Biophilic Interior Design
How Nature Can Improve the Way You Feel at Home
At Ophelia Sage Design, we believe your home should do more than just look beautiful or function well — it should support the way you want to live and feel every day.
Biophilic design is about thoughtfully weaving natural elements into your home to create spaces that are calming, restorative, and grounded. From improving mood and focus to supporting sleep and reducing stress, this approach taps into something innate in all of us: our connection to the natural world.
And while it might sound like a design trend, biophilic design is backed by decades of research. Its benefits go far beyond aesthetics — it can truly change the way your home feels to live in.
What Is Biophilic Design?
The word biophilia means “love of nature” — and biophilic design is all about nurturing that connection in the way we shape our homes.
It’s a design philosophy that brings the outdoors in, using natural elements like sunlight, airflow, greenery, water, natural materials, and organic forms to create spaces that feel more calming, supportive, and enjoyable to spend time in. It’s not about following trends — it’s about designing in a way that supports your wellbeing and reflects how we’re naturally wired to live.
Today, biophilic design is being embraced in homes, hospitals, schools, and workplaces — not just for the sense of comfort it brings, but for its wide-ranging benefits: from mental wellbeing and physical health to long-term environmental and economic value.
How to Bring Biophilic Design into Your Home
You don’t need a spectacular water view or a full renovation to experience the benefits of biophilic design. At its heart, biophilic design is about creating a home that reconnects you with nature’s rhythms — through light, air, texture, movement and the subtle beauty of living things.
Below are gentle, practical ways to introduce these principles into your home, inspired by the framework developed by Stephen Kellert.
Natural Light
Biophilic design isn’t just about making a room bright — it’s about feeling connected to the natural rhythm of the day. The way light shifts across a space can influence how we feel, think, and move. Morning sun that gently warms the floor. Late-afternoon light casting long, soft shadows. Dusk inviting us to slow down.
• Notice where natural light falls in your home throughout the day — and create moments around it: a reading chair, a morning coffee spot, or a plant that leans toward the sun
• Use sheer curtains or translucent blinds to filter and soften light, rather than block it out entirely
• If renovating, consider the path of the sun and position key rooms to make the most of natural light — especially living spaces on the north or north-eastern side in Queensland
• Embrace changing light — it tells you the day is unfolding, even when life is moving quickly
Fresh Air & Natural Ventilation
Biophilic design invites us to feel the environment around us — not just see it. A soft breeze moving through the house. The scent of rain. The shift in temperature as a cloud passes overhead. These moments remind us we’re part of something bigger.
• Open windows when you can — not just for airflow, but to let the sounds, scents and sensations of the outdoors drift in
• Create cross-breezes by opening windows on opposite sides of a room or hallway
• Use flyscreens so you can leave windows open longer, especially on warm Queensland nights
• If you’re building or renovating, consider how window placement and operable styles (like louvres or skylights) can shape the way air flows through your home — and how that movement makes you feel
• When fresh air moves through your home, you notice it on your skin — it becomes something you experience, not just something you plan for
Connection to Water
Water soothes us — not just visually, but through its movement, its sound, and its ability to slow us down. Whether it’s the shimmer of sunlight on a pool, the soft trickle of a fountain, or the rhythm of waves in the distance, water can bring calm and clarity into your home.
• If you’re fortunate to have a view of the river, ocean, or a pool, orient everyday spaces to take it in — even glimpses matter
• A small water feature in a courtyard, balcony or garden can add gentle sound and movement
• Indoors, an aquarium offers a living connection to the underwater world — its quiet patterns can be surprisingly calming
• The sound of water, especially when layered with birdsong or breeze, creates a sensory moment that feels grounding and alive
Did you know? Even short exposure to flowing water has been linked to reduced heart rate and improved mood.
Introduce Greenery
There’s something instinctively comforting about being surrounded by plants. They soften our spaces, purify the air, and quietly remind us that we’re part of the natural world. It’s not just about decoration — it’s about creating a living relationship between you and your home.
• Use greenery to create moments of pause — a tall potted tree in a sunny corner, herbs by the kitchen window, or a trailing vine on a bookshelf
• Position plants where you’ll see them often — beside your bed, near your desk, along the hallway — places where their presence becomes part of your everyday rhythm
• Frame views with planting just outside a glass door or window — this could be a garden bed, or simply a large potted plant placed where you naturally look out
• If you're renovating or building, a kitchen splashback window that looks onto greenery can bring a sense of calm and life to the everyday
Tip: Not sure where to start? Try low-maintenance options like fiddle-leaf figs, snake plants or peace lilies — they thrive in most Queensland homes and are forgiving for beginners.
Olive et Oriel, Out West PT Art Print
Make the Most of Natural Landscapes & Views
Whether it’s a borrowed view of a neighbour’s tree or a thoughtfully framed garden bed, having a place to look out and connect with the natural world — a biophilic “vista point” — can offer moments of calm, reflection, and quiet joy.
These views don’t have to be grand or expansive. It’s more about creating visual depth and a sense of openness, even in small ways.
• Use windows or glass doors to frame a favourite tree, a cluster of potted plants, or a pocket of sky
• If you’re designing a new home or landscaping, consider how each outlook will be experienced from the spaces you live in most — the kitchen, your desk, the sofa
• Think about layers of planting (foreground, mid-ground, background) to give the eye something to rest on and wander through
• A glimpse of greenery in the distance — even a single tree — can create a sense of perspective that helps us slow down
• And if an outdoor view isn’t available, a beautiful landscape artwork or large-scale nature photograph can still offer that same feeling of space and connection
This type of connection to nature — looking out, looking beyond — has been shown to reduce mental fatigue and gently restore our attention. It invites us to pause, take a breath, and come back to ourselves.
Encourage Connection to Animals
Biophilic design isn’t just about plants and sunlight — it’s about our relationship with all living things. Interacting with animals, even in small ways, has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, and create a deeper sense of connection to the world around us.
• Attract wildlife by planting bee, and butterfly-friendly species, or adding a bird bath or feeder to your garden, courtyard or balcony
• An aquarium can offer a quiet, ever-changing connection to nature — watching fish has even been shown to lower blood pressure
• If you live with a pet, you already know how much they contribute to daily life — whether they’re nudging you for a walk, waiting by the door, or claiming the comfiest spot on the couch (my dog definitely makes herself at home — as you can see)
• Even animal-inspired artwork can offer a symbolic sense of connection, especially if you’re in an apartment or a space where live animals aren’t practical
Natural Materials & Textures
Natural materials connect us to the earth and to the gentle beauty of imperfection. We respond to these elements not just because of how they feel, but because of how they move, shift and vary in subtle, natural ways.
• Incorporate materials like timber, stone, clay, wool, linen or leather in your furniture, joinery and soft furnishings
• Choose finishes that feel textured and real — a hand-thrown ceramic vase, a woven rug, or an oiled timber dining table
• Let materials age naturally over time — allow brass to patina, timber decking to silver, or natural leather to wear in
• Look for pieces that carry a sense of craftsmanship — not perfect, but made with care
These tactile details add depth, warmth and authenticity to your home. They also create small sensory moments that ground you in the present — a surface you love to touch, a finish that changes with time, a home that feels lived in and connected.
Globe West SEB Oval Dining Table with CAMI Dining Armchairs
Organic Shapes & Patterns
Nature doesn’t follow straight lines — it curves, flows, branches, ripples. Bringing these softer, more natural forms into your home helps create a sense of ease and calm. It’s a quiet shift, but it changes how a space feels to live in.
• Choose furniture with curves or rounded edges — a circular dining table, an arched mirror, or a soft-edged armchair
• Look for organic patterns in artwork, wallpaper, rugs or cushions — flowing lines, natural asymmetry, or layered textures
• Embrace imperfect or handmade finishes — pieces where the form or surface isn’t uniform, but gently irregular
• Even subtle details — like a curved benchtop edge or a softly rippled vase — can soften a space and make it feel more welcoming
These shapes and patterns help a home feel more relaxed and intuitive. Less rigid. Less formal. More like something you can breathe in.
Natural Colours
The colours we surround ourselves with can shift how we feel — not just emotionally, but physically. Nature tends to favour muted, layered tones: soft greens, warm browns, dusty blues, earthy greys. These hues feel familiar and grounding, because we experience them all around us — in landscapes, weathered materials, and living things.
• Use colours found in nature as a starting point — they tend to be easier to live with and create a calmer backdrop
• Think eucalypt green, washed clay, stormy blue, sandy beige, or the natural warmth of timber
• You don’t need to commit to a full palette — even a single feature wall, artwork, cushion, or natural fibre rug can shift the mood of a space
• Choose tones that feel good to you — that feel like something you’ve seen or felt in the real world
Natural colour palettes don’t just look beautiful — they help a home feel settled, grounded and easy to be in.
Firelight & Warmth
Fire is one of the oldest ways we connect with nature — not just for warmth, but for comfort, stillness, and atmosphere. Whether it’s a quiet candlelit dinner or the crackle of a firepit on a cool night, fire invites us to slow down and feel present in the moment.
• If space allows, consider a fireplace or outdoor firepit to bring warmth, movement and mood
• Otherwise, candles or lanterns can create that same soft, flickering glow — especially in the evenings
• It’s not just about light — it’s about creating a space that feels calm, grounded and alive
Final Thoughts
Biophilic design isn’t about following rules or ticking boxes — it’s about noticing how nature makes you feel, and thoughtfully weaving more of that into your home. Whether you’re building from scratch, planning a renovation, or simply looking to make small changes, these principles can help you create a home that feels more grounded, calming, and deeply connected to the way we’re naturally wired to live.
Not sure where to begin? Download the free Biophilic Design Checklist for simple ways to get started — or Book a Complimentary Discovery Call if you’d like help weaving these principles into your renovation, new build or furnishing project.
Access Your Free Biophilic Design Checklist