Now and then, we all need a good laugh. We are doing that today as we look at these epic interior design fails. Of course, some of these people had the best intentions when making these decisions. Much to their chagrin, things just did not seem to turn out the way they had planned.

Many of us have been our own victims when our interior design ideas did not meet up to our expectations – to put it nicely. Chuckle here. It is one thing when we have only ourselves to blame for our home decorating fails.

But what happens when the fault lies with a professional? Paying good money for ideas gone bad is a whole other story. You do not expect common design mistakes from a professional.

Professional Design Fails

You would think that an electrician would know how to install lights and outlets, right? Maybe not so right after all. The interior design fails below show just how wrong that expectation could be.

The first of our funny fails takes us straight to the sink – the one place we all know that water and electricity do not mix. Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell the electrician that installing an outlet inside the sink is not a good idea. Talk about your worst interior design mistakes – this one just might win the prize.

While we are on the subject of design fails and electrical installations, we all know that when there is an actual spot for the hanging of a chandelier, that is where you are supposed to put it, right?

Maybe not so obvious to everyone!

Interior design mistakes, such as not hanging the chandelier from the center of the provided space, are hard to fathom. It kind of makes you wonder how some people get themselves dressed in the morning.

Of course, some professionals impart a bit of humor into their work on purpose. We all know someone who we would think would be a professional’s nightmare. If you have ever seen the movie “Sleepless in Seattle,” you probably remember the scene in the kitchen of a home under remodeling, where they discuss the client’s crazy expectations.

Sometimes, clients will see something they want and ask for the same – at an unrealistic price. An epic funny architecture joke is to give them what they want – at that crazy cost. The funny construction alternative to a magnificently detailed handrail of a horse is to hang one from the post. Problem solved!

Epic Interior Design Fails in the Bathroom

Why does it always seem like everything goes wrong in the bathroom? These interior design fails are sure to make you chuckle.

We begin with a shelf that seems oddly out of place. Sometimes, there are no words for bad interior design – you just have to look at it and shake your head.

You know the saying always leave the best for last? Well, that is what we have done here.

For the couple who does everything together – the ultimate in togetherness leads us to our “best” worst interior design winner – the tete a tete toilets. Just in case you ever thought about dancing cheek to cheek in the bathroom, here is the winner in our hilarious home improvement fails.

There you have it – some home design fails to make your day. Now, you probably don’t feel so bad about some of your past ideas, do you?

Hiring an interior designer can save you money, time, and help you get the home of your dreams. Learn more about what an interior designer can do for you here.

To avoid these, and other, interior design fails, turn to the professionals at HK Interiors for help. Contact us today at 954-401-8542 for more information.

Many positive things have happened in the last year. People are spending more time at home with their families, they are organizing their lives, and they are updating their living spaces. For many, that means investing in some quality furniture. Unfortunately, some people look to save money and find themselves browsing the aisles of their nearby Target.

Affordable furniture can cost more in the long run when you find out how quickly it needs replacing. As Ben Franklin said – “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”

That leads us to the question – does high-quality furniture have to cost more?

Of course, the answer is yes, the best quality furniture will always cost more than a similar, cheaply-made product. However, that does not mean quality is out of your price range.

Websites such as Wayfair, Ashley, West Elm, and Ikea offer various items – ready to ship. The problem is that you will soon discover that the furnishings are not holding up a year or two down the road as well as you anticipated. From everyday wear and tear to company recalls (an Ikea problem with dressers), you may discover that paying a little more would have saved you quite a bit in the end.

How to Tell Quality Furniture from Cheap Furniture

There is another saying – you get what you pay for in life. Chances are, if you buy furniture online through Walmart’s website, it will not be of the best quality. A $500 sofa probably has about $250 worth of materials in it – at the most. You may be lucky to get a couple of years out of it with normal wear and tear. If you have kids that will be climbing or jumping on it, you may find the cushions and springs going in about a year or two. Sofa and chair cushions are the first things to break down. The thicker they are, the more expensive they are to produce, and the longer they will last.

Fabric Is Key for Quality

Fabrics are another quality concern source when looking at buying new home furniture. When shopping for furniture, check to see that the fabric is a performance quality fabric that will hold up to the test of time. Upholstery fabrics are usually a tighter weave as they are denser and heavier. They are made for furniture. For example, faux leather also will not hold up as well as real leather. Depending on use and performance of the furniture, fabric is key for quality.

Solid Wood Is Better Than Plywood

When looking at quality furniture, know that you will pay more for solid wood frames than for plywood frames. Shopping online furniture stores can lead to a host of problems. You have no idea what the quality and comfort factors are until the items arrive. After weeks of waiting, many people opt to keep it rather than sending it back. They have furniture they are not happy about for years to come. Or, if you do decide to send it back, now you are back to square one again.

When it comes to the best place to buy quality furniture, you have two options – do a significant amount of research on the best furniture reviews or contact an interior designer. In the end, working with an interior designer who can offer insight into furniture stores and quality furniture brands is the right choice. That way, you have someone with the experience and knowledge guiding you in your search. You may also discover that the designer’s connections with furniture makers can lead you to that one-of-a-kind custom piece at an affordable price.

The Difference Between Cheap Furniture and Quality Furniture

Back in the day, as the older generation might say, people bought quality wood furniture that was meant to last a lifetime. When they wanted a change, they reupholstered the sofa and had a whole new look. Today, many people look for the best place to buy furniture on a budget since they only plan on keeping it for a few years. We live in a disposable world – which only costs us more money in the end and fills up the landfills.

Cheap furniture will not last. Buying furniture is an expense no matter how you look at it. Paying $500 now for an inexpensive sofa that has to be replaced in three years or spending $1000 or more on one that will last significantly longer is a tough decision for many people. They look at the moment – what their budget can handle. However, if you budget it out over time, spending more on quality furniture right now can save you money in the long run.

The difference between cheap and quality furniture is significant. One will offer you long-lasting comfort, beauty, and functionality. The other will be adequate – for now. There is also a misconception that you need to turn to high-end furniture brands to ensure quality. Again, that is where the help of an interior designer becomes invaluable. With the right guidance, you can transform your home’s look with furnishings that will last you well into the future.

HK Interiors has been transforming homes and lives for years. Contact us today at 954-401-8542 for more information.

In our blog, “How to Use Zodiac Signs In Your Home Design,” we looked at the importance of incorporating zodiac designs that would increase your feeling of well-being. There are four elements: earth, water, fire, and air, each containing three of the houses in astrology.

Fire is compatible with air, and earth is compatible with water. If you have any knowledge of the various astrology houses, you probably already know this. But did you also know that each of these houses’ design elements can also make for cohesive interior design?

In this blog, we look at the zodiac designs associated with the earth and water signs to help you create a more enjoyable living space.

Zodiac Design Styles for Water Elements

Some of the most creative zodiac signs are those of the water elements. They are highly intuitive, sensitive, imaginative, compassionate, and love deeply. The water element is soothing and often attracts those in the healing arts. They can also be quite moody at times, so it is crucial to incorporate design elements that soothe and relax.

Pisces

Ever the dreamer, Pisces is imaginative and sensitive, and, as a result, they require a home that allows them to relax and recharge at the end of the day. Incorporating touches of their water element can help them feel at home in their surroundings. Pisces’ favorite color for home design should not surprise anyone, as they often favor earth tones, slate blue, subtle peach, and pink tones. Their love of elegance often translates to a beachy-themed cozy bedroom.

Pisces homes are often described as bohemian, featuring comfortable furnishings and a variety of storage options. If ever there was a person who would adore a hanging chair, it is the Piscean. Since lighting is also crucial, diffused, indirect lighting, and mirrors to catch reflections can help make the Pisces feel truly at home. The string of pearl houseplant is perfect in the Pisces home.

Scorpio

Deep and mysterious, the home of a passionate Scorpio will have a classic, stylish, and refined feel. Scorpio does not like clutter, so minimalism is crucial. Any decorations will have meaning and depth. The home is Scorpio’s place to steel away from the outside world, often highlighted by sensuous furnishings. Blackout curtains and richly colored silk sheets are often found in the Scorpio bedroom.

Although Scorpio is a natural collector, he or she will likely want to do away with the old and begin anew every few years. Colors in the Scorpio home often feature deep, rich jewel tones such as dark blues, purples, and reds, along with accents of black. A Scorpio will thrive with a special reading nook or window seat to escape for that quiet space. Heart-shaped anthuriums are the perfect houseplant for a Scorpio.

Cancer

Deeply emotional and nurturing with a strong sense of family, Cancer is the ultimate homebody. The environment should reflect a harmonious, simple, unpretentious, and cozy style. Hygge style personifies the Cancer at home. Cancer zodiac designs often include gallery walls featuring framed family photos.

Open floorplans create the perfect living space for a Cancer. Expect to find a home filled with fresh flowers and candles. Warm floral colors, silver, blue, charcoal, and cream make the perfect palette for the Cancer home. Furnishings should feature solid wood, natural fabrics, throw pillows, and be ultra-comfortable. Chandeliers and table lamps provide the mood lighting that Cancer craves.

Earth Elements and Zodiac Styles

Those in the zodiac signs that fall under the earth elements are grounded, wise, stable, sensual, practical, and patient. They have a natural love of the physical world that often translates to cooking, gardening, and taking care of the home. They have a love of material possessions, which can sometimes translate to decadent furnishings.

Taurus

Comfort is crucial when selecting décor, as a peaceful, warm environment is essential. A Taurus bedroom will often reflect this zodiac sign’s love of elegance and luxury. You may find elements of gold and copper in their furnishings, chandeliers, and mirrors. A traditional rather than modern look provides the inviting space this sign craves, so avoid synthetics and fill the home with natural materials. Earth tones, greens, light blues, and soft pinks are ideal colors.

Taurus loves to entertain, so the kitchen is an essential room of the home when considering any remodel. Zodiac designs that incorporate light colors and natural wood will have the Taurus cook feeling at home in the kitchen. Incorporate fluffy, natural fiber throws and overstuffed pillows into the living room and surround the home with plants. A sheepskin rug is the perfect accent piece in a room.

Virgo

Always the perfectionist, the home of a Virgo will be neat, orderly, and organized. Virgos also prefer neutral earth tones, with yellows, olive green, peach, and rich blues as accents. They enjoy natural finishes in their furnishings and prefer high-quality pieces. Plenty of kitchen cabinets are crucial for a Virgo who loves to cook but thrives on organization.

Abundant plants, such as the lacy tree philodendron, and even a living wall are excellent options in the home of a Virgo. Herbs are likely growing on the windowsill or hanging from planters amid the pots in the kitchen. Rustic is a term often associated with the Virgo home. Artwork is often themed throughout the home.

Capricorn

Traditional and practical – each piece must have a purpose in the home of a Capricorn, especially a mini-bar. Practicality is so crucial that it is more important than style or comfort. Capricorns thrive if they have well-organized closets. Hard-working and dedicated, Capricorns like to fill their homes with sophisticated furnishings featuring design styles in dark wood, leather, brass, exposed brick, and granite.

Elegance is a term often used to describe their living space. As a result, the Capricorn home may feature colors that include blacks, whites, greens, blues, and dark greys. Do not be surprised to find Scandinavian design elements in the home of a Capricorn. As an earth element, Capricorn enjoys greenery, including succulents and orchids.

As you can see, astrology design can be a lot of fun, and help enrich your home and life. To learn about zodiac style for fire and air signs, check out this blog.

For more information on incorporating zodiac designs into your home, please contact HK Interiors at 954-401-8542 for all your interior design needs.

Our astrology houses do more than tell us who we are compatible with; they also show us our zodiac style, which can help us improve the well-being we feel in our homes. In our blog “How to Use Zodiac Signs In Your Home Design,” we discussed how to incorporate the design styles of the twelve houses in astrology into the home. In this blog, we look specifically at the signs that fall under the fire and air elements.

Three zodiac signs fall into each element category. Fire consists of Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. Air elements are Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius. Yes, Aquarius is an air sign, not a water sign, as many people naturally expect.

Fire and air are compatible, as fire needs air to thrive. The other two elements – water and earth, also go together. You can learn more about designing a home for them here.

In the sections below, we look at incorporating zodiac designs for the fire and air signs.

Zodiac Style of Air Elements

Your astrology chart tells quite a bit about your personality, likes, dislikes, even gems, and colors. The air element is one of communication, rationality, and logic, rather than emotionality. Air signs make great artists, writers, and communicators. As with the air itself, those ruled by this element are often changing, ready to reach for something new. They love music, reading, and art, so incorporating those zodiac style features into the home can help them flourish.

Libra

Under the ruling eye of Venus, it is no surprise that as the zodiac’s natural born peacemaker, Libras fill their homes with beautiful furnishings and art. Symmetry is crucial for a harmonious feel as Libra can become overwhelmed, and the home can become a bit messy. Avoid garish prints – Libra is not into modern designs. Romance and beautiful things dominate the Libra home, showing up in simple, vintage, well-made wood furnishings.

Libra colors fall into a palette dominated by black, white, lilac, champagne pink, light blue, and light grey. These colors add warmth and serenity Libra craves in the home. Woven baskets and ceramic pottery make the perfect accent pieces. Fresh flowers and eucalyptus are ideal in the Libra home.

Gemini

As with your two personalities, it is no surprise that many Geminis cannot decide what they want from their interior design. They like both modern and traditional interior design, and it is often fun to incorporate both styles into their homes. The latest design trends often sway Geminis, and their homes may be in a constant state of change. However, Gemini loves everything to be in its place so that it does not overwhelm. Geminis do well with bookshelves to display their collections. They also like interactive furnishings, such as recliners, rocking chairs, and hammocks.

Natural materials such as rattan, glass, and light wood, and a neutral palette offset by colors such as bright yellows, oranges, and blues are ideal. Bamboo and cascading philodendrons are excellent house plants for the Gemini home.

Aquarius

Eclectic yet cohesive is what you may find in the home of an Aquarian. This air sign believes in protecting the environment and good causes. Aquarius is unpretentious, somewhat rebellious, and craves freedom – always looking to the future. They love to repurpose whatever they can, and due to their crafty nature, may even create many of the items in their homes.

The Aquarian home is often ultra-modern, featuring spacious windows, wall shelving, and mirrors. When it comes to astrology design, you will likely find large sectionals and funky accent tables in the home. Aqua blue is an excellent color to incorporate into the home, along with oranges, greens, grays, and whites. Ideal plants for the Aquarius home include air plants or even a living wall.

Zodiac Design for Fire Signs

Of all the zodiac signs, it is those of the fire elements that combine passion, warmth, confidence, creativity, charm, and boldness. Fire signs are independent but like to have fun. Because they often desire to be the center of attention, they want their surroundings to reflect their zodiac style.

Sagittarius

Always on the go, bohemian Sagittarians fill their homes with objects collected during their travels, so areas for display are essential. They are the zodiac’s natural-born collectors, so beware of clutter. Since Sagittarius has no time for cleaning, organization is crucial, so they do not become overwhelmed. Open spaces, high ceilings, and natural light are desirable attributes in the home of a Sagittarian.

The fiery Sagittarian home should include rich blues, reds, and greens, offset with accents of brown and neutral whites. A fireplace or fire pit is another highly regarded asset and should be a focal point in the home or backyard. The one place that should not be cluttered is the bedroom, as that is where Sagittarius goes to unwind. Ponytail palms are excellent options for indoor plants.

Leo

Independently blazing their way through life, Leos are natural trend-setters. With love for life’s finer things, Leos are regal and often seek out dramatic pieces, bright colors, and unique, exotic, or lavish furnishings. The more eye-catching, the better, and Leos thrive on patterns and textures. Leos also love monogrammed items, so it is no surprise that their towels and linens reflect this element of design.

The Leo home requires plenty of natural sunlight and an outdoor area to fulfill their love of nature. As one of the fire zodiac signs, expect Leo to want to shine all the time. That means having a bathroom worthy of their grooming style. Leo does well with yellows, reds, oranges, and gold metal. Of course, a fireplace or fire pit is crucial. You will likely find statement artwork adorning their walls. Nesting tables, giant mirrors, and eye-catching chandeliers are dramatic elements that work well in the Leo home. Calatheas and patterned snake plants provide the perfect accents.

Aries

Full of energy and fun, Aries have no problem changing their environments to suit their moods. However, because they thrive on low-maintenance, they require a minimalistic zodiac style – a clutter-free environment with plenty of open space to help them focus. One thing to know about Aries is that they will benefit from having a home gym, pool, or basketball area – someplace where they can let out their energy.

Sleek, contemporary stylings, leather, plenty of textures, and bold, fiery colors such as oranges, reds, and metallics work well in their homes. Balance these with turquoise, cream, and light grey. Aries loves artwork that stands out and, as a fire sign, often seeks a fireplace or a fire pit in the backyard. Palms make a wonderful plant for indoors.

To learn more about incorporating zodiac style into your home, please contact HK Interiors at 954-401-8542 for all your interior design needs.

Our zodiac signs do more than tell us what to expect each day, our best career choices, or who would be our most compatible partner. Incorporating zodiac designs and their qualities into your home’s interior design can help improve the aesthetics and the well-being that you feel there.

The twelve houses in astrology showcase how very different we are from one another and how our design styles reflect our personalities. Many people do not even realize how their astrology houses influence their interior design until they read about it.

When used properly, the four elements can connect you to your home in ways you never imagined.

In the astrology chart, there are four element groups, with three signs per element. Each element influences its corresponding zodiac signs considerably. Compatibility increases within an element, which, as we will discuss in further detail, can also make for harmonious interior design.

Fire is also compatible with air as oxygen is necessary to fuel a flame. Conversely, earth and water go together, as rain helps grow the plants around us. Using their designs together can form a cohesive look throughout the home. However, even when people of differing elements live together, there are cohesive ways to incorporate facets from each sign into the home design. It is crucial to pay attention here, as conflicting design elements can leave one person feeling uneasy in the home.

The zodiac signs and their elements are:

• Air: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
• Earth: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
• Fire: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
• Water: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

As we begin our look into astrology design, we break it down by the four elements listed above. Perhaps you will notice your zodiac style starting to emerge in the descriptions below.

Zodiac Style of Air Elements

The air signs Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius are often seen like the wind – hard to pin down. They are smart, curious, and quick, often flirtatious, and adaptable to change. Do not be surprised if they want to change the look of their surroundings every few years.

With a love of art, music, and reading, those with air as an element in their astrology chart will want to incorporate those features into their homes. A reading nook, music room, library, or art gallery are aspects to consider when designing a room or home. You can read more about the individual zodiac styles for those in the air elements here.

Zodiac Design for Fire Signs

The fire signs Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius are always ready to heat things up with their passion, warmth, and boldness. They are creative, charming, independent, and fun, and want their homes to reflect those qualities.

It should be no surprise that fire signs have zodiac lucky colors that include shades of red, orange, and yellow. We naturally associate these colors with fire and elements to consider when designing a room include a fireplace, or when not possible indoors, a fire pit outside. Find out more about interior design for fire zodiac signs here.

Zodiac Design Styles for Water Elements

The water signs of Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces are some of the most creative zodiac signs. They are imaginative, sensitive, highly intuitive, sensuous, and love deeply, but they can also be moody. Because water is a soothing element, it is crucial to incorporate design elements that will soothe and relax.

Water signs yearn to be surrounded by water elements, such as a fountain. They also tend to collect items that have significant meaning to them. Finding the right way to incorporate these items into their home design is crucial. You can learn more about decorating for water signs here.

Earth Elements and Zodiac Styles

The earth signs of Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn are grounded, stable, and practical. Earth is the physical world, which makes perfect sense that they often seek out material possessions. Do not be surprised when they yearn for decadent furnishings, plants, and natural materials.

Logically, the earth element zodiac signs have a love of neutral earth tones. Natural woods, light, and plants should fill their homes. Incorporating a garden area, whether indoors or out, can help them thrive. Get more tips on decorating for earth signs here.

Make sure to click the links in the sections above to learn more about decorating according to your sign. One blog contains the earth and water signs, the other the fire and air.

For more information on zodiac style throughout South Florida, please contact HK Interiors at 954-401-8542 for all your interior design needs.

How to Bring Nature Indoors to Improve Your Well-Being

2020 has been a year of change and challenges, much of which has seen us spending even more time in our homes than ever before. For months, parks, beaches, playgrounds, and nature preserves have been closed. That is why it is more important now than ever before to bring nature indoors.

Bringing the outdoors in goes well beyond buying a potted plant that you stick in the corner of a room. In our recent blog about biophilic design, we discussed the importance of incorporating the natural world into our home and even workplace environments. Anywhere that you spend a considerable amount of time can benefit from natural décor.

Biophilia is a desire to interact with nature, and never has it been so critical to our well-being as it is right now. Biophilic design helps us reduce stress, improve our health, creativity, productivity, and emotional well-being.

While the best way to maximize biophilic design elements in your home or workplace is with the help of an interior designer, there are things you can do right now to increase the natural beauty around you.

Physical Ways to Bring Nature Indoors

When you think about the physical ways to bring nature indoors, chances are the first things that come to mind are living things, such as plants. One potted plant will not do the trick – think big and fill your home with nature. Grow herbs on a windowsill, bring in some potted lemon or lime trees, cacti, or create terrariums throughout your home. Incorporate plants in every room of your home. Turn your bathroom into a spa with plants that thrive in humidity.

A vertical garden feature that many people overlook is a green wall – a living wall of plants. Some people even have trees growing inside and up through their homes. Of course, taking it to that large a scale may be best done with the help of an interior designer.

Utilize other aspects of nature in your interior design ideas, such as seashells, twigs, branches, rocks, and gems. There is a reason why so many people have those little Zen gardens on their desks at work. Raking sand and creating designs with rocks and gems is an excellent way to de-stress. You can even create your own with items in your home and a small bottle of sand from a store. (Be careful about removing sand from a beach – many places will fine you for that!)

Nature is also more than plants. It encompasses all living things. A pet is more than your best friend – it is a natural de-stressor. Fish tanks, birdcages, outdoor animal feeders, and butterfly gardens are excellent options for helping you connect with other living things.

Think Outside the Box to Bring Nature Indoors

What does “thinking outside the box” mean when we want to incorporate biophilic design principles in the home or office?

It means incorporating other elements such as light, air, sound, fire, weather, natural materials, and natural landscapes into your home.

Here are some things to consider:

• You can bring nature indoors by adding skylights, reflective materials, and sheer drapes that allow the sun to shine through and illuminate your environment. An added benefit of letting nature shine through is also bringing you closer to the aspects of weather. After all, who does not enjoy sitting in a cozy chair while watching it rain outside?
• One way of incorporating naturalistic interior design is with the sounds of nature. Water elements such as fountains, water walls, and aquariums are not only relaxing to look at, but the sound of the water flowing, or bubbling can improve health and reduce stress.
• Fire pits outdoors do more than provide beauty and warmth. The fire element is also crucial to health. Candles have long been associated with romance and can bring an element of nature into your home.
• Natural materials are some of the best ways to foster biophilic design as you have many options available. Wood, stone, bamboo, leather, wool, hemp, clay, wicker, rattan, granite, and cork are available for various areas of your home or office, including flooring, furnishings, and countertops. The unique textures associated with materials such as cork or bamboo bring you closer to nature.
• Utilize natural landscapes as a way to relax and improve your health. From pictures of nature to nature-identical designs done in patterns on the walls, flooring, and fabrics, these images help to foster improved well-being.

Other Ways of Bringing Nature Into Your Home

The list of modern design elements available to help you bring nature indoors is endless. Here are a few more ideas:

• Incorporate natural design elements that activate the senses, such as varying types of textures.
• Bring in the colors of nature wherever possible. Incorporating the blue sky, green grass, brown earth, and cream sand colors will help you get in touch with the many elements around us.
• Do not stop with the inside of your home. Turn your patio, balcony, or garden into a natural haven with plants, water elements, and more to help you de-stress.

Today’s modern interior design options can help make your home a healthier place to live. There are so many things we can do right now, even if you are still at home all day – every day.

When the time comes to take your environment to the next level, HK Interiors can help. Call 954-401-8542 today for more information.

Whether or not you are familiar with the term biophilic design, it is time to find out what it can do for you. Especially today, when we are spending so much of our time in our homes due to Covid-19, it is crucial to consider incorporating biophilic design elements into our environment.

What is biophilic design, and why do you need it?

The best way to understand it is by first explaining the biophilia definition:

Biophilia is a desire or tendency to interact, associate, or commune with nature.

In modern interior design, biophilia is more than placing a plant or two in your home. It is about incorporating many design principles into your space to improve health and well-being.

Biophilic design is a connectedness that goes beyond having a fish tank or birdcage and a plant or two in a room. It is about stepping back and looking at ways to integrate the environment through sustained engagement with nature.

Why Is Biophilic Design Important Today?

Before the onset of Covid-19, life was already hectic and stressful. Now, with the home also functioning as a workplace, school, gym, and entertainment zone, it can sometimes seem as though there is no place to escape. Biophilic design is a way to improve well-being, enhance creativity, reduce stress, and expedite healing.

Think for a minute how you feel after taking a leisurely walk through a park or forest. Imagine the sound of a brook running over rocks. Breathe in and smell the earth, flowers, and trees that line the path. Nature connects us to the world around us in ways nothing else can. When you incorporate the natural world into your environment, you help promote health and well-being while reducing heart rate, blood pressure, and stress.

Biophilic design helps foster emotional attachments to our environment by satisfying the human need to affiliate with nature. It is through these attachments that we can increase our productivity, creativity, health, and performance.

What Does Biophilic Design Mean in the Home?

Biophilic design incorporates many aspects into your home, more than just bringing the outdoors in. Modern design elements may include any of the following direct and indirect experiences of nature:

• Water
• Plants
• Air
• Light
• Animals
• Natural Landscapes
• Weather
• Fire
• Images of Nature
• Earth tones or natural colors
• Natural materials
• Sounds

These are only some of the many aspects of biophilic design. With artificial light, air conditioning, synthetic textiles, and mass-produced products filling our homes, it is crucial to incorporate living things or their by-products into our interior design ideas. By-products of living things can be as simple as using bamboo flooring, rattan and wicker furnishings, stone countertops, and natural woods.

Biophilic Design Patterns and What They Mean

There are 14 patterns of biophilic design, and while we will not go into them all here, you can read about them through the link here. However, we do want to touch on some of the most important aspects here and how they benefit overall well-being:

• Presence of Water – reducing stress, lowering blood pressure and heart rate, increasing the feeling of tranquility, improving concentration and memory
• Dynamic & Diffuse Light – enhancement of circadian system functions and increasing visual comfort
• Visual Connection with Nature – lower heart rate and blood pressure, improved attentiveness, attitude, and happiness

A crucial aspect of biophilic design is that it must nurture a love of place. When incorporating naturalistic interior design into a home or office, the role of the designer is to identify the intent of the user, the needs of the space, and the long-term effects of the various components.

By utilizing the natural beauty of the world around us, the home or work environment becomes a place that fosters well-being in every sense of the world. As we look back in time, we find that humans built their structures out of the natural environments, utilizing local timber, stone, and sand. Conjure up the image of a log cabin by a babbling brook and see how that makes you feel. Now, compare that to the modern dwellings and buildings erected from steel, concrete, and other man-made substances.

How to Incorporate Biophilic Design Into Your Home By Bringing Nature Indoors

Interior designers today have more options than ever before to help bring nature indoors. Biophilic design goes much deeper even than we have explored here. Incorporating auditory, olfactory, non-rhythmic sensory, and other stimuli into the home or office can make a significant difference in your life and productivity. Now that you have an idea of how biophilia can impact your environment, it is time to learn “How to Bring Nature Indoors to Improve Your Well-Being.”

Are you ready to take your environment to the next level? HK Interiors can help. Call 954-401-8542 today for more information.

In our last blog, The Best Homemade Cleaning Products That Disinfect, we discussed what works and what does not work to kill Covid-19. According to CDC guidelines, vinegar is not enough to kill the coronavirus. You will want to add alcohol (not vodka) to your natural cleaning products to disinfect. However, if you are only looking for good homemade cleaners, the vinegar cleaner below is an excellent option. …more

Covid-19 has brought a stark new reality to our lives. Finding homemade cleaning products that are safe on the environment and good at killing germs throughout our homes is important. I have been doing this for years.

Back in March, disinfecting cleaners flew off the store shelves as quickly as toilet paper and paper towels. Many of us had the ingredients to make safer, better cleaning products in our cabinets. …more

Today, with concerns over bringing the Covid-19 coronavirus into the home, people are naturally concerned over the best way to clean their environments. There is a plethora of information on the internet about the cleaning and disinfecting of your home and office. However, do you fully understand the difference between cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing? These three terms are not interchangeable, and they each accomplish different things. Not only do you need to know how to protect your self and your loved ones, but also how to protect your surfaces, flooring, and furniture in the process.

The novel coronavirus (Covid19) is scary. It is an unseen invader that can lead to breathing difficulties, lung issues, and many lingering health concerns that are only now beginning to emerge. Fears of how long the germs live on surfaces prompt many people to find safe ways to disinfect everything in and what comes into their homes. …more