As humans, we want to be connected with nature and other living things such as people, animals, and plants because it makes us feel good. This longing for “connection” is called “biophilia”.

There are numerous ways that we could use Interior Design to get that connection for a happier, healthier home including using natural materials, plants, animals, color, art, scents, and lighting.

Some tips include”

• Bringing the outdoors “in” through the use of design, strategic window placement, and use of colors that harmonize with the outdoor environment. Use your outdoor windows as indoor “art”.
• Using the colors of nature in your home such as blues, greens, browns, off whites and grays since they are prominent in trees, shrubs, the sky and water.
• Using color from your outdoor landscaping visible from your windows in your color scheme.
• Using art that shows landscapes, plants, animals, or other natural elements.
• Designing to make it easy to live with pets such as pet-friendly upholstery, washable rugs, etc.
• Creating exterior landscapes that are visible through your windows and are beautiful, colorful, smell great, and attract wildlife.

This Edesign for a global style living and dining room is a nice example of how to apply some of these ideas.

In this design, the windows and beautiful views of the forest provide the perfect indoor “art” and create a focal point and color scheme for the design.

• The color palette from this “art” or view includes greens, yellows, browns and blue from the sky which are incorporated in the furniture, pillows and wall color. Various shades of green are used to highlight the various shades outside. The area rug creates the illusion of flowing water.
• The art shows a natural mountain landscape showing yellow birch trees similar to what is in the outdoor landscape.
• The furnishings use pet friendly materials, and as you can see, makes it comfy cozy for pets such as the kitty on the chair.
• The décor includes plants and flowers.
• The furnishings and flooring are wood and include different wood types and colors for variety.
• The window treatments allow in natural light and are simple in color and pattern to keep the focus on the outdoor view.
• The lamps use the shape and pattern of a natural element (pineapple).

In the adjacent dining room, the forest theme continues.

In this room, the browns of the forest are highlighted in the wood of the chairs and table the area rug with various shades of brown on the wood floor and the art. The fractal art which I designed is part of my “Old Growth” series I developed because it reminds me of the colors and patterns of an old growth forest. Each frame is in a different wood tone.

The greens in the chair cushions add a pop of color and harmonize with the outdoor view and the living room colors. The décor includes plants.

The wall color here and window treatments are neutral to keep the focus on the outdoor views and the art.

Overall, this design is simple, affordable to create using color, natural elements such as wood and plants and art that highlights nature. The overall feeling is one of serenity with a focus on the amazing forest views. The look of this room will change as the seasons change and the yellow from the fall foliage changes to green, but it will still look great.

Ready to Bring the Outside in To Your Home?

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Whether you’re committed to reducing your carbon footprint or simply want a safe, healthy home for your family, eco-friendly remodeling is a smart choice. Eco-friendly home improvements save money and energy, and limit the amount of harmful toxins that enter your home. Eco-friendly homes also command a premium when it’s time to sell; according to the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, energy-efficient homes net 3.5% to 9% more per square foot than typical homes.

As you plan your next remodel, consider investing in one of these eco-friendly home improvements.

Increase natural light

There’s a reason people are drawn to homes flooded with natural light. Sunlight is energizing and uplifting, but you don’t have to go outdoors to enjoy its benefits. Increasing natural light in the home brings the sun indoors and decreases electricity usage, especially in high-traffic areas like kitchens and living rooms.

There are a few ways to bring more natural light into your home, including adding skylights or solar tubes, replacing solid doors with glass, or installing new windows. Talk to an architect to make the best choice for your home’s design.

Replace old carpet with green flooring

Carpeting is inexpensive, but those short-term cost savings can lead to long-term consequences. Synthetic carpet releases volatile organic compounds that harm air quality and human health. Synthetic carpeting also won’t biodegrade when it’s eventually thrown away. Natural materials like hardwood, bamboo, cork, and stone or ceramic tile are better flooring options for an eco- and human-friendly home. If you can’t give up the feel of carpet underfoot, choose materials certified with the Green Label or Green Plus Label from the Carpet and Rug Institute.

Redecorate with low-VOC paint

Paint is another big contributor to VOCs in the home. The next time you want to refresh a room’s look, choose a zero-VOC paint like Bioshield or Sherwin-Williams’ Harmony line.

Upgrade to energy-efficient windows

When you’re remodeling to save money and energy, nothing sucks energy worse than old, drafty windows. Upgrading to double-pane windows can save homeowners $126 to $465 a year in energy costs, and springing for energy-efficient windows adds another $27-$111 in yearly savings. In addition to keeping drafts out, energy-efficient windows have coatings that block the sun’s ultraviolet rays, protecting your stuff — and you — from sun damage.

Add an energy-efficient laundry room

Laundry rooms increasingly top buyers’ list of most-wanted home features. Turn a corner of the basement into a laundry room, or stack a washer and dryer in a first-floor cabinet for easy access. Upgrade to energy-efficient appliances in the process, choosing an ENERGY STAR washer and dryer to save money on your monthly utility bills.

Install a tankless water heater

Your hot water heater is the unsung hero of your home, providing hot water for baths, dishes, and laundry at a moment’s notice. It’s also one of the biggest energy users. Switching to a tankless water heater can reduce energy consumption 8-34% depending on how much water your family uses, leading to about $100 in annual savings. Not only that, but you’ll never have to worry about running out of hot water again.

Keep in mind that tankless water heaters have lower flow rates than traditional water heaters. As a result, you may need to install multiple tankless water heaters to ensure adequate pressure.

Don’t Forget Your Furnishings and Accessories

You can use eco-friendly Interior Design to include eco-friendly furnishings and accessories in your home. See the article, “Eco-Friendly Interior Design– Why it Matters” by Mary Ann Benoit of Northern Lights Home Staging and Design to learn more.

Eco-friendly home upgrades can seem expensive upfront. However, these home improvements pay for themselves over time. Not only do homeowners save on monthly energy bills, they also get to cash in on the high demand for energy-efficient homes when they sell. Instead of shying away from green remodeling, invest in eco-friendly upgrades the next time you renovate.

Written by guest blogger Ray Flynn of the DiyGuys.net. When he’s not working as a civil engineer, Ray Flynn spends his time dreaming up new DIY projects that promote green living. He created his own website, where you can visit him at diyguys.net.

Need Eco-Friendly Design Help for your next project?

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Our intrinsic desire to connect with nature and living entities is encapsulated in the term “biophilia.” Coined initially by Erich Fromm and later popularized by Edward O. Wilson, this concept has found a renewed emphasis in contemporary interior design.

Throughout history, our bond with nature has been pivotal, not only for sustenance and survival but also for spiritual rejuvenation and inspiration. Nature, in all its splendor, offers a plethora of colors, shapes, patterns, and textures that have always intrigued our aesthetic senses. Beyond the visual delight, nature nourishes our well-being. Plants, for instance, not only beautify our spaces but purify our air and offer sensory pleasures. Similarly, our reverence for animals can be traced back through art, religion, and their cherished presence in our lives as companions.

My personal journey as a wildlife biologist for 33 years, trekking the terrains of Arizona and Alaska, deepened my appreciation for nature’s designs. Be it the intricate patterns of plant parts under a microscope or the harmonious color schemes, I’ve often been inspired by nature’s unparalleled creativity.

In an ever-evolving technological world, the essence of biophilia reminds us of the solace nature provides. So, the question is, how can we bring this comforting connection to nature into our homes through interior design?

Natural Materials

Opt for eco-friendly and sustainable materials in both your construction and interior design choices. Discover more in my article on Eco-Friendly Interior Design. Embrace nature by integrating unique finds from your outdoor excursions – think branches, rocks, or shells – into your home decor. Elevate your space with indoor plants that not only beautify but also purify. Enhance your home’s synergy with the outdoors by strategically landscaping visible from your interiors. Design outdoor sanctuaries that beckon you outside. Seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor spaces with design choices and window placements that frame nature as living art.

Plants

Incorporate native plants in your garden to not only attract local wildlife but also ensure sustainability. These indigenous species are tailored to thrive in local conditions, ensuring they’re resilient and eco-friendly by preventing the spread of invasive species that could harm native ecosystems. On my Alaskan adventures, I’ve handpicked native perennials like wild roses, blueberries, and geraniums, which beautify my garden, attract wildlife, and even offer delicious treats. Indoors, adorn your space with houseplants that enhance aesthetics and purify the air. Choose flowering varieties for a burst of vibrant color!

Animals

For many, including me, a home feels incomplete without the affection of a pet. Their presence greatly enhances our overall well-being. When designing interiors, consider pet-friendly choices that not only facilitate but celebrate life with animals. Opt for durable upholstery and washable rugs to minimize pet-related wear and tear, reducing any stress that may come with adding a furry friend. Moreover, cultivate an outdoor space that’s both visually pleasing and teeming with life. Plant flora that captivates the senses and invites wildlife. Thoughtfully positioned plants near windows can provide natural ‘entertainment’, as you watch birds, butterflies, and pollinators drawn to your garden.

Color

• Incorporate nature’s hues into your home’s interior and exterior. As a certified color strategist, I’ve often drawn inspiration from the landscaping colors of clients’ gardens, converting them into paint shades for walls, front doors, or interior palettes. Think of the calming blues of the sky, lush greens, earthy browns, muted grays, and soft off-whites. Highlight with vibrant shades inspired by garden blossoms in pinks, purples, yellows, and reds or the autumnal tones of foliage like golds and oranges. While stark black and pure white are rare in nature, they can accentuate and uplift these natural shades. And remember, if a color dominates your view—even from a neighboring property—it’s worth integrating into your decor palette.

Art

• Get great photos of your outdoor adventures that evoke the feeling you had while you were there for art.
• Consider art that shows landscapes, plants, animals or other natural elements that bring you joy and work with your design and color palette.
• Incorporate energy art that connects energetically and spiritually to nature.

Scents

Scents can have a huge impact on the way you feel.

• Try a diffuser with natural oils of lavender, orange or other scents related to herbs or fruits to make the connection through smell.
• Flowering plants add a beautiful scent to your indoor space.
• Avoid products that emit harmful odors.

Lighting

• Use full spectrum bulbs to get the quality of natural daylight, especially in northern climates where light can be very limited in the winter. Living in Alaska, I can personally attest that they work and affect your mood.
• Lots of strategically placed windows provides an abundance of natural light.

Get the Look and Feel Good

Even amidst urban sprawl, it’s entirely possible to forge a natural sanctuary in your living space. Let’s explore how I transformed rooms with views of nothing but an adjacent brick building into rejuvenating havens. By leveraging earthy tones like greens, blues, and browns, incorporating artwork showcasing flora and fauna, and introducing real plants, I managed to evoke a “feel-good” ambiance that resonates with the calming embrace of nature.

We spend more time in our homes in general than we do anywhere else. Why not make it feel great with some of these tips! If you need help with your design, check out my local and online Design and Color Services.

Get Connected to Nature in Your Design

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Where do you spend most of your time? 

Indoors, both at home and at work. All the things in our indoor environments can affect our health. While we probably don’t have much say about our work environments, we can totally control what is in our homes, and we can use those things to make our homes both beautiful and healthy at the same time!

 Furniture, rugs, upholstery, flooring cabinets and paint all affect our indoor air quality. Some of the chemicals used to keep us safe, such as flame retardants in synthetic fabrics and rugs can also be hard on our health. Chemicals in some carpeting and flooring off-gas into the air. Adhesives used in furniture, especially particle board, contain formaldehyde that emit harmful substances into the air.

Ways to Create a Healthy Interior Space

How can you reduce or eliminate the negative effects of common products that can affect our health and still have a beautiful home?

 • Buy higher quality furniture that uses wood joinery and fewer adhesives.

 • Get rugs made of natural materials such as wool, cotton, silk or jute. 

• Paint with brands that use fewer chemicals (low VOCs). VOCs are compounds that evaporate into the air and smell bad and are bad for indoor air quality. Benjamin Moore makes a low VOC paint in their Natura collection in all their fabulous colors with reduced levels of allergens and irritants.

 • Purchase furniture with upholstery that does not use fire retardant chemicals. 

• Purchase furniture that uses foam made of natural materials such as latex. 

• Go for furniture and décor items made of wood or metal and avoid plastics.

 • Look for pillows, mattresses, upholstery and beddings made from wool-stuffed materials rather than synthetics. 

• Consider flooring made from natural materials such as stone or wood and avoid vinyl.

 • Give your space plenty of natural light and fresh air.

 • Add plants to add beauty and filter your air.

 • Use natural cleaning products. 

• Use natural materials and objects from nature as decoration.

 • Use rammed earth or adobe for walls instead of plaster or cement.

 • Use rubber walkways made from recycled rubber outdoors rather than concrete

How Your Choices Help the Planet

Besides actions you take to improve the air quality directly in your home, consider how your choices affect the health the planet too! 

• Buy high quality, long lasting furniture rather than cheap low-quality stuff that will end up in landfills or on the street as “free stuff” in a few years. Many cities are being overwhelmed with furniture no-one wants.

 • Find local products so that the shipping doesn’t contribute to emissions in the environment.

 • Use energy efficient lighting.

 • Use vintage items.

 • Use products made of recycled materials such as glass tiles or paper wallpaper. You can use glass in your countertops, tiles, lamps and accessories and paper for beautiful wall coverings. Even some polyester can be recycled. If you must use polyester, use rPET which can be spun into yarn and dyed without toxic properties. 

• Use renewable or sustainable materials such as bamboo, cork, teak, hemp, palm, soy fabric or cotton. Bamboo is used in fabrics, flooring and window treatments. Cork is used in textiles, floor and wall coverings. Teak is used in furniture and decking. Hemp is used in furniture upholstery, bedding, curtains and paper products. Soy fabric is soft and silky. Palm is used in some baskets. Organic cotton can be used for upholstery fabric, bedding, pillows and more. 

• Use sustainable metals that can be recycled such as copper, aluminum and steel. 

• Use solar energy for your home.

Get the Look- Eco-Friendly Design.

So, what does eco-friendly design look like? 

It can really reflect any style that you want. Most of the eco-friendly furniture produced is in a more modern style with fabrics in a wide range of colors and uses beautiful natural wood and bamboo. 

Ethnic rugs, pillows and decorative accessories are often made of natural materials and can create a global style or Bohemian look.

 Whether you are starting fresh with a new home or redoing a whole room, consider making it eco-friendly. Or add eco-friendly elements as you update your look over time. 

Eco-Friendly Furniture and Decor

It is easy to find beautiful sustainable products for your home décor. Sometimes these products may cost a little bit more, but it is worth it!

Ready to Create a Beautiful Eco-Friendly Space?

Learn more about Global style design in my article, Tell Your Story with Global Style Interior Design.  Curious about what Global Style might be right for you? Take the quiz below. Ready to try to get the look in your own home? Try one of my Edesign packages.

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As the season changes and we move from summer into fall, we are often inspired to change our decor. But why? Are there any good reasons to do it?

Why yes! There are several. And they are all good for us!

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1. Stay Connected to the Outdoors

One way to stay connected to the outdoors is by bringing the changing colors of the outside in.

Humans want to be connected with nature and other living things.  This longing for “connection”  is called “biophilia”.  

We have always been connected to nature, for survival, sustenance, spiritual renewal, and inspiration. Mother nature provides an endless abundance of beautiful color palettes, shapes, patterns, and textures to inspire us, our health and wellbeing, and our interior environments,

Feeling “connected” makes us feel good. One way to get that connection and those good feelings are to change the colors in our interior environment to reflect what is happening outside so there is an energy flow between the outdoors and indoors.

If you have considered the colors of your exterior view and outdoor landscaping in your Interior Design, you likely have a change of colors happening in the fall.

So the colors of fall may be different for everyone based on your location. Play with the colors you see outside your windows:)

While fall colors are typically shown as reds, yellows, oranges, browns and deep greens, the colors in your area may be different. 

For example, I grew up in the northeast and always thought of fall as having the beautiful reds of the maple leaves as they changed. Now that I live in Alaska, we have very few trees that turn red. It is mainly low ground plants that turn a deeper, darker red than the maples. Yet, we have a glorious gold color that many of the birches and cottonwoods turn that I did not see on the east coast.

• Bring the colors in by changing your accent pillows, rug,  art, or accessories. Work with things that are easy to change because you may want to change things in other seasons as well.
• Get outside, collect cool objects from your outdoor adventures to decorate your home including branches, rocks, shells, gourds, grasses, and more.
• Use of colors that harmonize with the outdoor environment. Use your outdoor windows as indoor “art”.
• Get indoor plants to provide a variety of colors, textures and improve your indoor air quality. Flowering plants are a special treat to add pops of color!

• Use the colors of nature in your home, inside and out. As a certified color strategist, I often measure some of the colors from clients’ landscaping (shrubs, flowers, trees) and translate that to paint colors for exterior walls, front doors, or interior paint palettes.
• Blues, greens, browns, off whites and grays, are great natural colors to try to bring the outdoors in since they are prominent in trees, shrubs, the sky, and water.
• Find pops of color from some of your colorful outdoor landscaping such as the fall colors of your trees, shrubs, or ground covers (golds, reds, oranges).  Black and pure white are not often found in nature but can be great colors to add to make the others stand out in all their glory. If it is a prominent color you can see from your windows, even if it is from an adjacent property, consider tying it into your color scheme.

Even if you live in the middle of a city, you can follow some of these guidelines to create a space that feels good and gives a sense of being more connected to nature. 

2. Change your Interior to go with the feeling of the season for you.

Fall feels different than spring, summer or winter. Biologically, it is the time we reap the harvest of our labors, prepare for the winter ahead and get ready to conserve our energy.

In the fall I want to relax after working hard in the summer. I feel like snuggling up and reading, enjoying a fire, taking a nap, stocking up for winter, making soup, putting the garden to bed, and slowing down. I bring out the fluffy blankets, enjoy the first fires in the fireplace, and more. I’m like my cat who moves from enjoying naps on the cool, hard floor to laying on the fluffy blanket on my bed in the fall.

I want to surround myself with warmer colors, fabrics, and softer textures than I did in the summer. My decor becomes more cozy and intimate. These things would not feel right in the summer.

So, I adapt my decor to match how I am feeling energetically at this time of the year, and in doing so, I feel more comfortable and enjoy my space more.

Create Connection During the Holidays.

Fall is filled with holidays to celebrate and decorate for including Halloween, Thanksgiving, Autumn Equinox, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Octoberfest, Columbus Day, and more. 

There are lots of ideas for decorating for different holidays online or you can create your own traditions. The main point is to create a special atmosphere to celebrate and connect with friends and family that is beautiful and comfortable.

Create Your Perfect Space for Fall

Here is an example of a beautiful living room Edesign I created to highlight fall decor. For me, fall is a time of darker and brighter reds of the shrubs and ground plants, mixed with browns and greens of the forest, charcoal of the rocks on the mountain tops with a light dusting of snow, with snow, golds, yellow and oranges of the hardwood trees. I love a nice fire, a soft rug under my feet and an intimate get together with friends, wine and cheese.

For this design, I used pieces because I was drawn to the colors and textures that evoke a feeling of fall to me. The design primarily used pieced from Arhaus. I also appreciate the natural, eco-friendly materials, the handmade artistry of some of the pieces, and the cultural elements I am drawn to when creating global-style designs.

Try Energy Art that Evokes a Feeling of Fall

Here are a some fractal energy art pieces I created that I think evoke a feeling of fall that are available in wall art, pillows and other home decor. The energy message for each piece and how it an help you is listed in the caption.

Are You Ready to Create Your Perfect Space?

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During these uncertain times, it is likely we are going to all be spending more time at home. Whether that is working from home or spending leisure time there rather than going out, it may be the best way to stay safe and healthy for now.

If you have not spent much time at home before, you may be looking around and thinking, wow, I wish my home looked or functioned better! I wish it was more comfortable, cozy, more of a sanctuary or an easy place to work from.

Think of it this way. Maybe it is the perfect time to do some updates or projects to create your perfect sanctuary. All those projects or ideas that you have meant to do but didn’t have time for. Why not now.

It could be painting an interior room, re-organizing, redecorating or refreshing a room or series of rooms. Maybe updating your office space so that it is more beautiful and works better for you.

Maybe it is a great time to set up a workout area to stay healthy and avoid the gym. Maybe set up a place to meditate and relax or listen to music. How about an entertainment area to watch movies or play games? A reading nook with a window seat? Update your kitchen or dining area and do more cooking and entertaining at home with your family.

How about a craft room to start working on those projects you have put off forever or to learn a new art form you always wanted to try? How about a great outdoor living space to relax, read, get fresh air or get more connected to nature. How about starting a garden or working on your landscaping? Why not update your décor so it is more healthy and eco-friendly?  Take an online course,  learn a new language, start a blog or research a future trip.

While social distancing is one way to stay healthy, we are still all connected online and can enjoy each other on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, through Skype or Zoom calls or Facetime.

This too shall pass; we just don’t know how long before that happens. So, why not make the most of the extra time we may have at home and do something productive or make our surroundings more beautiful and fun.

If that idea appeals to you, you might consider Edesign as an option to work online with a designer to come up with great ideas to refresh a room or your whole house.  Create the perfect sanctuary or a home office.  You can take the ideas from your designer and implement them yourself while ordering everything you need online. Check out my Edesign services and let me know if I can help.

In the meantime, I will be writing blog articles on things you can do at home yourself to create your perfect sanctuary, so stay tuned! Or sign up for my monthly design, color or home staging tips so you never miss a great idea.

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