Thinking of implementing biophilic design in your entrance? Well you should be! According to Pinterest predicts 2023 –attention towards our foyer and entrances is gathering an incredible amount of attention.
Foyer entryway decor ideas +190%
Front door portico +40%
Front door transformation +85%
Garden front of house entrance +35%
Well, I guess it does make sense, after all, first impressions count; we know that we formulate an opinion of a person/place within the first 6 seconds of meeting them. Real estate agents know full well the importance of first impressions when selling homes, so it makes sense that we consider this part of our homes important to greet others. Not only for others, it is also important for us, to come back to the warmth and safety of our home, our refuge; or to walk out strong to face the world. So yes, I understand this data. Building an oasis of calm and ease right at the entrance is a great way to add a positive start to your day. A biophilic front entrance creates a sense of peace and well-being right from the moment you step foot outside your home or office. Biophilic design means integrating human needs and values into the design of spaces, buildings, communities, and ecosystems that are sensitive to human health, ecology, culture, and aesthetics.
credits: Shaun Lockyer Architects
Biological factors play an important role in establishing the feeling of well-being in people. Because our body reacts immediately when we sense stress or strain, we feel uncomfortable. A biophilic front entrance pulls you into your new surroundings as soon as you get out of your car or walk through the front door of your home or your friend’s home. According to the underlying concept of Biophilic design, we will design a place that makes us feel good – designed with the person in mind – no matter the personal “style” there are always some underlying concepts that remain valid. Let’s have a look at how to incorporate biophilic design in your entrance But first, let’s break down the journey from the car until we actually enter the home.
- Where is our home situated – I mean what part of the world?
- How do we approach the building? How are we led up to it, the pathway, the front garden?
- For those who are lucky enough to have a front porch, how is this incorporated into the design of our building, how welcoming is it?
- The actual front door – how important is it to us?
- Finally, when we step over the threshold, be it a house or an apartment, how do we feel? And what makes us feel in such a way?
1.The Location
One of the underlying concepts of Biophilic design is the sense of place, this leaks down to a connection to place by means of materials, color, culture, and spirituality.This makes sense because if my house is located in the desert I am not expecting to approach the house in a way that I would If I were entering a chalet in the Alps.
credits: CI-Grace Design associates
The location will have an impact on the materials and plants I will be using in my front garden. If I am in the desert area I will probably use local earth, and cactus plants, If I am in the med these plants may be bougainvillea or hibiscus, and maybe the stone will be whitewashed and with blu trimmings, If I am in the alps or another northern hemisphere I would expect to see fir and wood at the least. The use of materials, plants, and genius loci helps create a sense of belonging already from the approach to the building In other words, how I design the landscape coming up to the house will reflect my sense of place.
2.The Pathway
The Path may tend to be slightly curved and the presence of water if possible will enhance a sense of abundance. Water is s symbol of life, without it we would die. The presence of water in the entrance or pathway to a house gives us a feeling of calm but also life and energy and is also an essential element of biophilic design. Often cultural heritage has an incredible biophilic sense. In this case, my personal favorite comes from southern Spain and Morocco. The entrances to the houses are surrounded by mystery. First, you open what may seem like a small door from an overheated side road only to enter into beautiful courtyards with plenty of plants and wall flowers and often a central water fountain or ponds of fresh water; the Alahambra Palace in Granada is king. Considering the level of heat for most of the days of the year and the majority of the hours a day – this is extremely welcoming.
credits:alfredolopezphotography – dreamstime
If we cannot have water, then a waving path will instill a certain amount of mystery that leads to the front door, and according to the ancient Chinese philosophy of Feng Shui, it can also attract positive energy into your living space.
3.The Porch
If we are lucky in front of your house you may have a porch, a porch which can be used and lived; this is very interesting also in terms of biophilic design because it mimics the experience of prospect and refuge. We can sit on our porch feeling safe whilst skimming the horizon of what is going on in front of us and checking if any danger is coming up. Today this means a community (checking out the neighborhood) once for the human race this meant the savannah. Although our porch in itself incorporates this biophilic principle, we still need to pay attention to a few more things. Firstly use of natural materials and as it is outside even using “aged” materials or finishing is a good thing. Furthermore, to enhance the calming effect I personally would encourage the use of textiles with patterns fractals to be more precise. (our brain likes patterns) 
4.The Front Door.
Sometimes the front door is a statement in itself, again it is often part of the local costumes, take the multicolored doors of Dublin as an example. Other times we can dress the front door even if we don’t have a proper porch but that doesn’t stop us from adding a couple of statues or plants or even a small chair or bench in the corner that will accompany the visitor to the threshold 5.The Entrance And now step inside. As a first-time visitor, this will be our first impression and will set the tone of what we expect not only from the house but also the vibe of the gathering, be it a party, a dinner, or just a chat. If we are the homeowner we will step into our world a place where we ought to feel safe and well. So we want to immediately create a total sensory experience. We will be playing with light be it through the entrance of extra natural light through side windows or artificial lamps, and even play with the movement of light and shadow as well as using reflections in mirrors.
credit: Joinery and design.co
entrance with mirror
credits: Hendrich Blessing x MDC
We will use natural materials too, such as wood or even wool or sheep skin if we have a sitting .so that our haptic sense is satisfied and calmed – the first touch will be rich and warm, I believe also very important is also the use of scents. This can be so important to define the character of the household so I always suggest home fragrance. I would always suggest even a small plant or a bouquet at the entrance to show continuity with nature from outside to inside the home. We will probably also have to think of practical things such as where to hang up coats, and umbrellas, and put away keys. Trying to make sure everything has its own allocated space is important to keep things tidy, and a decluttered space is a decluttered mind and thus a restful one.
6.Conclusion
So after a time when we were shut shown, restricted from visiting or having visitors, and worried about war and its economic backlash we do feed the need to open our hearts and homes. Because feeling part of a community and feeling loved makes us feel good. So with the help of biophilic design, we want to open up this warmth to others starting from our entrance. It all makes sense, we can all apply biophilic design for a better quality of life one room at a time. Come join our community as we understand and implement Biophilic design together