Back to Nature

While everyone seems to be talking about “green design,” far less attention has been paid to its lesser-known cousin, “Biophilic” design. Yet the science of Biophilia has been subtly impacting kitchen design for many years, and its influence only continues to grow.

Biophilia can be defined as the innate craving and draw to nature, and the need for it to surround us. Whether that means sunlight or plant life, natural materials or fresh air, elements of nature, when incorporated into the home environment, can make the space both more appealing physically and emotionally – not to mention healthier.

Coined by a professor at Harvard University in the mid 1980s, the term Biophilia is one that many kitchen and bath designers have never even heard of. Yet a majority of these designers have long understood the idea behind it on an intuitive level.

After all, the idea of bringing the outside in has increasingly been evident, both in the growth of the outdoor kitchen trend, and in the plethora of nature-inspired products, colors and materials available in the kitchen and bath market today.

Indeed, kitchen and bath professionals have increasingly embraced the idea of incorporating nature into their designs.

However, up until recently, the concept was most often addressed primarily as an aesthetic one. For instance, earth tones and soft neutrals appeal to consumers on a sensory level, but the effect is generally confined to its visual impact.

By contrast, the scientific basis for Biophilic design and its health benefits encompass far more than just soft colors inspired by nature. And the concept has only recently gained exposure in this industry.

“The welcoming of Mother Nature into our kitchens is truly recent,” notes Susan Larsen, CKD, CBD, co-proprietor of Kitchen Design & Specialty Shoppe in Woodinville, WA. “The importance of Biophilic design is just being recognized by cutting-edge designers and architects.”

She explains, “If we stayed inside our entire lives, we simply wouldn’t be healthy. Hence, we innately equate health to the outdoors. Nature makes us feel stronger, healthier and even happier.”

Valerie Rizzo, ASID, of the Anchorage, AK-based Rizzo & Company agrees: “Designers are now recognizing that people have this real need to be closer to nature. People need natural light and exposure to nature to keep them happy, and [incorporating this into their homes and lives] just increases everyone’s living quality.”

Shanan Huerta, designer for The Kitchen Source, in Dallas, TX, takes it one step further, noting, “[The air] inside the typical American home is 10 times more toxic than outdoors…yet Americans spend 80-90% of their time indoors.” She continues, “This makes me want to choose materials for my clients that are going to help them [be healthier] in their homes.

Indeed, the Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that airborne chemical levels in homes are as much as 70 times higher than outside. The typical home contains over 63 hazardous products that together contain hundreds of chemicals. So, is it a wonder that designers and consumers are embracing Biophilia, so consumers can enjoy the visual benefits of nature, and also the health aspects of designs with more natural, earth-friendly products?

Both water and air purification systems, once luxury add-ons, have become increasingly standard in today’s homes. However, too many people still believe good ventilation is as simple as installing the right hood over the cooktop.

Designers who study and practice the concepts of Biophilic design, however, recognize that these issues extend to the whole home. As Rizzo explains, “One thing that’s a concern out here is that most people park in their garage [which is attached to the house], and they also have all of their gas stored there. The heating system generates from the garage and all that stuff comes through the house. So we’re looking for ways to seal that off from the house and get those impurities out of there, find another source to store all that [so that it doesn’t impact air quality].”