With the growing concern for the environment, urban stress and the need for a healthier way of living, the use of nature as an element for interior design has become more important in the field of contemporary architecture and interior design practices. The incorporation of natural materials like wood, stone, bamboo, clay, natural fibres, indoor plants, daylight and ventilation into interior spaces not only improves the environment but also the psychological and physiological feelings about the space. Biophilic design principles highlight the natural relationship man shares with his environment and how space can enhance comfort, sustainability and emotional equilibrium. The objective of this paper, which is a systematic review, is to analytically review the use of nature in interior design and assess the effects of nature materials and biophilic approaches on human being healthy, sustainable and functional working in an interior setting. It also analyses the context of Indian interiors, the significance of nature-based interiors in India and the contribution of the same toward sustainable living. The methodology used for the research is a qualitative method in the form of a systematic literature review of articles from peer-reviewed journals, books, research papers, and industry reports that fit the themes of biophilic design, sustainable interiors, and natural materials. Academic databases were searched by implementing certain key words and inclusion criteria, to identify relevant studies. The results obtained in this review show that NII have a significant impact on the environment in terms of improving the interior air quality, reducing stress and anxiety, improving thermal comfort and acoustic comfort, and environmental awareness. The use of materials like bamboo, wood, cork, clay and natural fabrics were identified as having good ecological and functional properties. It also summarizes the findings of the impact of biophilic interiors on productivity, mental health, and quality of life, of the occupants. The study concludes that in the modern society, interior space is designed with nature as a prerequisite strategy at a higher level of importance than it was in the past.
Bharti et al. (Fri,) studied this question.