THE BLUEPRINT IN OUR BRAINS: HOW WE DESIGN HOMES THAT HEAL AND INSPIRE
Have you ever walked into a room and felt an immediate, unexplainable sense of calm? Perhaps it was a corner bathed in the warm glow of morning sun, or the quiet presence of a leafy plant. As an interior designer, I can tell you this feeling is no accident. It’s the result of a space that works in harmony with your biology. It’s a design that speaks to the ancient blueprint hardwired into our brains.
At DOMICILIO Interiors, we believe your home should be a source of joy and well-being. My passion is to go beyond creating spaces that are simply beautiful and to design environments that actively support your mental and physical health. To do this, I’ve delved deep into the science of how our surroundings affect us. It's been like a personal design thesis, and my guide for this exploration has been the fascinating work of researchers like Dr. Anjan Chatterjee, a neurologist who studies how our brains process beauty and architecture.
His field, neuroaesthetics, combined with the principles of biophilia—our innate human need to connect with nature—provides a powerful "why" behind the design choices we make. For over 99% of our history, we lived outdoors, our brains evolving to expect the patterns, light, and textures of the natural world. Today, spending most of our lives indoors, we often feel a sense of disconnect we can't quite name.
The fantastic news is that we can bridge this gap. By translating cutting-edge science into tangible design strategies, we can craft a home that not only reflects who you are but also gives you what you need to thrive. In this post, I want to share some of this science with you and offer simple, actionable steps to begin your own journey toward a more restorative home.
PART 1: THE "WHY" – THE SCIENCE BEHIND A FEEL-GOOD HOME
Before we start choosing finishes or moving furniture, it’s essential to understand why certain designs have such a profound impact. When you understand the science, every design choice becomes more intentional and meaningful.
THE ANCIENT LAW OF “PROSPECT AND REFUGE”
One of the most powerful concepts I use in my design work comes from our evolutionary past. In his research, Dr. Chatterjee discusses a core human preference for environments that offer both prospect and refuge.
Prospect: An unimpeded view over a distance, allowing you to see what’s coming.
Refuge: A protected, enclosed space where you can feel safe and shielded.
Think of our ancestors on the savannah: they needed a clear view to spot food or threats, and a safe place from which to observe. When a space provides both, it triggers a deep relaxation response in our brains. It signals safety. Your brain's anxiety center can quiet down, your heart rate can slow, and you can truly rest.
When I design a space, this is one of the first things I look for. How can we create a cozy "refuge" that still has a clear "prospect"? You can see a perfect example of this in the living room corner pictured below. I love how this cane-backed armchair is nestled into a corner, creating a sense of protection. From that safe spot, you have a clear view across the room. This simple arrangement satisfies a primal need for security, making it an ideal spot for relaxation.
THE LANGUAGE OF NATURAL MATERIALS
Dr. Chatterjee’s work on embodied cognition is particularly inspiring for an interior designer. It’s the idea that we think and feel with our entire bodies, not just our brains. The texture of a surface, the temperature of a material, and the way sound travels in a room all send constant signals to our brain, shaping our experience.
This is why the choice of materials is so critical. Man-made materials like plastic and laminate are often uniform and predictable, offering little sensory information. Natural materials, on the other hand, are rich with it. The unique grain of a live-edge wood table, the subtle texture of a grasscloth wall, the cool smoothness of marble—these details provide a complex and deeply satisfying sensory experience. This tactile richness is a form of nourishment for the brain.
You can see this principle in action in the collage below. When we layer these kinds of materials at DOMICILIO Interiors—a live-edge coffee table, a hand-woven wool rug, soft linen pillows—we’re creating a space that feels grounded and authentic. It engages your sense of touch in a way that synthetic materials simply cannot, making your home feel more present and alive.
ESCAPING MENTAL FATIGUE WITH NATURE’S “SOFT FASCINATION”
Our modern lives demand constant focus. Answering emails, participating in video calls, and managing schedules all require directed attention. As you know, this mental resource is finite. When it runs out, we feel drained and irritable.
Environmental psychologists have found that nature offers an antidote: involuntary attention, or what they call “soft fascination.” Looking at the gentle, complex patterns of the natural world—like clouds drifting or leaves dancing in the wind—doesn't require effort. It captures our interest gently, allowing our capacity for directed attention to recharge.
Nature is filled with these restorative patterns, known as fractals—the endlessly repeating, self-similar shapes found in ferns, snowflakes, and tree branches. Research shows that viewing these patterns can actually change our brainwave activity, promoting a state of relaxed wakefulness. As a designer, I look for ways to incorporate these patterns to give your mind small moments of recovery throughout the day. The botanical wallpaper in the mood board below is a wonderful example. Its intricate, non-repeating pattern of leaves and flowers invites your eye to wander and explore without demanding focus, providing a visual sigh of relief.
PART 2: THE "how" – 3 strategies for weaving nature into your home
This living room is a fantastic example of great light management. It’s filled with soft, indirect natural light, which reduces glare and creates a welcoming atmosphere. The natural texture of the rattan lamp complements the light, adding another layer of organic warmth.
Understanding the science is empowering. Now, let’s translate that into practical design strategies for your home. You don’t need a massive renovation; small, deliberate actions can create a cascade of positive effects.
STRATEGY 1: MASTER THE LIGHT
Light is the single most powerful tool for creating a healthy home environment. It governs our circadian rhythm, the 24-hour internal clock that controls our sleep-wake cycles, mood, and energy levels.
MAXIMIZE MORNING LIGHT: I always advise clients to let in as much natural light as possible in the morning. Open the blinds completely when you wake up. If we're designing a space, we'll look at how to orient your primary daytime areas—your workspace, your breakfast nook—to take full advantage of the energizing morning sun.
CREATE DYNAMIC & DIFFUSE LIGHT: In nature, light is alive. It filters through leaves, creating dappled shadows, and changes its color and intensity throughout the day. We can mimic this by using sheer curtains to soften sunlight, placing a tall plant near a window, or using fixtures like the woven pendant in the photo below. It provides a warm, diffuse light that feels calming and natural, unlike a single, harsh overhead bulb.
HONOR THE DARKNESS: Just as important as light is darkness. In the evenings, I recommend using warm, dimmable lamps (look for bulbs around 2700K) to signal to your brain that it’s time to wind down.
STRATEGY 2: EMBRACE LIVING THINGS
The positive impact of plants is one of the most well-documented facts in environmental psychology. From a design perspective, they add color, sculpture, and life to a room. From a biological perspective, they signal to our subconscious that the environment is healthy and safe.
START SMALL: I often tell clients to start with just one or two easy-to-care-for plants, like a snake plant or a pothos. Place one on your desk or in your line of sight from your favorite chair. The simple act of having a living thing nearby can measurably reduce stress.
THINK IN LAYERS: When we're styling a room, we often group plants of different sizes and textures together to create a "moment" of lushness. This visual complexity is gently captivating for the brain.
BEYOND PLANTS: An herb garden on a kitchen windowsill is a wonderful project that engages not just sight, but also smell and taste. A weekly ritual of buying fresh flowers for a vase can bring the beauty of the changing seasons right into your home.
STRATEGY 3:
CELEBRATE NATURAL MATERIALS, TEXTURES, AND PATTERNS
This is where we can have so much fun as designers. Moving beyond the visual and engaging the sense of touch is key to making a space feel complete.
ON THE FLOOR: I love using rugs made from natural fibers like jute, sisal, or wool. Their varied textures feel incredible underfoot and add a layer of organic warmth.
ON THE WALLS: For a truly immersive feeling, we can explore natural wallcoverings. Grasscloth brings a subtle, sophisticated texture that makes a room feel cozier. I'm also a huge fan of cork wall tiles, which look beautiful and have the added benefit of absorbing sound, instantly making a space feel more tranquil. Here in Georgia, drawing inspiration from our local "red clay" palette can create a scheme that feels both earthy and authentic.
IN YOUR FURNISHINGS: We can specify wood furniture that proudly displays its grain, or a coffee table with the soft, curving silhouette of a polished stone. Accents of marble or other natural stones provide a cool, smooth contrast to warm woods and soft textiles like linen, cotton, or wool.
STRATEGY 4: WEAVE IN PROSPECT AND REFUGE
This is a design secret for creating instant comfort. We can consciously design these elements into any room.
CREATE A REFUGE NOOK: I love carving out a corner for a comfortable, high-backed armchair with a small table and a lamp. This creates a clear sense of enclosure—a perfect personal retreat for reading or quiet thought.
ARRANGE FOR PROSPECT: When arranging furniture, I try to position the main sofa so it faces the entryway to the room while still offering a view to the outside. This allows your subconscious to relax because it feels in command of the space.
USE VERTICALITY: In a bedroom, even a simple upholstered headboard can create a sense of refuge, while a four-poster bed is the ultimate expression of the concept, making you feel safe and protected, which can lead to better sleep.
PART 3: Your first step - a simple design experiment
I want you to feel the effects of this firsthand. I encourage all my clients to try a small, five-minute experiment.
CHOOSE ONE ROOM AND ONE GOAL: Pick the room where you spend the most time. Choose one simple goal based on what you've just read.
FOCUS ON A SINGLE SENSE:
FOR SIGHT: If you don’t own a plant, buy one small one today and place it on your desk.
FOR TOUCH: Add a cushion or blanket with a pleasing natural texture (like linen or wool) to your favorite chair. For the next few days, consciously notice how it feels.
FOR SOUND: For ten minutes, turn off all artificial noise. Open a window and just listen. If all you hear is city noise, try playing a high-quality recording of a natural soundscape at a low volume.
NOTICE THE CHANGE: This is the most important step. A few hours later, pause. How do you feel? Calmer? More focused? By connecting a design action to a positive feeling, you begin to rewrite your relationship with your home.
FINAL THOUGHTS: DESIGNING FOR OUR HUMANITY
At DOMICILIO Interiors, our philosophy is that biophilic design isn’t a style; it’s a standard for living well. It is an approach, grounded in science, that acknowledges our fundamental nature. By intentionally weaving the patterns and elements of the natural world into your home—through light, plants, materials, and layout—we are doing more than just decorating. We are engaging in an act of profound self-care.
Creating a home that feels alive, restorative, and deeply personal is not an out-of-reach luxury. It is the result of intentional choices that honor your deep, human need for connection. This is the heart of our work: to create spaces that not only look beautiful but feel fundamentally right, helping you live a richer, more fulfilling life.
*Some images in this post are AI-generated for conceptual visualization purposes only. They do not depict actual completed work.