How to bring nature into your home to improve your wellbeing

Biophilia, a new book by Yorkshire author Sally Coulthard, reveals how staying close to nature will make you healthier and happier
Bring nature into your decor. This wallpaper is by Woodchip and MagnoliaBring nature into your decor. This wallpaper is by Woodchip and Magnolia
Bring nature into your decor. This wallpaper is by Woodchip and Magnolia

When best-selling author Sally Coulthard was busy in her writing shed last year, researching and penning her latest book, she never dreamed that it would become a tool to help us through one of the most challenging periods of our lives.

If you were superstitious, you’d say that it was no coincidence that Biophilia was published just days before coronavirus put us in lockdown. It’s as if it was “meant to be” because for the many of us who are now confined to our own homes for roughly 23 hours a day, the book has some very useful advice.

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Beautifully written and with fabulous illustrations by Helen Bratby, it reveals how to transform our living and working spaces into places that put us in touch with nature, thereby lifting our spirits.

Biophilia by best-selling Yorkshire author Sally Coulthard is publishd by Kyle BooksBiophilia by best-selling Yorkshire author Sally Coulthard is publishd by Kyle Books
Biophilia by best-selling Yorkshire author Sally Coulthard is publishd by Kyle Books

“Most of us feel good in nature,” says Sally, who grew up in Leeds and now lives in rural North Yorkshire. “If you ask people to imagine a place where they feel happy and relaxed, many describe a warm, sandy beach or woodland walk.

“Some might conjure up images of camping under the stars, picnicking by a stream or pottering in the garden. Others talk of feeling the sun on their back, listening to birdsong or seeing a magnificent, sweeping view. Whatever the nuances in description, we often talk about being in nature, looking at nature and interacting with nature. That’s what biophilia is. It’s the simple, core truth that humans need a connection with nature to be content.”

She adds that the word “biophilia” means “love of life” and was first used in the 1960s by a social psychologist called Erich Fromm, in his book The Heart of Man. It was popularised two decades later by biologist and conservationist Edward Wilson.

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“For all their differences in approach, one theme emerged – the idea that people have an innate affinity with living things and natural surroundings,” says Sally, who has included quotes by the great and the good, such as “Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you” by the architect Frank Lloyd Wright and “Deviation from nature is deviation from happiness” by Samuel Johnson.

Author of Biophilia Sally Coulthard. Picture by Victoria HarleyAuthor of Biophilia Sally Coulthard. Picture by Victoria Harley
Author of Biophilia Sally Coulthard. Picture by Victoria Harley

This by Florence Nightingale is perhaps the most powerful: “I shall never forget the rapture of fever patients over a bunch of bright-coloured flowers…People say the effect is only on the mind. It is no such thing. The effect is on the body, too.” Ms Nightingale would applaud Sally’s book, which delves into the neuroscience and environmental research behind biophilia and reveals that we need nature much more than nature needs us.

Sally’s exploration of the subject shows that scientific studies from across the world prove that being connected to nature, either by being outdoors, looking at nature or being surrounded by natural elements in our home or work space has an astounding array of benefits.

It can reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol; elevate white blood cell count; which are crucial for immune health; improve attention performance in children and adults; boost focus and creativity, including problem solving and cognitive function; calm the mind and boost self-esteem; improve short-term memory; reduce the risk of near-sightedness in children; encourage children and adults to develop healthy lifestyle habits and increase longevity.

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Published by Kyle Books, Biophilia sets out three main tenets of making a biophilic space. These include creating somewhere that puts you in direct, physical contact with nature, whether it’s filling your house with flowers and plants, enjoying a real fire or making sure your office is awash with fresh air.

Houseplants are good for your wellbeing. Pots from Audenza.comHouseplants are good for your wellbeing. Pots from Audenza.com
Houseplants are good for your wellbeing. Pots from Audenza.com

You should also embrace many different things in your living space that remind you of nature, this can be patterns, colours, materials and textures.

Thirdly, you should live in a way that connects to natural rhythms and outside spaces. This could be living in tune with the seasons, letting in more natural light and making the most of outdoor views.

Here are a few more facts and some suggestions from Sally that will help make our homes more biophilic. There are many, many more in her book, which also covers work and community spaces.

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*Many of the key features of current interior trends fit beautifully with the biophilic philosophy. They include indoor plants, micro gardens, natural material, such as linens and raw timber, sustainable crafts and organic paints.

*Living spaces that incorporate lots of natural materials give us a direct connection to the outside, whether it’s the scrubbed pine table-top or the soft feel of a lamb’s wool blanket.

*An interior filled with plants has multiple benefits. Alongside their potential use as air filters, using plants and flowers as décor has a powerful effect on mood. Studies have shown that interaction with indoor plants can reduce psychological and physiological stress. Fresh flowers can also have a this effect.

*Looking at pictures of natural scenes can improve wellbeing so there is a strong argument

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for also including natural motifs and images into all aspects of interior design and home living from leaf-patterned wallpaper to artwork that celebrates natural forms.

*Maximise your exposure to daylight. Move your chair next to the window and get outside when you can. Morning light, between 8am and midday, is particularly beneficial.

Firelight and candlelight give off calming “red” light, which triggers our body’s preparations for rest, but they also play a vital role in relaxation and sociability.

*Biophilia by Sally Coulthard is £14.99 and is published by Kyle Books. Sally, who lives in North Yorkshire, has written more than 20 books with themes including building fires, saving bees, creating sheds and the history of craft.

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Passionate about the countryside, she also describes the joys and pitfalls of smallholding in her column Good Life in the Country for Country Living magazine.

Visit her website at www.sallycoulthard.co.uk

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