Lynne O’Loughlin of Tripod Design’s nature-inspired wallpaper and the Sonas Aspect black trellis shower panels with brushed gold fittings. Photo:Lynne O’Loughlin

Going au naturel in the bathroom

Geraldine Fitzgerald

Biophilia sounds like an interesting yoghurt ingredient, but it means the love of living things and an affinity with nature.

We humans have a deep-rooted need for connection with the natural world, and sometimes we don’t do well in confined, increasingly urban spaces. We are drawn to nature, and if we’re deprived of a natural habitat, we exhibit signs of stress like an animal in a cage.

The idea of biophilic design is a concept now used in architecture and design to mimic nature by putting natural products front and centre in our homes.

Biophilic experiences, sometimes as simple as having lots of plants and fresh air in your house, have been proven to reduce stress and create a distinct sense of wellbeing.

It’s unsurprising that biophilic design is really having a moment right now – just look at the current décor trends for 2022 and you’ll see shades of green, coupled with organic textures, on the cover of every design magazine.

If lockdown taught us anything, it’s that our home really should be a sanctuary. A place to feel comfortable, and to spark joy – so when you think of how often you use certain rooms, like the loo, it makes sense to add pleasing form on top of essential function.

Bathrooms are always a great place to try out a design trend. They tend to be a bit small and bland, so will always benefit from a makeover, and are often dark so are the perfect room to try out a biophilic design to brighten them up.

Sonas Bathrooms have over 40 years of experience in jazzing up the ‘smallest room in the house’ and have access to a massive selection of products. From a classic look that allows for interchangeable accessories, to bang-up-to-date trends like biophilic design; Sonas have it all.

The pictured vanity unit in Wreath Green, stylishly finished with a gold handle, takes centre stage in this bathroom. An easy way to bring nature inside is to add some plants – real or faux, although there’s more benefit from real ones.

Plants purify the air; soften the lines of hard surfaces and purify the air, they soften the lines of hard surfaces and provide a welcome burst of the great outdoors. Saturated earth tones are great for evoking an indirect connection to nature – and the green of the unit works beautifully with this, complimented by the matching Scandinavian wall column and bath panel.

Light is another key element of biophilic design in the bathroom as systems that provide brightness through the day to mimic the natural pattern of the sun and support circadian rhythms.

The Astrib Beam Round Brushed Gold LED Mirror with colour changing light offers a bright light for the morning time, and an option to switch to a softer glow for the evening. Curved sinks and baths echo nature’s soft edges and look fantastic when coupled with organic textiles.

The round Forest Green Avanti sink, coupled with the wooden floor, rustic stool and soft cotton towel are delightfully soul-soothing.

The edges of the Astrid mirror are curved and with water a core part of biophilic design the wall mounted Nero Black Rain Head can evoke the feeling of standing in the rain.

Natural looking materials are essential for biophilic design. Wood, ceramic, slate, and marble are all organic textures that give the sense of a naturally formed bathing space indoors.

The new Avanti Oval basin in ivory from Sonas bathrooms on this reclaimed wooden rustic shelf paired with minimalist black fittings and the stunning Astrid Style Rope Feature Illuminated Mirror combines many of these elements. The Sonas Slate Shower Trays with a choice of four natural colours, are another way to incorporate natural materials in your bathroom design.

For further information see sonasbathrooms.com.