Every year, Pantone releases a Colour of the Year that draws on popular themes and styles of the moment; this year, the chosen shade is a zesty lime entitled Greenery. The Pantone website describes the colour as evoking the first days of spring, and states that it was designed to encourage consumers to “take a deep breath, oxygenate and reinvigorate”.

The kind of thinking that went into the selection of Greenery is the same kind of thinking behind biophilic design. Though you may not have heard the term, you’ll certainly have walked into a working space put together with biophilic design in mind. It’s an approach to interior decorating that focuses on our instinctive human attraction to nature and the outdoors. Biophilic design, therefore, draws on natural colour palettes and textures, as well as natural imagery and live plants.

At Novex Solutions, we’re interested in interior design that works both on an aesthetic and a functional level, and actively benefits the workforce. That’s why we’re interested in the potential of biophilic design as a tool for healthier, happier working. Studies have shown that incorporating natural imagery into the workplace can improve productivity, creativity and staff wellbeing. The benefits also extend to clients and customers – in hospitality and retail, biophilic design has improved customer experience.

The question at this point is: what’s the best way to bring biophilic design into your place of work? We’ve put together some tips, ranging from the tiny details to big budget changes.

Office Plants

If you are unable to undertake any big renovations, you can still channel the spirit of biophilic design by placing some potted plants throughout your workplace. And proven to increase productivity.

Dashes of Colour

Pantone’s Greenery is just one shade to consider incorporating into a drab office space; others include natural blues, yellow and oranges. Small areas of wall can be painted, but colour can also be incorporated into the furniture adding a bright colour fabric to chairs or desk screens, choosing some colour for your storage instead of grey or adding feature carpet tiles or planks to an area, similar to this great area at the Interface flooring showroom in Clerkenwell.

Wall Graphics

If you have a wall area that’s not being used, consider converting it into a feature wall. Wall graphics can be a particularly innovative way of doing this – recently, the Novex team installed a large-format print of trees for The Book People. The effect can bring a sense of depth and natural light to any room. Given the right space and budget, you can go even further by fitting a living wall of green foliage.

Natural Light

One of the most effective changes you can make to a workspace is to install more natural light – employees sleep better and enjoy an improved quality of life the more natural light they are exposed to. Of course this is easier said than done if you can’t make big changes to your existing space, but if you are moving on, it’s certainly something to include on your office relocation checklist.

For help bringing biophilic design into your working environment, contact Novex Solutions today for a free workplace consultancy.

And if you’ve already started the journey – tweet us a snap of your favourite office plant! @novexsolutions

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