Well here we are in 2025, and as Christmas now seems like a distant memory we look forward towards the year ahead. With the approach of Spring many of us are thinking about how we can improve the interiors of our homes and what the top interior design trends for 2025 might be, whether to help improve our wellbeing or to simply give our homes a fresh look for the year. One trend that has really caught our eye is the Biophilic design trend, which has begun to gain popularity over the last few years and very much links to our Za Za ‘ethos’.
What is the Biophilic trend?
Coined from the ancient Greek for “Love of Life”, the Biophilic trend incorporates natural elements into the home to improve wellbeing, as many of us seek to connect with nature more, and what better way to do so than within our own homes? This can be done through natural light, colours, plants, and using the senses to create a unique and calming experience that is not only sure to help you feel relaxed, but make your home look fresh and beautiful too.
How to use light in Biophilic design?
The use of light has always been used by architects and designers to make a room feel bright, airy and welcoming, which is great for our mental health. If you have a large window to play with then use it to fill the room with as much light as possible. Consider removing bulky curtains and pelmets that block light and instead use a blind that can be rolled up when not in use. If your space allows then skylights are great too, and are perfect for getting light into those harder to reach places. If you only have small windows then don’t despair however; mirrors are fantastic for reflecting light around a room and can bounce it off the walls to get into those hard to reach places.
Natural wooden candle lanterns are an excellent choice for lighting a home after dark, and work well with the Biophilic theme. The warm, natural light will do wonders on a dark, winters night, and even on a dull day can brighten a room. Use either real candles or battery powered candles for a perfect glow, which creates a much more calming atmosphere than harsher LED lights.
How to use colour in Biophilic design?
It may seem obvious to say that Biophilic design uses natural colours on walls, floors and surfaces, but it doesn’t mean that you have to be limited. With modern colour pallets there’s plenty of choice; natural, earthy colours that ground us in nature such as browns and greens are always a good choice. If you’re looking for a wider colour scheme then you can also play with more baked earth colours such as reds, pinks and yellows, which go well with natural wooden furniture.
Colour drenching has also become very popular as of late, and can easily be incorporated into a Biophilic design if you have one dominant colour. As the name suggests it involves using a single colour in varying shades to create instant impact and a sense of formality. This has been shown to make a space look bigger and feel less cramped, which is simply perfect for those with small homes.
What plants are used in Biophilic design?
It goes without saying that using plants in our homes improves our quality of life both mentally and physically, and purifies the air quality of our homes. Spider Plants, Devil’s Ivy and Snake Plants are still popular as they are easy to care for whilst looking visually stunning. Why not use a stylish plant pot or decorative plant stand to display them in, and make them the feature of your space?
It’s not just physical plants used in Biophilic design however; this can easily extend to images and motifs of plants and foliage, or using natural materials such as wood in either our furniture or our aesthetics. Leaf patterned carpet tiles or wood panelling can be a great addition to a space, and can be achieved without great expense. Tables with natural wood grains from sustainable trees make great features in a room, whether as dining tables or coffee tables, and who doesn’t love a beautiful wooden sanded door? Plant based natural wickers, for example Seagrass and Water hyacinth can be incorporated too, whether as pieces of furniture such as kitchen stools, storage trunks or even wicker accessories such as wicker baskets and wall art; the natural aesthetic suits Biophilic design down to a tee!
What are the five senses of Biophilic design?
As with most types of design, we use our five senses to take in information about the world around us, and our homes are no different. Using not only sight, but also sound, touch, smell and taste in your designs will add that extra level of immersion. Place bird feeders near windows to not only see your little feathered visitors, but listen to them sing too.
Use furniture and accessories that feature natural and textured woods or wickers that you can physically touch and visually appreciate the organic grains, textures and patterns of within the home. This can even be introduced through smaller accessories such as these rustic wooden serving boards and drink coasters used to decorate the dining table or when entertaining guests.
Scented plants make great additions to the home and add a wonderful array of smells to any room they reside in, and herbs grown in the kitchen not only make a wonderful aesthetic, but serve as a tasty addition to any home cooked meal.
At Za Za Homes we love Biophilic design, and use sustainable woods of which you can really feel the grains of and visually appreciate. For example the use of mango wood to create beautiful and unique furniture, as well as other natural materials such as water hyacinth and rattan that add an organic and visually pleasing aesthetic to the home. You can read more about these amazing materials on our other blogs!
