and supplement with task lighting where necessary. For example:

• Adjustable table lamp for your home office
• Focused spotlighting for your kitchen work surfaces
• Bright light fixtures alongside bathroom mirrors

Evening Lighting

In the evening, it is crucial to dim the lights and use bulbs that emit a warmer amber glow, rather than the cooler light of daytime. Turn off (or dim) any overhead lighting, and switch on atmospheric lamps with warmer bulbs and light a natural candle or two.

• Smart bulbs – These bulbs are Bluetooth-controlled via an app, and they allow you to customise the temperature of the lighting depending on the time of day. They can be used in place of regular bulbs in most fittings.
• Sunrise/Sunset lamps – Not only do the ‘sunrise alarm clocks’ mimic a sunrise in the mornings, but they also have a sunset feature for helping you to unwind at night too!
• Himalayan salt lamps – Created from actual natural blocks of pink salt, these are one of my favourite lamps for a soft, warm, evening glow.
• Natural candles – Another evening favourite of mine! Just be sure to select ones made from natural wax (soy or beeswax) and fragranced only with natural essential oils (no harmful synthetic fragrances).

Our innate biological clock – our circadian rhythm – is at the base of our overall wellbeing. Keep this in mind when planning your lighting, by synchronising both the temperature (warm or cool) and the intensity of your lighting to the time of day.

Mimic Patterns & Textures Found in Nature

Replicating patterns and textures found in nature is another tool of biophilic design. Choose nature-inspired patterns or symbolic references to contoured, patterned or textured arrangements that persist in nature.

Humans have been decorating living spaces with representations of nature since ancient times. Many classic building ornaments are derived from natural forms, and countless textile designs are based on leafy botanicals, honeycomb patterns, floral motifs, and animal prints.

Although I personally only like to use these patterns subtly and sparingly, if you are a fan of bold design, you can layer on as many as you like! You can create visual interest through these patterns with elements such as:

• Wallpaper
• Upholstery fabrics
• Cushions
• Rugs
• Tiles
• Wall murals
• Artwork

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Our homes should be places of peace, restoration and calm. I hope you take these ideas on board to bring the natural world into your living space, and reap the benefits to your wellbeing!

Follow along on Instagram @jadehaveninteriors for more Interior Design tips for wellbeing and sustainability x