Biophilic Design: 8 Ways to Style your Home Inspired by Nature

Biophilic principles in practice: a designer’s perspective

As biophilic principles continue to shape today’s interiors, their influence is becoming increasingly recognised within the design world. Last year at Milan Design Week, the world’s largest annual event showcasing the latest in global furniture and interiors, the conversation centred on connection to form, materiality, and nature.

Back in the Sydney studio, we sat down with Industrial Designer Zara Fong to hear her reflections on the biophilic principles present across the exhibitions:

Curved and organic forms

“We saw soft, rounded forms dominating from sofas to tables, creating comfort and contributing to a fluid and contemporary aesthetic.”

Earthy palettes 

“Colour stories were deeply rooted in nature, with rust, mocha mousse, and moss green clearly leading the palette direction.”

Revival of classic materials

“We noticed a clear resurgence of timeless materials such as marble, smoked glass, and travertine, reimagined through a contemporary lens.”

Blurred boundaries: outdoor to indoor

“Outdoor furniture took on a sophisticated indoor sensibility, while nature effortlessly flowed into interior spaces.”

Natural layers

“We observed layering of natural textures within spaces. Wood and bamboo for furniture, complemented by leather, wool, and other material contrasts in for soft furnishings and styling.”

Living décor

“Greenery featured not just as an accent but as an intentional styling layer. This is a trend we’re already seeing prominently in 2026, and one we anticipate will continue to play a key role in the design direction of the years to come.”

Informed by the biophilic themes found in Milan, here are 8 ways to style your home inspired by nature.

1. Frame outside views for natural light and flow

In your home, what do you see when you look outside? Whether your living space opens out to a garden, neighbouring treetops, or a patch of sky, framing an outdoor view invites natural light and the landscape in to become one with your interior.

Biophilic architecture can sometimes lead the way, with floor-to-ceiling windows, skylights, archways, or open-plan layouts naturally drawing focus outside. Where those features are limited, thoughtfully placed furniture can shape the same connection.

Many King Living sofas are modular, meaning they can be reconfigured, expanded, or rearranged to follow the sun. Consider which direction your windows face as orientation will influence the quality of light throughout the day. Face a chaise module east for lounging in soft morning sun, north for all-day warmth, and west for unwinding with the sunset.

Similarly, placing an occasional chair in a quiet corner to face the window can create a peaceful and private retreat, offering an immersion into nature within your own home.

2. Create an indoor-outdoor connection

Blurring boundaries between the inside and outside also encourages daily access to natural light. A study published in the Sleep Medicine journal found that increasing light exposure in your natural environment promotes improved mood, better sleep and overall wellbeing.¹

Thoughtfully orienting your dining setting perpendicular to expansive windows ensures most guests enjoy captivating views without the discomfort of direct sunlight. Conversations flow effortlessly, uninterrupted by harsh glare, allowing everyone to linger comfortably long after the meal has ended.

You can apply this same principle to your sofa placement. By positioning the long edge perpendicular to large windows, you invite the restorative qualities of nature indoors, creating a soothing atmosphere ideal for relaxation.

Some of our most loved indoor sofa designs, including Jasper, Delta, Zaza and the 1977 Sofa, are also available as outdoor sofas, made with high performance materials for lasting weather resistance. To create cohesion between your spaces, consider choosing matching fabric styles for your indoor and outdoor sofas.

If your space is more compact and opportunities for repositioning larger furniture is limited, there are still elegant ways to foster a meaningful connection with nature.

Invite the outdoors in by opening balcony doors or windows on temperate days, allowing fresh air to circulate and the sounds of rain, wind or birdsong to gently fill your home. When the weather turns, simply lifting the blinds or drawing back curtains welcomes in soft natural light, helping regulate your circadian rhythm for improved sleep and enhanced daytime energy.

3. Apply Feng Shui principles for energy and balance

Feng Shui, an ancient Chinese practice, has found renewed popularity in modern biophilic interiors for its emphasis on mindfulness, energy flow, and harmony.

Clutter can disrupt the calm atmosphere needed to support a balanced Feng Shui bedroom, so choosing furniture with integrated storage is best for maintaining a minimalist and serene space. Many King Living beds feature discreet underbed compartments, providing a practical solution for storing linens, towels or seasonal items.

For bedside tables, apply a rule of three to your styling. Select meaningful items, either personal or made from organic materials, such as a houseplant, ceramic trinket dish, or a framed photograph. This maintains an uncluttered aesthetic and creates surface space needed for everyday use, like a place to rest a current book or evening beverage.

Style your living room coffee table similarly, allowing at least 45 centimetres around it to enhance space and ease of movement. Apply this same principle when positioning your sofa, placing it away from the wall for improved energy flow, effortless cleaning access and reduced dust accumulation.

4. Layer natural tones and textures

Biophilic design invites you to embrace nature-inspired colours within your home. A recent study analysing King Living purchases found that sales for green sofas rose significantly from 3% in 2022 to 19% last year, highlighting a clear preference for a more natural palette in 2026.

Consider earthy greens such as forest, sage, eucalyptus, and moss; ocean and sky blues; rich sunset rusts and burnt ambers; and for those who favour timeless neutrals, sand, truffle, and stone tones.

You can also connect with nature through texture rather than colour alone.

King Living offers a curated collection of over 200 exclusive fabrics and leathers in a variety of grounded shades. Designs across all collections, from sofas to beds, feature removable covers that can be tailored in these finishes, allowing for seasonal transformations. Think, blush spring pinks and fresh summer greens, to warm autumnal browns and deep winter blues.

King Living rugs are also crafted from the finest raw materials, including 100% New Zealand wool and linen. Layering these plush fibres with timber accents and the earthy hues in your soft furnishings, infuses your interior with tactile variety, reflecting the abundance of organic texture found in nature.

5. Make eco-friendly design choices

The furniture industry continues to grow rapidly, and with it, the rise of fast furniture, often poorly constructed, made from cheap materials, and designed to follow fleeting trends. These pieces frequently end up in landfill within just a few years.

You can play an important role in reducing environmental impact by choosing timeless furniture that’s built to last.

The King Living Collection is designed for longevity, combining timeless style with durable steel frames, removable covers, and modular flexibility. These enduring features support evolving lifestyles and help extend the lifespan of every design.

Beyond materials and craftsmanship, the way we connect with a space often comes down to the details that hold meaning. Do you find yourself holding on to items that evoke a memory, a moment, a sense of nostalgia? That’s emotional durability, and it plays a quiet yet powerful role in sustainable living.

From furniture to the smallest personal touch, eco-conscious styling celebrates what is made with care, sourced with intention, and kept for the stories it carries. Whether it’s a sofa that has been with your family for decades, a candle from the local farmers market, a piece of handmade pottery or a postcard from a place you love, these are more than just decorations, but something worth keeping.

6. Incorporate organic forms and silhouettes

Soft, flowing curves and organic forms gently ground a room and mirror the shapes of the natural world.

For a biophilic look, choose a sofa or armchair with sculptural arms and deep seats, styled with round, supple, or organically shaped cushions that offer true sink-in comfort

Layered coffee or side tables in varied heights bring depth and visual interest into your interior. Gently curved timber surfaces and sculpted bases soften hard architectural lines, much like how overlapping leaves or stones naturally settle in a forest or by a riverbank.

Rugs complete the story. King Living rugs add a personal touch with many styles hand-knotted, -loomed or -woven, and designed with patterns inspired by the Australian landscape.

Think of the feeling of bare feet in soft grass or warm sand. Both grounding and restorative, select a rug that captures the same sensory connection. From wave-like weaves to topographical lines, lean into detailing that echoes the terrain of mountains, coastlines and sunlit earth, and creates comfort underfoot.

7. Invite greenery inside

House plants enhance air quality by releasing oxygen and absorbing toxins. As well as physiological benefits, a study by the National Library of Medicine found indoor greenery to improve cognition, reduce stress levels, and increase focus, mood, and relaxation.²

For novice plant parents, these low-maintenance options are ideal:

• ZZ Plant: highly resilient making it one of the easiest plants to keep alive, ideal in low light or shady rooms. Works beautifully in Japandi or soft contemporary interiors, where curved stems and glossy leaves add a gentle, organic structure to serene and textural spaces.

• Snake Plant: sculptural and sturdy, it requires minimal care and is perfect for forgetful waterers. Best suited to modern or minimalist interiors, where its clean, upright silhouette echoes angular furniture and simplistic design.

• Rubber Tree: bold and glossy foliage needing only occasional water and moderate light. Highly desired in mid-century modern or retro interiors, where strong lines are softened with rich green volume.

And for those who enjoy the ritual of daily care, consider greenery that flourishes with more attention:

• Fiddle Leaf Fig: large, shining leaves suited to bright, spacious rooms. A little fussy but loved for its look. This plant is particularly at home in urban or loft-style interiors, where it brings height and architectural shape to open-plan layouts.

• Boston Fern: lush in volume and suited to areas with filtered light, typically found in bathrooms or shaded corners with humidity. Well suited to bohemian or maximalist interiors, where its soft, cascading fronds add texture and ease.

• Bird of Paradise: this tropical foliage requires bright, warm conditions and routine watering, and in return, rewards with vibrant floral blooms. Ideal for resort-style, coastal, or eclectic interiors, where bold shapes and colourful flowers thrive.

8. Use pattern to reflect nature’s rhythm

Solid tones are often chosen for sofa covers and bedding, forming a calm, grounding base, where pattern is introduced afterwards through soft furnishings.

For some, styling with pattern can feel daunting: the fear of clashing prints or disrupting cohesion. Looking to nature is a simple way to bring confidence into the process.

Cushions with geometric patterns inspired by leaf detail, flowing water, or natural rock formations, gently introduce movement and flow without overwhelming the space.

For a more personal layer, choose cushions from the King Living Elemental Threads Collection, thoughtfully designed in-house to reflect the Australian lifestyle and landscape.

A curation of these patterned cushions can offer more than just comfort and style, but meaning: a memory of somewhere travelled, a feeling of home, or simply something tranquil to return to at the end of the day.

For a balanced cushion arrangement on your furniture setting, style with:

• One patterned cushion on an armchair.
• Two to three cushions on a two or three-seater sofa. Choose one patterned cushion and pair with one or two solid tones.
• Three to six on a modular, L-shaped sofa, selecting a balance of patterned and block-colour designs.
• Two to four on a queen or king bed, in front of standard pillows. Choose patterns in the same colour palette as your bedding.

In place of heavy curtains or blinds, consider sheer, flowing drapery. Particularly in bedrooms and living spaces, light-filtering fabrics can echo the patterns of waves, reflecting dappled sunlight and shadows of trees just beyond the window.

More inspiration

For more on how to foster a quiet connection to the world outside within your interior, discover:  

• The benefits of choosing natural materials in the home.
• How to furnish and style a healthy home.
• The timeless beauty of natural oak furniture.
• King Living sustainable fabric collections.