At Albertsson Hansen Architecture and Interior Design, we believe that a home should do more than provide shelter; it should nurture and enrich. It should ground you in beauty, support your well-being, and connect you to something deeper.
One of the most profound ways we bring that vision to life is through biophilic design, a thoughtful approach that invites the natural world into our everyday spaces. Through this lens, architecture becomes not a barrier, but a bridge uniting our lives with the quiet power of nature.
Photography is courtesy of Spacecrafting Photography.
What Is Biophilic Design?
Biophilic design is both art and science. It’s the intentional integration of natural elements, light, color, pattern, texture, and material into the built environment to foster emotional connection and well-being. It’s not just adding a potted plant or painting a wall sage green. It’s reimagining how a space feels, moves, and supports the people within it.
This design philosophy is deeply aligned with our mission: to create timeless homes that foster joy and well-being by connecting to nature and honoring the rhythms of real life.
A Secret Garden in the City
Our recent project, affectionately known as The Secret Garden, showcases biophilic elements brought to life in a reimagined apartment within a historic mansion. Once a series of compartmentalized rooms, the space was transformed into a tranquil, light-filled haven for a future nanny, an intentional sanctuary tucked high above the bustling city streets.
Inspired by the idea of a hidden garden, the design weaves together color, light, texture, and pattern in a way that reflects nature’s quiet magic. Shades of blue and green dominate the palette, calling to mind leafy canopies and sky-reflected ponds. Floral wallpaper wraps the walls with delicate softness, while organic shapes, from a waterdrop café table to curved textiles, reaffirm the presence of nature at every turn.
Design Moves That Root the Home in Nature
Several key decisions helped bring this secret garden to life, each one grounded in biophilic principles.
Amplifying Natural Light
To make the most of the apartment’s generous windows, we relocated the living and kitchenette areas into what was formerly the bedroom. Furniture was then intentionally arranged to enhance views of the outdoors, drawing the eye to light and sky.
Natural light is not only visually beautiful, it’s biologically essential. It supports mood, sleep, and energy levels. In this apartment, daylight becomes a living material, shifting across the room throughout the day, animating the space with a gentle rhythm.
Reconnecting with Organic Materials
We selected materials that speak to both visual warmth and tactile richness. Wood and stone create a grounding, textural counterpoint to the apartment’s urban surroundings. A newly built vanity was designed to look vintage, adding a sense of age and character. In the living area, the ledge over the radiator cover was intentionally made deep enough to support live plants, allowing for an ever-changing, living vignette beneath the windows.
Many elements were handcrafted or thrifted, including crocheted pillows and other handmade details, bringing an artisanal quality to the space that honors craft, sustainability, and the imperfect beauty of natural materials.
Embracing Pattern and Imperfection
Throughout the apartment, layers of floral prints, bird motifs, and organic patterns bring a sense of whimsy and spontaneity. These aren’t decorative flourishes, they’re invitations to pause and notice. Like a real garden, the space reveals itself slowly. Its complexity is comforting, never overwhelming. It welcomes the unexpected.
Designing with Movement and Flexibility
Biophilic spaces aren’t static, they adapt. In this project, we reimagined the function of the main rooms, switching their uses to create better flow. A custom curtain, wallpapered on one side to match the bedroom, paneled on the other to mirror the hallway, offers a flexible privacy solution that also adds softness and visual cohesion.
This gesture, while simple, is powerful. Like a path winding through a garden, the space now responds to daily needs, supporting both solitude and connection.
The Emotional Architecture of Biophilic Design
When we talk about well-being in design, we’re really talking about emotional architecture – how a space makes you feel. Biophilic design, when thoughtfully executed, doesn’t just look good. It feels right. It slows you down. It reminds you of something intangible yet deeply familiar.
At Albertsson Hansen, we believe every home can hold that kind of presence. Whether it’s through bold floral wallpaper or a carefully placed window seat, we find inspiration in creating settings where people feel rooted, supported, and alive. As you imagine the future of your home, consider the gentle power of biophilic design. Let nature guide the way, and you might just discover a secret garden of your own, waiting to bloom in your space.