Biophilic design at home: how to combine art and plants without compromising style
Biophilic design isn’t about filling a room with potted plants, it’s about letting nature become a cohesive experience: light, materials, colors – and yes, wall art. When we help clients choose canvas prints, we see time and time again how shades of green in a piece of art make the plants feel even more present. The room breathes, the pulse drops, and the interior feels less stylized and more lived in.
Start with the light and placement
Light is the first key. Plants often want to be near windows, while paintings do best without direct sun. We usually recommend hanging the center of the painting around 145 cm from the floor and placing plants sideways, 15–40 cm from the art. This will give the plant light and prevent the painting from fading and moisture stains. Do you have an east or west window? Choose plants that can handle a little more sun (such as monstera or ficus), and complement it with a painting in matte tones that do not dazzle. In north-facing rooms, shade plants and a canvas painting in a lighter palette that captures the cool daylight work.
The color palette: three close shades
A simple trick we often use in the studio is to work with three adjacent shades from the same color family. Do you have lush green leaves? Pick a deep green tone, a gentle sage green, and a neutral like beige or warm gray. This creates a smooth transition between plants, textiles, and wall art. A nature motif with a clear green presence becomes a bridge between the living and the visual. Gilded Garden is a fine example: a stylized interpretation of a Japanese tree in balanced green and black tones. It's a motif that gives direction without dominating, and elevates everything from zebra dracaena to bonsai.
Scale and proportion: let the volumes work together
In homes where plants grow tall (large ficus trees or monstera deliciosa), we usually suggest a slightly larger canvas, or a horizontal painting that balances the vertical mass. A rule of thumb: let the painting cover 60–70% of the furniture it hangs over. Do you have a low bench with a collection of smaller plants? A medium-sized painting, or a diptych of two abstract paintings, visually spreads the weight. It creates a well-balanced whole, not a competition between leaves and image.
Material and texture: nature meets nature
Biophilic design wins on tactility. Combine wood, stoneware and linen with the surface of the canvas. A nature motif in green tones against a wall in lime paint or microcement gives a peace that is felt. Frames in oak or walnut enhance the grounded feeling. We often choose a matte finish because it reduces reflections from windows and plant lights – worth considering if you use plant lighting in winter.
Room-by-room: concrete combinations
- Living room: Place a large nature painting over the sofa and flank it with two plants of different heights (such as a tall ficus and a low calathea). Add a rounded clay pot for soft geometry.
- Kitchen: Herbs on a shelf, a smaller painting in light green shades next to it – but not above the stove. Steam and grease are the enemies of paintings.
- Bedroom: Opt for calm, muted green tones. Hang the art slightly lower than usual over the headboard for a framed, confident look. A hanging turtle flower adds movement without taking over.
- Hallway: A narrow bench, a tall fern, and a vertical painting create welcoming height. Reflect the greenery with a light textile rug to make the room feel larger.
Maintenance: small habits that make a big difference
Plants need water – canvas prints need dry air. Water wisely and avoid spraying the leaves right next to the art. Wipe both leaves and frame with a microfiber cloth every two weeks; dust dulls colors, on plants and on paintings. If you have a humidifier, keep it at least one meter away from the wall art. We also recommend turning plants a quarter turn every week so they grow evenly and don’t obscure the motif.
Curated character: blending nature and culture
Biophilic design doesn't have to be strictly Scandinavian. A stylized Japanese tree shape can coexist with Moroccan stoneware and Nordic textiles as long as the color temperature is kept together. If you want to delve deeper into how to mix expressions without losing the whole, read our article Fusion style in the home: combining cultural influences with art . It shows how cultural encounters can be harmonious, not sprawling.
Experience from the studio: why green creates tranquility
When we test hang nature motifs in our studio, we notice that green paintings are perceived as calmer up to three meters away, even in rooms with strong color accents. The eye reads green as "restoration" if the shade is muted and broken with warm neutral tones. That's one reason why motifs like Gilded Garden work in both minimalist and more eclectic homes: it ties together foliage, textiles, and light without demanding the starring role.
Want to try it at home? Take a picture in daylight of your wall with the plants in place, and digitally add a green screen. This gives an honest preview of how proportion, color, and shine interact in your actual light.