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LIGHT Lighting is also key. Daylight isn’t the same throughout the day. It’s dynamic; it fluctuates in terms of brightness and produces different patterns of shade. Natural light varies in colour, from bright, blue-rich daylight to soft, red-based light in the evenings. Daytime blue light tells our bodies it’s time to be wide awake and busy, the warmer, redder evening light triggers our natural urge to relax and get ready for sleep. That’s why it’s so important to let in as much natural light as possible during the day but also, come the evening, any artificial light should be warm and rich in colour. It also explains why smartphones, tablets and many other devices – which emit blue light – interfere with our ability to feel sleepy.
NATURAL MATERIALS Another key area is to use natural materials that are as minimally processed as possible. On a sustainable level, using materials that have a low carbon footprint or don’t use toxic processes has to be good for the environment. On a biophilic level, humans respond in a different way to materials that are close to their natural state than materials which are highly artificial. Living spaces that incorporate lots of natural materials give us a direct connection to the outside – whether it’s the touchable texture of a wooden table top, crisp linen soft furnishings, or the luxurious feel of a wool or cashmere blanket. Recreate an interior that gives you the opportunity to physically experience lots of different natural materials – by touching them, walking on them, lying on them, seeing them, smelling them and so on. As architect Frank Lloyd Wright famously said: "Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you." He couldn’t have been more right.
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Sally Coulthard is author of ‘Biophilia: a handbook for bringing the natural world into your life’ as well as lots of other favourites such as ‘The Hedgehog Handbook’ and ‘The Little Book of Building Fires’.
HOME S & INTERIORS BIOPHI L IA
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