Set to be an enduring design trend, traversing architecture, commercial interiors and soft furnishings – Biophilia is a design approach underpinned by a passion and love of all things living, growing and alive.
“It’s not a style fad,” explains Tricia Dunlop, interior designer for Lahood. “Botanical-styled prints for curtains and soft-furnishing fabrics make an authentic connection between the natural environment and indoor spaces. It’s timeless.”
Biophilia is recognised by both scientific and design communities. It is more than just stylish decoration. Research indicates there are positive benefits to interacting with nature and that this is also true of indoor spaces that incorporate nature or make authentic connections with the natural world. Improved productivity, lower stress levels, enhanced learning comprehension and increased recovery rates from illness have all been linked to bringing botanical design inside.
A leading author on the subject, Stephen Kellert suggests that humans start to experience sensory deprivation if their immediate environment lacks a connection to the natural world.
“It’s not just about being outside,” says Tricia. “It’s about finding fresh and practical ways to bring the outside in and create spaces that have that alive and living feeling.” Trish suggests The Glasshouse Collection by Sanderson is a range that has a great base to build an enduring style for a room or home needing a more grounded-in-nature feel. It’s not necessarily just about neutral tones and natural fabrics (although Lahood offers an extensive range of these), it’s about overall design, colour, texture and layers.
Sanderson has a pedigree spanning well over 150 years. “They have an extensive archive of hand-drawn and painted works that inspire their current textiles and fabrics,” explains Tricia. “It’s a classic range that’s timeless because there is often a contemporary twist. What I love about their collections is the versatility and incredible quality. Their curtain fabrics always make the most of the latest fabric technologies, meaning we can do so much with them. It’s exquisite form and function.
“The Melsetter range from Morris and Co is also based on designs that are inspired by nature and have endured for well over 150 years,” explains Tricia. The design has birds and flowerheads winding out from a central fruit tree. It’s a new design inspired by bed hangings crafted for Melsetter House in Scotland and it creates a fresco effect that’s linked to those unique Scottish landscapes.”
Lahood brings together not only the best in global textile and fabric brands, but also the leading local designers for interior design and window furnishings. “Warwick really understands the local aesthetic and their collections reflect this. Their latest collections: Tonga, Moorea and Palmyra have a very South Pacific flavour, orientating the Biophilia concept appropriately in New Zealand,” says Tricia.
New curtains and fresh cushions with carefully selected botanical designs could start to bring a sense of nature into your home, where before it was lacking. However, with the help of an interior designer like Tricia Dunlop and Lahood’s extensive range of botanically inspired textiles and fabrics, you can take this even further.
You could re-conceptualise the design of your home or office to create an improved sensory experience. “It’s common sense to me, that design is about more than just aesthetically pleasing decoration; good design can really improve you sense of wellbeing. Your immediate environment has a real impact on so many things, your productivity, motivation and, in some cases, your overall health. This is especially true in terms of functions like sleep, so bedroom design is so important,” insists Tricia.
Biophilia is a design philosophy that is both beautiful and practical. It’s able to be achieved using the vast range of brands, designs, fabrics and interior designers available from Lahood.
For more information on Lahood’s range of botanical-inspired fabrics and textiles or interior design service, contact Lahood or visit our showroom, LAHOOD, 104 Mt Eden Road, T: 09 638 8463, www.lahood.co.nz