Assess Your Space Holistically

Interior designers can help you identify opportunities to bring outdoor elements into your space. They will objectively assess your space, horizons and angles, floor coverings, traffic patterns, and infrastructure. For example, the designers' recommendations can include the following elements:

• Textures: Look to include organic textures and shapes, along with natural materials like wood, wicker, and rattan.
• Lighting: Combine different shapes, horizons and angles, such as globe lighting, asymmetrical lamps, or pendant lights that simulate stars in the sky. Lighting is an opportunity to be creative — even in typical traditional spaces like a cubicle or conference room.
• Mimic Nature: Incorporate outdoor elements with organic and natural solutions like sand, gravel, and plants, such as an indoor garden. Instead of a dull, grey carpet or cold concrete floors in the reception area, a designer might choose to stain the concrete in a subtle, two-toned, organic pattern like a riverbed.
• Colours: Bring colours that you would typically see in nature into your facility, which can easily be done through artwork and fixtures. Remember, not everything needs to match. Don’t be afraid of mixing different finishes like iron and brass or different shades or types of wood, for example.

Furniture is a great way to bring nature indoors, especially since many manufacturers are including indoor landscaping in their products and solutions.

For instance, live-edge tables and certain types of chairs and stools that have been repurposed from trees can be aesthetically pleasing, functional, and natural. Space dividing shelves allow you the flexibility to redefine your space and present the opportunity to insert plants in them.

Liven the Workplace with Plant Life

Biophilia is a hypothesis that suggests people have an innate tendency to seek connections with nature. Bringing nature inside can creating a calming environment that help reduce stress and lead to happier employees. Incorporating plants is an easy and effective way of bringing outdoor elements inside your facility. Plants help with the reduction of carbon dioxide and toxins in the air and can increase more oxygen

Interior designers, who are experienced in space planning, see your workspace from a fresh and objective perspective. Anyone can purchase and place a potted plant in your facility, but a designer will know where and which landscaping solutions will best fit your space. They can help you find the proper plant sizes, species, and colours. An alternative could be renting from a plant-maintenance company, whose services include taking care of plants — even on a living wall.

If your facility has floor-to-ceiling columns, you can make the best of them by wrapping them in greenery. Something as simple as vinyl wall coverings can replicate natural textures and aesthetics. Different wood tones and natural finishes throughout your workplace can make the space feel less manufactured and more organic

If you are not building out a new office or workplace, you can still refresh your space to become more soothing and comfortable with some simple tasks. Try hanging plants from the ceiling or placing a tall plant on the floor or including a colourful desk plant in a wicker basket are some easy ways to bring the outdoors in.