The Yorkshire couple building beautiful biophilic homes with wellbeing in mind

The couple, who run Studio Nest, a residential design studio in Harrogate specialising in bespoke kitchens, furniture and interiors, are also a winning team when it comes designing and constructing new homes via their small scale development business Andas Homes.

It is so named because Andas is the Scandinavian word for “breathe” and the individual properties the couple create all have a “biophilic” focus, which means connecting with nature to improve health and well-being.

Their interest in this started when they were looking at nurseries for their children.

“They were often in old buildings that were dark with tiny windows and artificial light and I just thought how wrong it was,” says Holly. “We began to notice how some spaces made you feel relaxed and at ease and others made you feel restricted, stressed and desperate to leave.”

The philosophy of connecting with nature is rooted in the innate human attraction to it, which is why Andas incorporate natural light, greenery, eco-friendly paints and natural materials, including wood and stone into their properties.

“This design philosophy is more than a trend, it's a fundamental shift towards enhancing well-being, productivity, and overall quality of life and it’s now the cornerstone to each and every home Andas builds,” says Mike.

“One of the most compelling reasons for biophilic design is its positive impact on mental health. Exposure to natural elements has been proven to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Studies have shown that views of nature can lower blood pressure and heart rates, promoting a sense of calm and relaxation.”

Andas recently completed Chapel Wold, a small development in the village of Kearby in the Wharfe Valley, near Wetherby. It is made up of four luxury properties, three of which have been sold with one contemporary, steel framed barn conversion remaining.

On the market with The Modern House for £2.1m, it is a beautiful, five bedroom home that has a rarely achieved A-grade energy efficiency rating and boasts a huge amount of natural light via windows that take in rural views.

The property, overlooking the Wharfe Valley, has a double-height hallway with panes of glass flooding the main entrance with light and there is a second entrance through the integrated double garage and past the handy boot room.

On the ground floor there is an expansive space incorporating a living area, kitchen area with bespoke kitchen and a dining area, all with countryside views and a focus on tactile materials.

There is also another sitting area, a separate pantry and a utility room and a home gym that could also be a playroom or office and a W.C. Upstairs are five bedrooms, one with an en suite. Of the other three bedrooms remaining, one has an en suite shower, while the others have access to a bathroom.

The garden was designed within a biophilic philosophy by Rob Hardy and Co. to increase the connectivity between the natural environment and the house.

There is also an electric car charging station inside the double garage, air source pumps, a hot water tank and solar photovoltaic energy generation.

While many of us would love to live here, it is a budget buster for most, which is why Mike and Holly have these tips on practical applications of biophilic design:

*Maximise natural light exposure to natural daylight regulates our circadian rhythm supporting better sleep at night and alertness during the daytime. Use large windows, skylights and glass doors to allow ample light into your home.

*Bring the outdoors in. House plants are an easy way to integrate nature into your home, from a single plant to vertical gardens or green walls. Look for plants, including ivy and spider plants that can filter the air.

*Use natural materials. Opt for furniture and interior decorations made fromnatural materials like wood, stone, bamboo and cotton. These elements add warmth and texture to your living space.

*Create outdoor connections so limit barriers to outside spaces and create destination points that you want to go and spend time in. Use similar colours and textures to the internal spaces to create a harmonious transition. We collaborate with the team at Rob Hardy & Co to design outdoor spaces.

*Arrange furniture to give views of the outdoors and use warm earthy tones and greens to evoke a sense of being in nature.

*Create spaces to connect with others so design kitchens as open plan multifunctional spaces to encourage all members of the family to spend time together and connect.

*Make sure to create storage solutions so there is no from mess and clutter.

Useful contacts: www.themodernhouse.com, www.andashomes.co.uk, www.studionest.co.uk.