"It is through the art of interior design that beautiful spaces are created. In today's design, we must acknowledge the interconnectedness of everything and strive to create spaces that sync with nature"
There is a reason why there are times when you can walk into a space and immediately feel at ease and inspired. Or, on the other hand, feel discomfort or restlessness.
Our built environments affect us on a deeper level beyond the physical realm. As we walk into a room, we don’t just see it, we feel it. Colors, lighting, textures, and even the furniture layout influence our mood, energy, and productivity.
The design of a space as a whole has a direct influence on our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Today more than ever, interior design must integrate ancient wisdom with contemporary design concepts to embrace holistic, biophilic, sustainable, and Feng Shui-inspired principles. The result is a space that serves as a profound gift for the mind, body, and spirit.
So how can we design our interiors based on these concepts to transform our living spaces and help us live our best lives?
Bridging The Gap Between Old-World Wisdom And Today's Design
Interior design is a thoughtful process that shapes how a space looks, feels, and functions. Everything is connected, and good design acknowledges that. Design today should feel integrated with nature, not separate from it. Even the smallest details, like lighting or scent, can shift the energy of a space and how it’s used.
Interior design today should bridge old-world wisdom with modern design, creating spaces that feel intentional and grounded.
- Homes can be designed as calm, restorative sanctuaries.
- Offices can support focus, productivity, and creativity.
- Educational spaces can help students concentrate and retain information.
- Hospitals and therapeutic environments can offer comfort and support healing.
- Counseling offices can be designed to encourage clarity of mind and emotional ease.
These approaches offer meaningful ways to create fresher, healthier interiors and built environments. They’re practical, thoughtful, and worth embracing. Let’s take a closer look at what these concepts are and how they can be applied in today’s design.
The Holistic Approach to Interior Design
Holistic design is about designing interiors with people’s health and wellness in mind, focusing on the overall experience of a space.
It aims to balance and consider all aspects of people’s lives – physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. By doing so, interior design enhances people’s quality of life and truly nurtures them.
To give a clearer sense of what holistic design looks like, here are a few examples:
Design that encourages social connection and a sense of community through shared workspaces, interactive art, common gardens, and thoughtful details like seating arrangements.
Open-plan layouts that allow spaces to flow naturally, rather than being divided into separate rooms. For example, living, dining, and kitchen areas that connect easily and support family interaction.
A holistic approach to office design that considers natural light, how the layout supports communication, and ways to improve air quality.
Personalized spaces that create a sense of belonging by incorporating meaningful details such as art, photography, and decorative accents that reflect the people who live or work there.
Color palettes chosen for how they make a space feel, using earthy and soft tones, calming greens, tranquil blues, and neutral shades.
Maximizing natural light through large windows or skylights, along with artificial lighting that’s designed to mimic natural light when needed.
The Biophilic Approach to Interior Design
Bringing nature into the built environment is at the heart of biophilic design. It recognizes that humans have an innate connection with nature. To enhance that connection, the design mimics or incorporates natural elements like daylight, vegetation, water, and natural materials.
Research has shown that exposure to nature and natural elements reduces stress levels, improves mood, and enhances cognitive function, as well as controlling blood pressure and heart rate. Biophilic design utilizes nature’s advantages and incorporates them into a wide range of spaces, including homes, offices, public buildings, and urban settings.
To give a clear sense of what biophilic design looks like, here are a few examples:
Creating views of nature from inside a space through large windows or glass doors that look out onto trees, gardens, or water.
Maximizing natural light by using large windows, skylights, or light wells to brighten interiors and create a more uplifting, welcoming atmosphere.
Bringing nature indoors with potted plants, hanging planters, or vertical gardens, which also help improve indoor air quality.
Adding calming elements like water features, such as indoor fountains, aquariums, or water walls, to create a sense of ease and balance.
Using fabrics, wallpapers, and rugs with patterns and textures inspired by nature, like botanical motifs, leaf patterns, or natural landscapes, to strengthen the connection to the outdoors.
A Feng Shui Approach to Interior Design
Using Feng Shui in design is about understanding how a space functions beyond aesthetics. It focuses on how layout, furniture placement, and details influence movement, balance, and overall comfort within a space. Each element is arranged with intention to support clarity, ease, and an uninterrupted flow.
When approached thoughtfully, this way of designing can shift how a space feels to occupy. With the right understanding, any room can be shaped into an environment that feels calm, supportive, and well balanced.
To give a clearer sense of what Feng Shui–inspired design looks like, here are a few examples:
A welcoming front door or an organized entryway with clear pathways helps set the tone for how energy enters a space.
Maintaining a clutter-free environment allows energy to move more freely, which can support clarity, focus, and ease in daily life.
Removing items that carry negative associations, such as reminders of past experiences or emotional weight, is often encouraged to support a lighter, more supportive environment.
In Feng Shui, water features are sometimes placed in the career area of a home, based on the bagua map, to support growth and opportunity.
Mirrors are typically not placed directly opposite a bed, as this placement is believed to disrupt rest and overall energy.
Creating a meaningful focal point in a room, such as artwork or furniture with personal significance, helps anchor the space and influence how energy circulates.
The five elements—wood, water, fire, earth, and metal—can be incorporated through materials, colors, and finishes to restore balance where a space feels lacking or overstimulating.
Using command positions means placing key furniture so the entrance to the room is visible without being directly in line with it. This layout supports a sense of security and control within the space.
An Eco-wise and Sustainable Approach to Interior Design
At the core of sustainable and eco-wise design lies a deep commitment to the health and well-being of our planet and its inhabitants.
This approach to design preserves the environment and has a deep respect for the resources it provides. It focuses on renewable resources, minimizing waste and pollution, and encouraging long-term sustainability.
Sustainable design recognizes that human activities have significantly impacted the planet. As a result, it strives to reduce the impact and damage by utilizing environmentally friendly resources, technologies, and practices. Eco-friendly spaces extends beyond environmental sustainability to benefit everyone in the community, not just a select few.
Together, they invite us to recognize our place in the larger ecosystem.
To give a clearer sense of what eco-wise and sustainable design looks like, here are a few examples:
Eco-conscious design starts with everyday systems that make responsible choices easier, like recycling and composting, along with furniture and decor made from recycled, repurposed, or up-cycled materials. Simple ideas, such as reusing a ladder as shelving or a vintage suitcase as a side table, reduce waste while adding character.
Sustainable design also shows up in how we move through our cities. Walkable layouts with safe sidewalks and bike paths support all ages and abilities, making walking and biking more realistic, cleaner options.
Low-VOC paints and finishes help limit harmful emissions and support healthier indoor air.
Choosing natural, eco-friendly textiles like organic cotton, hemp, or linen, along with non-toxic building materials, reduces unnecessary chemical exposure from production through everyday use.
Water-saving fixtures, including low-flow toilets and efficient shower heads, help conserve water without sacrificing comfort.
Energy-efficient lighting, appliances, and smart technologies like LEDs and smart thermostats use less energy, last longer, and lower long-term costs while reducing overall environmental impact.
A Cafe Designed To Perfection!
Imagine stepping into a café where everything just feels right.
At the entrance, the space immediately feels warm and welcoming. Natural textures, soft light, and an uncluttered layout set the tone, a quiet nod to Feng Shui, where the entry is designed to feel open and inviting, allowing energy to move in easily.
As you walk further inside, the open layout and large windows take over. Natural light fills the space, creating a relaxed, focused atmosphere. This is where biophilic design comes in. Wood, stone, living green walls, and potted plants bring the outside in, adding freshness and a sense of calm without feeling staged.
The seating tells its own story. Some areas are tucked away for quieter moments, while others are arranged to encourage conversation and connection. This reflects holistic design, spaces shaped around how people actually use them, not just how they look.
A subtle water feature and thoughtfully placed artwork help anchor the room. These elements support balance and flow, again pulling from Feng Shui principles, but in a way that feels natural and effortless.
When you sit down, comfort becomes the focus. Ergonomic furniture supports your body whether you’re there for a quick coffee or working for a while. Soft background music stays at a level that supports conversation and concentration, while the aroma of freshly brewed coffee gently activates the senses. This is holistic design working through the details.
Behind the scenes, eco-wise design shapes how the café operates. Compostable utensils, incentives for reusable cups, locally sourced ingredients, and food donations reflect a commitment to sustainability and community. Energy-efficient lighting and temperature controls keep the space comfortable while minimizing environmental impact.
Together, these concepts create more than a beautiful café. They create a space that feels easy to be in, supportive of both people and the planet, where design works quietly in the background, doing exactly what it’s meant to do.
Point Of Alignment
At its core, interior design deeply influences our body, mind, and spirit. We can create spaces that enhance our well-being and nurture a strong connection between us and our surroundings if we approach design with mindfulness! Let’s design with intention, purpose, and heart, making our spaces truly meaningful and beneficial for us and the environment.
