What Is Biophilic Design—and How Does It Affect the Nervous System?
By Raini Peters, Berlin Interior Designer and Founder of Raini Peters Interiors
Biophilic design is an approach to interiors and architecture that strengthens our connection with nature.
It may include plants, daylight and natural materials, but meaningful biophilic interior design goes much deeper than adding greenery to a room. It considers light, air, sensory balance, natural movement, views, spatial security and the changing rhythms of the day.
The central idea is that our surroundings are not emotionally neutral.
A room can expose us to glare, noise, visual clutter and constant stimulation. It can also provide softness, orientation, refuge and opportunities for the mind to recover.
Research suggests that exposure to natural environments and certain nature-based interior interventions may support stress reduction, mood and psychological restoration. However, the evidence is still developing, and biophilic design should not be presented as a medical treatment.
Its value lies in creating spaces that place fewer unnecessary demands on us—and that better support the way human beings experience their environment.
What Is Biophilic Design?
Biophilic design brings meaningful experiences of nature into the built environment.
The word biophilia describes the idea that humans have an inherent tendency to seek connection with life and natural systems. Biophilic design applies that principle to homes, workplaces, healthcare environments and public spaces.
It can be expressed through three broad categories.
Direct experiences of nature
These include:
Daylight
Plants
Water
Fresh air
Natural ventilation
Views of trees, gardens or sky
Seasonal and daily changes in light
Indirect experiences of nature
These include:
Timber, stone, clay, linen and wool
Colours associated with natural environments
Organic forms and patterns
Textures with natural variation
Artwork or imagery depicting nature
Materials that develop patina rather than appearing perfectly uniform
Spatial experiences associated with nature
These include:
A sheltered place with a wider view
A clear line of sight through a room
Spaces that feel protected without becoming enclosed
Gradual transitions between private and social areas
Subtle complexity rather than visual chaos
Movement, shadow and variation
A room does not become biophilic simply because it contains a large plant.
The complete sensory environment matters.
How Does the Nervous System Respond to an Interior?
The autonomic nervous system helps regulate processes including heart rate, breathing, blood pressure and digestion.
It has two commonly discussed branches:
The sympathetic nervous system, associated with mobilisation and responses to challenge
The parasympathetic nervous system, associated with rest, recovery and conservation of energy
Both are necessary. The objective is not to eliminate activation or remain permanently relaxed. A healthy system needs to respond appropriately and then recover.
Our environment can influence this process.
Harsh glare, unpredictable noise, excessive visual information, poor thermal comfort and a lack of privacy may increase mental and sensory demand. A calmer and more legible environment may reduce some of that burden.
Researchers often study these responses using measurements such as heart rate, heart-rate variability, blood pressure, skin conductance, cortisol and self-reported stress.
Some studies have found improved stress recovery in biophilic indoor environments. Other research has found psychological benefits without a measurable difference in heart-rate variability. This is important: biophilic design has promising evidence behind it, but its effects should not be exaggerated or treated as universal.
Can Biophilic Design Regulate the Nervous System?
It is more accurate to say that biophilic design may support conditions associated with nervous-system regulation and stress recovery.
No interior can guarantee a particular physiological response. People have different sensory needs, health conditions, histories and associations with nature.
However, thoughtfully designed natural elements may influence several pathways.
1. Natural views may provide visual relief
Urban interiors often demand directed attention: screens, traffic, signage, artificial light and visual clutter all compete for focus.
A view of trees, sky or moving leaves offers a different kind of visual experience. It contains variation without requiring an immediate response.
This may help provide periods of mental restoration, particularly when natural views are available from places where people regularly sit, work or rest.
2. Daylight supports orientation and daily rhythm
Natural light changes throughout the day. Morning light, midday brightness and evening darkness provide environmental information that static artificial lighting cannot fully reproduce.
In an interior, daylight also affects mood, colour perception and the way materials are experienced.
More light is not always better. Excessive brightness and glare can become stressful. Good daylight design balances exposure with shading, diffusion and visual comfort.
3. Natural materials create sensory variation
Natural materials are rarely perfectly uniform.
Timber grain, mineral surfaces, woven fibres and stone contain small variations in colour and texture. These can create visual richness without the aggressive stimulation of loud patterns or high-gloss synthetic finishes.
Touch also matters. A timber handrail, linen curtain or wool rug offers a different sensory experience from a collection of hard, smooth surfaces.
However, “natural” does not automatically mean healthy or sustainable. Materials must still be assessed for sourcing, coatings, emissions, maintenance and suitability for the intended use.
4. Plants introduce life and subtle movement
Plants bring colour, growth, seasonal change and gentle movement into an interior.
For many people, caring for plants also creates a small recurring interaction with a living system. This may contribute to emotional connection and a stronger sense of home.
Indoor plants should nevertheless be specified realistically. Light levels, maintenance, pets, allergies and the client’s routine all matter.
A neglected plant struggling in an unsuitable position does not create a restorative environment.
5. Refuge and prospect can create security
Many people respond positively to spaces that combine a protected position with a clear view.
This is sometimes described as “refuge and prospect.” A window seat, reading corner or sheltered dining area can provide a sense of enclosure while maintaining visual connection with the wider room or landscape.
In residential design, this principle can help create places that feel safe without feeling isolated.
Why Biophilic Design Is More Than Indoor Plants
Commercial interpretations of biophilic design often begin and end with greenery.
But a room filled with plants can still feel overstimulating if it also contains poor acoustics, uncomfortable glare, synthetic finishes, cluttered circulation and no place to withdraw.
I approach biophilic interior design as a connected system.
That system may include:
The quality and movement of daylight
Views and orientation
Acoustic comfort
Natural ventilation
Material tactility
Indoor air quality
Spatial clarity
Opportunities for privacy
Connection between indoor and outdoor areas
Colours that respond to the surrounding landscape
Natural change rather than rigid visual perfection
The aim is not to make an interior resemble a forest.
The aim is to understand which qualities of natural environments help a particular client feel comfortable, grounded and connected.
How I Apply Biophilic Design in a Home
My process begins with the person, not with a list of biophilic products.
I want to understand when the client feels most overstimulated, where they naturally go to recover and which sensory conditions help them feel at ease.
I then examine the property.
I assess natural light
Where does morning light enter? Which rooms become harsh in the afternoon? Where is daylight being blocked by the existing layout or window treatment?
The lighting concept is then designed to support the natural rhythm rather than compete with it.
I study views and furniture positions
A window only provides meaningful connection if the layout allows someone to experience it.
Seating, beds, desks and circulation can be positioned to frame trees, sky, courtyards or changing light. Even in a dense Berlin neighbourhood, a carefully framed view can alter how a room feels.
I reduce avoidable sensory stress
Before adding nature, I look at what needs to be removed or controlled.
That may include visual clutter, glare, excessive contrast, echo, exposed technology or confusing circulation. Biophilic design is not effective when layered on top of an unresolved interior.
I specify materials as a complete system
Timber, mineral finishes, stone, wool and linen may support a tactile, nature-connected interior. But every material must also perform technically.
I consider durability, emissions, maintenance, installation, repairability and how the surface will age.
Material integrity is more important than a superficial “natural look.”
I create places for retreat
A home needs different levels of stimulation.
Open spaces may support conversation and activity, while smaller, protected spaces allow concentration and recovery. This might be achieved through a reading corner, window seat, upholstered niche or quieter bedroom environment.
Biophilic Design in Berlin Homes
Biophilic design is particularly relevant in Berlin, where many residents live with traffic, construction noise, limited private outdoor space and long periods of reduced winter daylight.
An Altbau apartment may offer high ceilings and generous windows but still require careful lighting, acoustic control and a stronger relationship between rooms.
A contemporary apartment may have efficient construction but lack material warmth or spatial character.
The response should be specific to the property.
In a Berlin home, biophilic design might involve:
Preserving existing timber floors
Improving views through the furniture layout
Using mineral wall finishes
Introducing layered, warm evening lighting
Selecting tactile natural textiles
Designing integrated planting where light conditions allow
Reducing reverberation through curtains, rugs and upholstery
Creating a sheltered place to read or work
Connecting balconies and terraces visually with the interior
Using colour drawn from the surrounding landscape
The most effective intervention is not always the most visible one.
Sometimes moving a desk toward daylight, improving acoustic softness or removing one source of glare will have more value than adding another decorative object.
Is Biophilic Design Scientifically Proven?
There is credible evidence connecting nature exposure with reduced stress, improved mood and other wellbeing outcomes. The World Health Organization recognises psychological relaxation and stress alleviation among the pathways through which access to green space may support health.
Indoor biophilic-design studies have also reported promising stress-recovery effects.
However, the research is not uniform. Studies use different spaces, interventions, participant groups and measurements. Some are conducted in simulated or short-term environments rather than occupied homes.
For that reason, I do not claim that biophilic design can cure anxiety, treat trauma or medically regulate the nervous system.
It can create a more supportive environment. That is meaningful, but it is not the same as clinical treatment.
What Makes Biophilic Design Successful?
Successful biophilic design is integrated, personal and practical.
It should:
Respond to the client’s sensory needs
Work with the architecture
Use appropriate materials
Support natural light without creating glare
Consider acoustics and air quality
Include living elements only where they can thrive
Provide both connection and refuge
Remain functional over time
Above all, it should feel natural rather than themed.
A genuinely biophilic home does not need to announce its concept. You experience it through the quality of the light, the honesty of the materials, the softness of the acoustics and the way the rooms support both activity and rest.
Designing a Home That Supports You
We spend a significant part of our lives inside buildings, yet interior design is still often treated as a primarily visual discipline.
I believe a home should do more than look complete.
It should support the way you move, focus, connect and recover. It should reduce unnecessary friction and create opportunities to experience light, texture, air, nature and seasonal change.
That is the real value of biophilic interior design.
At Raini Peters Interiors, we create considered, nature-connected homes for clients in Berlin and internationally. Our work combines spatial planning, natural materials, lighting, bespoke design and biophilic principles to create interiors that feel calm, personal and built to last.
If you are planning a renovation or want your existing home to feel more supportive, explore our biophilic interior design services or book a discovery call.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is biophilic design in simple terms?
Biophilic design is an approach that strengthens the connection between people and nature inside buildings. It can include daylight, plants, natural materials, outdoor views, organic forms and spaces that offer both openness and shelter.
How does biophilic design affect the nervous system?
Some studies suggest that nature-based environments may support stress recovery and psychological relaxation. Effects vary between individuals and interventions, so biophilic design should be understood as supportive environmental design rather than medical treatment.
Is biophilic design just decorating with plants?
No. Plants are only one element. Biophilic design also considers daylight, fresh air, views, natural materials, sensory comfort, acoustics, spatial arrangement and connections between indoor and outdoor environments.
What are examples of biophilic design at home?
Examples include positioning seating toward a natural view, using timber and mineral finishes, improving daylight, adding suitable plants, creating a sheltered reading corner and using textiles to soften acoustics.
Can biophilic design help with anxiety?
A calming, nature-connected environment may support relaxation, but biophilic design is not a treatment for anxiety or another health condition. Anyone experiencing persistent anxiety should seek guidance from an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
References
World Health Organization, Urban Green Spaces and Health
Yin et al., Effects of Biophilic Indoor Environment on Stress and Anxiety Recovery
McSweeney et al., Indoor Nature Exposure and Influence on Physiological Stress Markers
Jimenez et al., Associations Between Nature Exposure and Health