Biophilic comes from the term ‘biophilia; meaning a hypothetical tendency to interact or be associated with other life in nature. Biophilic design is about bringing the outdoors in to enhance connectivity to the natural environment.
The Biophilic Design trend has grown in popularity over the last couple of years and is looking to be one of the most significant trends of 2023. This popularity is likely a result of the increased time spent at home and more awareness of our surroundings and our impact on the environment.
Creating a biophilic environment is beneficial not only for the aesthetic of our interior but also for our health and well-being. Read this blog to learn about the biophilic design trend and how you can create a biophilic environment in your home.
The Benefits
It is no secret that being immersed in nature is good for our mental health. With a lot of us spending a significant amount of time indoors, biophilic design can help to bring these benefits inside.
Whether a biophilic environment is created at work or at home it can have many benefits. It can help to reduce stress and fatigue, enhance creativity and improve mood and general well-being. A study by Environment International found that biophilic environments had a larger restorative impact in reducing stress and anxiety.
If indoor plants are your thing, they have their own benefits when it comes to air quality and can reduce air pollution in homes and offices.
How to Create a Biophilic Environment
Now you know more about the biophilic design trend, you might be wondering how to create this in your environment. There are many ways to incorporate nature into your interior design. Some ideas are more subtle accessories and some are bigger transformative projects.
The obvious idea that springs to mind is adding indoor plants. If you have time to look after them, plants can look great and can also possess the air quality benefits mentioned earlier. If you don’t have much of a green thumb, other natural objects could be a fun alternative. Examples include shells, water features or even rocks and stones.
Using nature-inspired colours such as green and brown can instantly transform an interior to feel more outdoorsy. These colours are easy to use because they aren’t too overpowering so have many suitable uses. They can be utilised for painting walls, wardrobe doors, and kitchen cabinets as well as smaller furniture and accessories.
Another way to add natural elements to your interior is by using textures and materials such as wood and stone. These materials remind us of their natural origins and can have various uses such as for kitchen worktops or wardrobe doors. For an interesting contrast, combine these textures with solid paint colours. Shown below on this fitted wardrobe using our Natural Halifax Oak finish combined with white.
If you’re not looking to completely refurbish your interior, there are some more subtle ways of bringing natural elements into your home. Using botanical or greenery-inspired patterns for accessories such as rugs and pillows. Decorating with nature-inspired artwork or prioritising organic shapes and forms for lamps and vases. Another idea that might be less obvious is bringing in sounds and scents from nature. For example using an essential oil diffuser or a recording of relaxing wild animal sounds.
We hope that this blog has helped to clarify what biophilic design is and how you can introduce it into your interior. If you’re looking for nature-inspired wardrobes or interior storage then get in touch to discuss what we can do!
With the days getting longer, flowers blossoming and the weather getting warmer, spring is upon us. A new season means changes in the light in our homes which often causes us to desire bright, fresh spaces. After the cold winter we have just endured, a change in our home interiors could be the fresh start we need to put the bad weather behind us.
When thinking of springtime, we think of the gradual change in colours outside; green grass, soft pink blossom, yellow daffodils and blue sky. Recreating these colours at home will help to bring the outside in and create a joyful atmosphere in your space. In this blog, we will discuss some spring colour interior ideas and tips on how you can use them in your home.
Pastel Greens and Blues
Pastel colours are a great way to lighten up a space whilst using subtle elements of colour. Green and blue’s association with nature helps to create a tranquil atmosphere and makes us feel more connected to the outdoors. Easy on the eye and easy to decorate with, using pastel green or blue allows for a ‘safer’ option as opposed to brighter and more intense colours. An on-trend choice for Spring 2023 is using pastel mint green or aquamarine alongside white furniture, creating a fresh and bright interior. Try accessorising your kitchen with a pastel fridge, kettle and toaster.
Don’t be afraid to contrast pastel colours with pops of darker colours! Using darker shades of your chosen pastel tone can create a balanced monochromatic look and allows for a more flexible colour scheme when decorating.
Statement Colours in Small Doses
If you’re craving a strong colour for spring such as a bright red or orange, be careful not to overdo it. It’s easy to get tired of a striking colour so it’s best to limit it to a small amount. Instead of painting your walls try painting smaller furnishings, such as bookshelves, tables and chairs or even go for a kitchen door replacement! This is a great way to introduce brighter elements into your interior without overwhelming it, as well as sticking to a smaller budget. You might even decide to add more of the statement colour throughout your decor such as with paintings or vases.
Earthy Tones as a Base
Whilst earthy and warm tones are often associated with autumn months, it doesn’t mean they cannot be utilised for spring! Neutral tones such as beige or grassy green are a great base for accessorising with bright, spring colours. These colours are also a great option when investing in new furniture such as kitchen cupboards or fitted wardrobes, as they can be adapted to a variety of colour schemes to suit all year round!
For spring, try matching your beige furniture with brighter reds or pinks, or add natural wood furniture to your green colour scheme.
Yellow or Orange Brighten a Dark Room
Nothing says sun and warmth like yellow and orange, making it a popular choice for spring or summer interiors. If you have a dark room with less natural light such as a study or a small bedroom, you can utilise yellow or orange to brighten it.
Try a mustard yellow wallpaper or an orange statement piece to create a big impact, or simply add some warm accessories to elegantly brighten up a dark-coloured room. These colours combined with different textures, such as a textile chair or natural wood finish, can create an interesting room with depth and warmth.
Florals and Plants
Nothing says spring like blossoming flowers and greenery! If you’re feeling brave, a floral patterned wallpaper is a great way to instantly transform a room, however, these patterns can look a bit dated. For a more modern look, try a duotone floral pattern and make sure the rest of your interior compliments your wallpaper, we love this example by Graham & Brown.
If you prefer a white or grey theme, lots of house plants or bright flowers are a great way to liven up your interior. If you don’t have much of a green thumb, try some of these low-maintenance indoor plants.
We hope that some of these tips and ideas have inspired you to refresh your interiors for spring! If you’re looking for more colour tips for your bedroom read our guide to bedroom colour schemes.
Coming from a background in Stone Masonry, Corey decided to try something new and was introduced to carpentry during work experience in his cousin’s business. After enjoying this experience he joined us in February 2021 as a Furniture Manufacturing Apprentice. He has since passed his apprenticeship with a distinction and now works with us full-time in the workshop.
Corey’s role at Made Interiors involves all parts of manufacturing and production, including operating and programming the machines, edge banding, fitting and making a lot of tea! His favourite thing about working here is working with a fun group of people who can have a laugh, but also come to work to do a good job and care about what they do.
His favourite product range is the Arena collection in the Kingswood Range. He loves the smooth J-Pull doors because the handless look provides a modern aesthetic but also feels homely. He also loves working on the manufacturing of the Kingswood Range as each piece is custom painted so there are more elements to plan out and work on.
In his spare time, Corey enjoys Jui-Jitsu and strength training but dislikes cooking and bananas.
Whether you have just moved into a new build house or you’re in the process of buying one, it’s important to start thinking about your furniture. New builds usually don’t come with fitted wardrobes or storage. This means you will be faced with some decisions to make regarding your furniture once you’ve moved in.
In this blog, we will discuss the benefits of installing fitted furniture in your new build house and hopefully make some of these decisions easier for you.
Space saving
One of the biggest benefits of fitted furniture is the amount of space it saves. New builds tend to be packed into small areas which means they can be smaller than older houses and have less storage space. It is important to utilise the space you have in each room and fitted furniture is a great way to squeeze in as much storage as possible!
All of our fitted interiors and bedrooms can be made to measure so they will perfectly fit the space that you have available.
Customisable
Another great benefit of fitted furniture is that it is fully customisable and made to match your space. No more endlessly searching for wardrobes that slightly match your decor. Instead, you will have the choice of hundreds of combinations of door styles, finishes, colours and handles. We also offer a colour match service, so we can create the perfect colour to match your plans or existing decor. Browse our fitted bedroom ranges and our colour collections to find your perfect match!
Fitted for you
We know buying a house and moving can be a stressful experience. So why not let us take a bit of pressure off when it comes to installing and fitting your new furniture? With our skilled team of manufacturers and fitters, we will handle everything from start to finish and install your fitted interior perfectly. No more stressful flatpacks and worrying about building your furniture correctly. Just sit back and let us do the work!
Loxley bedroom
More organised
It goes without saying that having nice storage that’s tailor-made for you, will help you to have a more organised space. You can choose your perfect combination of shelves, drawers and hanging rails to make sure your wardrobe and cupboards are suited to your needs. If your storage and interior are more aesthetically pleasing, you’re more likely to want to use them and keep them tidy.
Fitted furniture tends to be a lot easier to clean than free-standing wardrobes or drawers. There are fewer gaps between walls and ceilings where dust can collect, so there’s one less cleaning job to worry about. Also if all of your belongings have a dedicated storage space, there will be less mess lying around to clean away every day.
It’s a long-term investment
Fitted furniture may seem pricier than free-standing or flat-pack furniture, but it should be seen as a long-term investment. Our fitted furniture is made from the highest quality materials and comes with a 6-year guarantee. You can also choose a finish that has built-in anti-scratch and anti-fingerprint technology so your interior will look newer for longer!
If you’re just moving into a new build house, it is beneficial to invest in high-quality furniture that will last for a long time. This way you won’t have to worry about replacing it any time soon. Alternatively, if you are looking for an investment, fitted furniture will add value to the house for potential future buyers.
We hope this blog has helped to clarify some of the benefits of installing fitted furniture in your new build house. If you are interested in any of our fitted furniture services start by reading about our different ranges or get in touch.
This week we hosted work experience for Ellen and Aimee as part of their college curriculum. We spoke to them both after to find out how they found the experience and what they learnt.
Aimee – Social Media & Marketing
Aimee’s interest in Psychology led her to consider different areas of the working world and how they relate to the way people think. Marketing is an important area of every business as it is how the business is presented to the public and there are many marketing tactics that can influence our thoughts. Aimee completed her work experience with Leah, our Marketing, Social Media and Content Manager. We asked Aimee the following questions about her experience:
How was your experience?
It was really interesting to experience working in an office and understanding how a business runs. It was a really nice environment to learn in and the people were friendly.
What did you learn?
I learnt about the psychological aspects of marketing and how language, colour and imagery can influence what people think, this was interesting as I had never thought about this area of a business before. I learnt a little bit about social media and how it relates to the marketing of a business, as well as improving some digital skills.
What did you enjoy the most?
I enjoyed meeting new people and experiencing a new environment. It was fun to learn about a new area of psychology and consider different paths for my future.
Ellen – Customer Service & Office Administration
Ellen is also interested in Psychology and wanted to learn about how she could use her psychology knowledge and skills in an operating business. Customer service can determine whether customers decide to buy or take their business elsewhere, so it is important to understand how customers think and what they need. Ellen completed her work experience with Alex, our Office Administrator. We asked Ellen the following questions about her experience:
How was your experience?
I enjoyed the experience of working in an office and learning more about the business. It was good to see how all the staff worked well together to run the business on a daily basis.
What did you learn?
I learnt a lot about how to talk to customers and grew my confidence in talking to people. I also learnt some new skills in problem-solving and thinking quickly to solve customer queries. I learnt that it is important to be patient and understanding of people’s needs.
What did you enjoy the most?
I enjoyed learning more about people and how to talk to people in a business environment. It was also fun finding out more about the furniture and how it’s all made.
If you or someone you know might be interested in doing work experience with us, contact us to find out more.
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