What is Biophilic Interior Design?
Biophilic interior design is a holistic approach to integrating nature and elements of the outdoors into our built or man-made environment. Visual and sensory connections to the natural world are central to this concept. It is rooted in the theory that humans have an inherent desire to interact with living beings and natural settings. Biophilia literally means “love of life,” and as studies have proven– this yearning for the natural world is deeply ingrained in our collective consciousness.
Why are biophilic interiors so important today? For starters, research has shown that being outside or in proximity to nature makes us feel good—both physically and emotionally. Surrounded by sensory cues like lush foliage, natural sunlight, and earthen elements that mimic the outdoors, our stress levels plunge as feel-good hormones kick in.
Further, a growing body of research indicates that routine exposure to nature or natural analogs improves cognitive function, boosts creativity, enhances concentration, and lowers blood pressure. Whether it’s a window looking out on a rural landscape, a fresh spring bouquet, or a living wall brimming with greenery, the result is the same– serenity and harmony.
The vast majority of Americans spend 90% of their days indoors– a fact that underscores our increasing disconnect with nature. Interior biophilic design strives to bridge this gap by bringing actual and subtle reflections of the outdoors to our indoor spaces.
Elements of a Biophilic Design Interior
Integrating direct or indirect elements of the natural world in interior settings is associated with many therapeutic benefits. This includes high self-reported rates of psychological well-being. It’s no surprise that biophilic interior design has gained traction in restaurants, hotels, office buildings, healthcare clinics, and other commercial settings. From building materials and botanical shapes to living plants, interior designers are utilizing biophilic elements to create an authentic connection to the outdoors and boost our health in the process.
It’s all about crafting a multi-sensory experience that stimulates and inspires. For better context, here are some biophilic design interior examples:
- Foliage and plant life – Hanging baskets, potted shrubs, and ceramic wall planters work in harmony to connect interior spaces with the outdoor world.
- Patterns, textures, and shapes common in nature – Naturally occurring shapes, such as fractals or the node of a tree, can be applied to floor plans, furniture, textiles, and living wallscapes.
- Earthen materials – Such as stone, wood, cork, rattan, bamboo, iron, and clay project a warm atmosphere for occupants
- Daylight and good ventilation – Exposure to natural sunlight and fresh air is critical for mood and immune system health. Slight changes in airflow and light intensity also mimic the natural environment.
- Colors of nature – Mother Nature is teeming with mood-influencing colors that offer visual reminders of the environs beyond the walls. Filled with your choice of flora, modern ceramic vases are ideal for restaurants, reception areas, or any space that needs a stunning focal point.
Custom High-Fired Stoneware
Embracing a biophilic interior design concept is a simple way to create a healing environment that fosters general well-being. And the good news is, you can incorporate biophilic elements that are low-maintenance, easy to install, and cost-effective. For more information about the high-fired ceramic stoneware from Pandemic Design Studio, please contact us today.
- Published in Biophilic Design
How To Design a Hotel Lobby Guests Will Love
The hotel lobby represents a taste of what guests can expect from their stay. It should be a welcoming space reassuring guests that they’ve come to the right place. When done correctly, the design elements should also communicate the hotel brand, make guests feel at home, and leave a lasting impression. Consider some of the following ways that hoteliers and hotel designers can achieve all those goals, gain repeat visitors, and generate buzz that will attract new guests
Balance, Versatility and Style
Hotel lobbies must combine form and function to offer a visually appealing and comfortable space for guests. Guests should be just as happy having a cocktail in the lobby as they are conducting business or meeting a local friend.
Hotel lobbies need to be versatile. Accommodating a large-scale conference is a different experience than hosting guests of a family reunion or a romantic getaway. Hotels with thoughtfully balanced design features will be able to adjust to the needs of their clientele, while remaining in alignment with the needs and expectations of all the guests.
Create Unique, Multisensory Experiences
With more and more guests expecting one-of-a-kind experiences, sensory marketing is one way to set your business apart from the competition. After all, first impressions are formed with all the senses
Hotel lobbies with inspired décor, a signature scent, and pleasing sounds encourages guests to engage with the space. Because the sense of smell is closely linked to emotions and memory, fragrant flowers make a wonderful addition to the decor. Try filling ceramic flower vases with beautiful bouquets to evoke serenity with both their aromatic and aesthetic properties.
Embrace Natural Accents and Biophilia
A hotel lobby with a scenic view and lots of natural light is always appealing, but not always possible. Biophilic design offers an alternative way to connect visitors with the natural environment.
For instance, ceramic wall planters, whether relegated to one wall or scattered throughout the lobby, provide a convenient and attractive way to bring a little more life into the space. Wall planters are easily maintained, space-efficient systems that add to the multi-sensory experience. Living wallscapes can also help improve productivity, reduce stress, and enhance physical and mental well-being. Arranging wall planters in biomorphic patterns to mimic the organic shapes found in nature can add another natural dimension to the decorating scheme.
Upgrade Your Hotel Lobby With Biophilic Design
Natural décor is compatible with virtually any decorating style. Plant-loving guests always notice biophilic touches when they enter a space, while others might overlook it. However, the impact is universal and felt on a more intangible level whether seen with the eyes or triggered by other sensory feedback.
Pandemic Design Studio makes iconic modern ceramic vases and wall mounted planters that add inspired, sculptural elements to the green wall concept. Architects, interior designers, and hoteliers all love our modular design and unique approach to bringing more nature into structured spaces.
Contact Pandemic Design Studio to learn more about our innovative design concept. Next to our inspired and quality products, customer service is our top priority. We look forward to helping you achieve your vision.
- Published in Biophilic Design, Plant Design
How Retail Spaces Can Benefit from Biophilic Design
There is powerful evidence that incorporating elements of nature and living things in the built environment can have a direct impact on profits and your bottom line. From a marketing perspective, interior retail design is essential for attracting new guests and strengthening customer loyalty.
To thrive, retail spaces need to foster emotionally curative experiences to prompt further exploration of the brand. At its very core, biophilic design nurtures these objectives. And it does so by connecting people to the calming and restorative effects of the natural world.
Benefits of Biophilic Design in Retail Spaces
Consider the research:
- Visually appealing biophilic spaces changes a shopper’s perception of quality and value
- Shoppers are more likely to dwell in retail stores bathed in natural sunlight
- The therapeutic effect of nature produces positive emotions toward making a purchase
- Shoppers feel at ease and happier in spaces that connect them to the outdoors
- Stores lit by daylight reap significant sales boosts of 20 to 40 percent
In other polls where people were shown images of retail settings with and without greenery and natural light, respondents indicated they would pay 20 percent more for products sold in biophilic spaces.
Increase Perceived Product Value and Sales
Biophilic retail spaces enhance the consumer experience, making them more inclined to linger, browse in comfort, and have a higher perception of the product’s value. Moreover, customers are more likely to share their experiences with friends and return in the future, which ultimately translates into more sales.
By embracing biophilic elements that help engage sensory stimuli, retail owners have the opportunity to boost profits in a savvy and ecologically sound manner. There are many ways to integrate nature-inspired design concepts into an indoor retail environment, from soaring windows and potted trees to cascading waterfalls.
However, you don’t have to spend a fortune to create a soothing and uplifting environment for shoppers. Instead, consider revamping your space with stunning pieces by Pandemic Design Studio. Our Node Collection ceramic wall planters boast a space-efficient modular design, letting you mix and match diverse colors and sizes to create a visual green masterpiece uniquely yours. Improve customer mood with a spray of vibrant succulents, airplants, or graceful orchids.
Research indicates that exposure to materials, textures, and visual cues from nature can help customers reduce stress levels and redirect their mental energy for a more gratifying shopping experience. Biophilic design isn’t limited to green wallscapes but can also include ceilings, floors, and tables.
For a clean, sophisticated design element with high visual impact, our handcrafted modular tablescape ceramic flower vases are a space and budget-friendly option with limitless configuration possibilities. Available in 5 sizes and 4 colors, this sculptural vase system is the perfect vessel to showcase seasonal blooms, ferns, evergreens, or zero-maintenance silk plants on the floor or on the table and because of their patented design, they can comfortably hold 3 times their height in foliage without any worry of tipping over!
Improve the Consumer Experience
Humans have an innate preference for natural environments over those that are artificial. Biophilic design in retail spaces makes shopping a more relaxing and pleasant experience.
To learn more about high-fired ceramic vases and planters by Pandemic Design Studio, please Contact Pandemic Design Studio today to inquire for more details.
- Published in Biophilic Design
Benefits of Biophilic Design in Hotels and Hospitality Industry
The hospitality industry is catering to a new generation of guests seeking unique experiences in their travels through strategic biophilic design. This practice of connecting people with the natural world within built environments has shifted from a hot new trend to an industry staple for a good reason.
The benefits of biophilic design for interior spaces are firmly based in science. Humans have an innate affinity for nature and elements that echo the patterns, sounds, and colors of the outdoors. Whether viewing a spring garden, a burbling fountain, or verdant wallscape planters, the physical and emotional impact is the same.
Impact of Biophilic Hotel Design
Stress levels begin to decline as the brain releases dopamine– that feel-good hormone that lifts the spirits. Research shows that exposure to green spaces and biophilic features is the perfect antidote to our urban lifestyle. Nature calms our nerves, engages the senses, and triggers an instinctual emotional response of contentment.
This positive reaction to natural surroundings is the goal of successful biophilic design hotels around the world. An abundance of sunlight, views of open-air landscapes, vertical gardens, scattered vegetation, and other types of biophilic décor help hotels, resorts, and restaurants create a memorable experience. This increases customer satisfaction and the likelihood of repeat business.
At its most basic level, biophilic design is about crafting a multi-sensory experience that has both physical and psychological benefits. Consider the following statistics on biophilic architecture and design elements in the hospitality industry.
- Guests spend 36 percent more time in lobbies adorned with lush foliage and biophilic elements compared to hotel lobbies without
- Hotel rooms with an “ocean” or water view are priced up to 20 percent higher
- Guests are twice as likely to leave a positive review of hospitality establishments when using the word “experience,” a pervasive descriptor of biophilic design
- Customers rate biophilic design hotels higher in terms of wellness, relaxation, and sleep quality
Bringing the Outdoors Inside
In the quest for customer loyalty and repeat business, more hotels and restaurants are intentionally designing spaces that soften the boundary between the indoors and out. They bring life to interior spaces by weaving in biophilic elements that range from subtle to overt.
Natural materials such as wood, stone, clay, and bamboo
- Architecture that embraces the non-uniform patterns of nature
- Water features
- Indoor topiaries
- Moss walls
- Displays of fresh-cut flowers and unique flora
- Hanging and potted plants
- Faint smell of sage, pine, or other essential oils
- Clear sightlines of natural landscapes
Harness the Therapeutic Effects of Nature
Biophilic design is an effective way to differentiate your hotel or restaurant space from the competition, while creating a memorable experience that inspires customers to share their enjoyment and return for more.
Pandemic Design Studio can help you create an atmospheric stress-reliever with our modern ceramic vases and iconic wallscape planters. Need some inspiration or fresh ideas for a custom project? Reach out anytime for a personal consultation.
- Published in Biophilic Design
What Is Biophilic Office Design?
Biophilic design principles have gained popularity in the evolving workspace thanks to their wide-ranging health benefits– from reduced stress levels to improved morale. The concept of biophilia connects us to nature, embracing our instinctive bond with our natural surroundings.
When creating the most desirable working environment, nature-inspired spaces promote social integration and communal well-being among co-workers and clients. From living walls to nature-inspired design elements, here’s how to bring nature into everyday life with biophilic design.
Elements of Biophilic Design in Office Spaces
Biophilic office design introduces elements of the outdoors to the workplace. The concept was introduced by biologist E.O. Wilson in 1984, who emphasized the tendency of human beings to be attracted to nature and emulate its processes in everyday life.
Living greenery is fundamental to this connection, making it one of the most important elements of biophilic design. Interior decorators and building managers often incorporate live plants in modern office spaces, including ceramic wall planters, moss art, and hanging plants.
While plant life is a key element of biophilic design, it’s far more complex than that. As mindfulness, workplace well-being, and productivity become increasingly crucial for businesses, creating spaces for staff to work, collaborate, and relax is key.
In addition to greenery, providing access to natural light, utilizing outdoor areas, and incorporating natural features like wood and stone can help create a comfortable, contemporary space for your staff.
Biophilic Design Office Tips
To embrace nature in the office, consider adding natural analogs that mimic patterns in nature, such as honeycomb patterns, furniture with curved edges, and modern ceramic vases filled with seasonal blooms.
In meeting and conference rooms, plant wall motifs and wooden furniture create fresh, bright spaces– making employees and visitors more comfortable. Meanwhile, around the office, lights with varying color temperatures provide illumination that matches natural light at the brightest time of the day.
According to a recent study, color can also significantly influence staff well-being, with dull colors having a detrimental effect. Consider brightening your office space with forest and ocean-inspired colors to complement your biophilic design.
Benefits of Biophilic Office Design
Shelves of succulents, innovative wallscapes, and even printed wallpaper with leaf patterns can help you achieve a modern, minimalist design in the office. However, natural elements do not only have a decorative function.
Biophilic design can transform any space into a harmonious sanctuary that boosts mood and promotes well-being. In the office, natural elements help reduce stress, improve cognitive function, and enhance creativity.
Biophilic office design also helps improve air quality by using carbon dioxide to produce oxygen. Living plants also transpire through their leaves, making the air more humid, which helps combat dry air in air-conditioned spaces. According to NASA, indoor plants also absorb volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as chemicals used in cleaning products.
Breathe Life into Your Workplace with Biophilic Design
As the advantages of embracing nature in the workplace become more evident, more and more businesses have turned to biophilic design to create picturesque office spaces.
At Pandemic Design Studio, our innovative, museum-quality ceramics collections transform any workplace with unrivaled style and modular design. Inspire collaboration and connection in the office with our sustainable ceramic planters today. Contact us today to learn more.
- Published in Biophilic Design
Enliven Your Restaurant & Attract Customers with Wall Plants
There is a vibrancy and freshness about plants in interior settings. It’s no wonder that green walls have become a global trend in restaurant design. Foliage brightens the atmosphere, provides a pleasing visual element, and absorbs sound– a winning combination.
Wall plants– when thoughtfully done– can be transformative, elevating the ambiance and look of any restaurant. Whether you want an entire plant wall or a few strategic planters, it’s easy to liven up your interior and set your business apart from the competition.
Sculptural Green Wall
Pandemic Design Studio specializes in sculptural wall plant holders handcrafted in quality ceramic stoneware. These bold statement planters lend a significant design feature to any space, transforming bare walls. When it comes to installation, there is no need for professionals. Our modular planters can be fastened to concrete, tile, drywall, or stone using Velcro, screws, or 3M Command Strips.
Inspired by elements of nature, each ceramic planter is custom-made in our Pennsylvania workshop, where our focus is on creating modern, functional, designed decor. Planters are available in multiple sizes and sophisticated colors. They can be mounted in small or large configurations for an attention-grabbing effect. Your wallscape can be used to showcase spring blooms, epiphytes, succulents, or a medley of your favorite flora that revolve around the seasons.
Low Maintenance Wall Plants
Need some inspiration for wall-mounted greenery that is lush and hardy? Consider these forgiving species:
- Pothos — (Epipremnum aureum) – This undemanding vine plant thrives in a variety of indoor environments and is highly tolerant of dry soil. Also known as Ceylon Creeper or Devil’s Ivy, this variety adds interesting foliage to any restaurant interior.
- ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) – Featuring deep emerald-hued leaves, the ZZ plant looks vaguely prehistoric. It’s a slow grower that does well in containers, but its most desirable trait is that it can be neglected for weeks without any tell-tale signs. Low-light conditions and minimal water are no problem for this stalwart species.
- Epiphytes (air plants) – As their name implies, air plants don’t require soil, making them one of the easiest to care for. They can withstand temperature and moisture extremes, and more importantly, they add a dazzling pop of color and texture.
Innovative Wall Plant Containers for Restaurants
You don’t need a forest of exotic vegetation to elevate your space. However, subtle yet intentional biophilic design elements go a long way in restaurant décor. Pandemic Design Studio is here to help! Shop our wall-mounted planters from our Node Collection.
Customize an extraordinary living collage for a fresh and vibrant look that differentiates your brand and aesthetic. Contact us today for more details.
- Published in Biophilic Design, Plant Design, Wallscape Planters
How Restaurants Are Incorporating Biophilic Design with Indoor Ceramic Planters
Vertical gardens and green walls are the universal design thread through some of the nation’s hippest restaurants. From Los Angeles to New York City, you’ll see dining rooms adorned with hanging baskets of live ferns, verdant succulents, and even floating gardens. Ask any interior designer, and they’ll tell you that plants add powerful accents and create a palpable change in the way a restaurant looks and feels.
The hospitality industry is a competitive one. In order to thrive, restaurants must provide not only superior cuisine and service, but an atmosphere that engages the senses. For this reason, many establishments are turning to biophilic design – incorporating elements of nature inside. Interior spaces that reference the outdoors in direct and subtle ways (think wall planters and living sculptures) have been shown to improve the physical and mental well-being of the occupants.
Blurring the Boundaries Between Inside and Out
The skilled use of vegetation – whether tabletop vases, trees, or living walls, brings a spectacular aesthetic along with many functional benefits. Artfully designed green walls bring life into neutral environments and can be utilized to define cozy dining spaces in large, open-plan restaurants.
Hanging baskets festooned in foliage draw the eye upward while creating a feeling of lushness and volume that adds dimension. Plant design is also employed to give each section of a restaurant – bar, terrace, dining area – a specific ambiance, be it romantic, minimalist, or modern farmhouse. Strategically placed planters can help provide privacy from other dining guests. Restaurants are also using indoor ceramic planters from Pandemic Design Studio to inject color and textural interest without taking up valuable floor space.
Handcrafted from premium stoneware, each modular planter is a work of art in its own right. Hang them individually or in clusters to fashion an eye-catching biophilic focal point. There are various size and color options, letting designers mix and match for a truly custom effect. Our ceramic wall planters can be used to frame architectural features, demarcate dining areas, or simply add visual interest.
Welcome patrons to an inviting environment with a stunning piece of living sculpture that literally breathes new life into dining spaces. Whether decked out with orchids, spider plants, or staghorn ferns, our planters elevate the ambiance and provide a tangible connection to nature.
Modern Ceramic Wall Planters for Restaurants
Commercial architects and interior designers are embracing biophilic design like never before with modular ceramic planters from the Pandemic Design Studio. Our Node Collection of wallscape planters for restaurants features sleek designs that can be affixed to masonry, concrete, and drywall using a single screw, Velcro or 3M Command Strips.
Are you ready to plant a vertical garden in your restaurant with ceramic Nodes? Contact us today to ask about custom color runs, available for large-scale orders!
- Published in Biophilic Design, Wallscape Planters
