In an age where technology often defines the modern home, biophilic design offers a return to nature. Rooted in the Greek word bios (life) and philia (a love or affinity for), biophilia or biophilic living, speaks to a desire to nurture the natural world and to feel nurtured in return. The concept inspired a global movement, one that continues to shape the spaces we live in.  

Think about the way you feel after spending time outdoors. The quiet calm evoked by soft green tones, the sense of renewal after time spent beneath a canopy of trees, or the instinct to pause and take in a sweeping view. Your breath deepens, your muscles soften, a stillness settles. Biophilic design continues to resonate as more people seek to carry this sense of relaxation into their everyday lives and homes.  

But it’s not simply about adding greenery to a room. True biophilic design layers tonal palettes and organic textures, forming layouts that respond to the rhythms of the natural world. When styling your home, biophilic principles value curves over corners, linen over synthetic, stone over gloss.  

When interiors align with these natural cues, they offer more than visual appeal, but ground a home in calm, clarity, and balance, creating environments that support holistic health and well-being.  

This article explores how to bring the essence of biophilic living into your home with styling ideas that reflect nature in every detail. But first, we hear from a King Living designer on how this philosophy is shaping the aesthetic direction for 2025.

Biophilic principles in practice: a designer’s perspective

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.

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.

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.

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.