Superbloom: Happy Healthy Interiors Inspired by Nature

Happy spring! A “super bloom” has popped up all over California in the past few weeks, a result of a record-breaking amount of rain this past Winter season. Bright orange poppies, desert lilies, yellow and white evening primrose, and pink Bigelow monkey flower, are some of the flowers blossoming in considerable numbers to the delight of hikers, tourists, and nature-lovers throughout California. The super bloom has people flocking to parks such as Walker Canyon in Lake Elsinore, Near Desert Lily Sanctuary, and Diamond Valley Lake.

Close up of a wild poppy.

Flowers blooming in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Los-Feliz-local Sarah Barnard, interior designer, WELL AP, LEED AP, keeps her own wildflower garden, where she planted a variety of poppies from seeds and is experiencing her super bloom. “The colors and textures that come with each season are delightful and inspiring,” said Barnard. “I grow a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, (carrots, radishes, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers of all kinds, cantaloupe, lemons limes, avocado, lettuces & herbs) as well as cactus, succulents, and flowering/ornamental plants.”

Barnard recently took time to visit Griffith Park, Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve, and Anza Borrego State Park to see the super bloom herself. Sarah, who specializes in interior design that contributes to her client’s health and wellness, and strives to make nature a part of each home she creates, shared photos of her recent trips.

“This year’s superbloom is a colorful reminder that nature informs life and design,” Barnard said. Incorporating this principle into the design of your home is one way to contribute to your happiness and health. The study of the effect of nature in design on our health is called Biophilia, and we have previously written about this phenomenon.

One way to bring this happy and healthy nature into your home design is to incorporate natural and organic forms, which are visually pleasing and encourage our connection to the outdoors. Selecting art, lighting or furniture for your home that resembles natural forms is one way to make an inviting and exciting space. Art and shapes inspired by nature could mean a light fixture that looks like a plant or a sculpture that looks like an animal.

Fresh flowers and bright pink leather reminiscent of wildflowers create a warm and inviting dining nook.

Cheerful coral pink tile pairs beautifully with flowers.

Sarah Barnard is a strong advocate of having nature incorporated directly into a space as well. Add your favorite flowers, succulents, and ferns. “In my home, I keep a healthy variety of plants: bromeliads, tillandsia, monstera, and ferns are among my favorites. Having this connection to nature makes my home feel lush and light.”

Using natural materials, aside from being beautiful and adding diverse texture to space, is also an excellent way to contribute to mental and physical well being. Having materials like wood, cotton, and glass rather than plastic and vinyl will avoid toxic off-gassing.

This dining room features fresh flowers, bright colors, and natural wood tones.

This colorful palette was inspired by flowers.

Fresh flowers add life and warmth to a contemporary space.

To battle the stresses of everyday life, you can use mindful home design practices to create open spaces connected with the environment, plant-life, and the seasons. Barnard reminds, "Our surroundings deeply and immediately impact our mental, physical, and emotional health. A visual connection with the outdoors can improve mood and productivity, and what we bring into a home or space (finishes, furniture, artwork) determines both the quality of the air we breathe and how we function in our daily lives." The flower fields make great inspiration for such a space, with their bright colors, gorgeous views, and fresh air.

There is energy, beauty, and vitality in wildflowers. Spring is the perfect time to find inspiration from flower fields and create a connection to the outdoors. You can do this by beginning a garden, using interior design to personalize your home or office, meaningfully incorporating plants, natural light, and elements inspired by nature. Choose natural materials like wood, cotton, and linen, and take inspiration from this season's super bloom by using bold and bright colors. As more of us make our careers our focus, nature and design are imperative to promote calmness, serenity and healthy living.

And when in doubt, go hiking!

Sarah Barnard designs healthy, happy, personalized spaces that are deeply connected to nature and art.

To learn more about Sarah Barnard Design, please visit www.SarahBarnard.com.

Photos by Steven Dewall, Abby Siniscal, Chas Metivier

Sustainable Design - An Undeniable Choice

 Sustainable interior design has been applied in numerous ways to our lives and is considered to be a reply to our day and age: the age of Information and Ecology. Our need for a sustainable environment is much more of an obligation than a desire, in professional interior design practice. ‘Form follows environment’ - a term addressed by Richard Hyde - is a simplification of this concept. Understood as a relationship between individuals and their current natural environment, its degree of impact depends on the selections of materials, furnishing, and lighting.

    Green interior design practice requires addressing several primary issues. First, to decide which are the most reliable and useful sources of knowledge base taking into account the amassment of information available. Second, to engage the clients and users by providing an accurate understanding of the benefits which, in turn, make for more confident in the decision-making process. Third, to find a way to assist and encourage the manufacturers and builders to apply and deliver environmental architecture.  As an interior designer, sustainability in design primarily focuses on the specifications of furnishing, fixtures, equipment, and lighting.

    One of the criteria for specifying sustainable materials is the aspects of function. A carpet installed in a commercial building must be more durable than the one used in a residential space due to its high traffic. Considering all of the possible contexts and maximizing the potential and longevity of home design materials is of great importance. Additionally, the methods of material production should come into consideration. The energy used in this process is called embodied energy. Each different material has an unusual amount of embodied energy. The manufacturing of natural materials such as wood and stone requires less energy than plastic, concrete or steel. The gas emission throughout the use of the material and its future recycling potential should be considered not only for the sake of the environment but also to ensure a high level of indoor air quality for occupants. Typical examples of sustainable materials are cork, straw, wool or bamboo. Rapidly renewable materials are known to be less energy-intensive to produce. For instance, bark from the cork oak tree can be harvested every nine years. Ultimately reducing the use and depletion of finite raw materials and long-cycle renewable material. Cork is also being used in acoustic and thermal insulation for its sound-proofing quality and is a flexible building material that is less affected by impact and friction.

Interior design by: Sarah Barnard  -  Photo by: Brad Nicol

A ocean view penthouse with a bird's eye view of the coastline dressed with eco-friendly furnishings, natural textiles, and organic rugs provide a perfect Zen retreat.

  Sustainability also can be demonstrated through lighting choices. The use of lighting plays a significant part in the total consumption of electric energy. This choice requires not only clients but also interior designers to consider the possibilities of other alternatives to maximize the light coming into the building without increasing the energy consumption. Providing more light can be achieved either by taking advantage of the natural light source through bringing light into a building interior and distributing it in a way that provides better illumination and considering pleasing, light-friendly interior objects and surfaces as well as flexible light controls; or using products that assure more energy saving than traditional ones.

Interior design by: Sarah Barnard  -  Photo by: Brad Nicol

Taking advantage of a natural light source by bringing light into a building interior and distributing it in a way that provides better illumination.

Modern technology allows the installation of the light piping system or laser cut panels to carry daylight to the deep interior space of a building, even to the basements. Such advanced techniques like the piping system can provide 25 - 50% (Kadir, A., Ismail, L.H. & Kasim, N) of the workplace illuminance in commercial or office building and overall reduce energy consumption. These light tubes act as a light transport guiding the light into the room, increasing the efficiency without producing extreme warmth. This phenomenon occurs because the design of the tube integrates highly reflective internal surfaces, like aluminum sheeting with a reflectance of about 95 - 99% (Kadir, A., Ismail, L.H. & Kasim, N).

    Last but equally important, the furnishing choices have a significant impact on the environment and occupant’s health. Manufacturers can control the emission of volatile organic compounds by limiting the use of solvents in paints, stains, and glues. However, it is also the designers’ role to help their clients be more environmentally conscious with the furniture they choose. Purchasing the FSC certified or reclaimed wood helps to prevent the deforestation of tropical rainforests. Another example is in the choices of mattresses. The concern about what is in a mattress is essential. Not only because you spend a third of your life in bed but also because any product made with synthetic materials carries potential health risks. Because such items like mattresses, furniture cushions, pillows, carpet pad, and clothing, all contain a certain level, if not mainly, of petroleum-based foam, which is known to affect the nervous and immune system and cause illnesses. Therefore, lessening the dependence on petroleum is a commendable attempt. Manufacturers are experimenting with vegetable oils like soybean and latex foam producers are replacing some or all of the synthetic content for natural latex. The easiest way to be a responsible shopper is to choose a mattress that can function for an extended period.

Interior design by: Sarah Barnard  -  Photo by: Brad Nicol

A primary bedroom outfitted with eco-friendly finishes in leather, rattan, maple, and wool.

Overall, the main objective of choosing and using sustainable products, either under the role of customer or interior designer, is not only to improve the quality of life of the occupants but also to maximize positive impacts on environmental, economic and social systems over the life cycle of a building. These all start from the awareness of the surrounding environment and the availability of eco-friendly choices.

Sarah Barnard designs healthy, happy, personalized spaces that are deeply connected to nature and art.

To learn more about Sarah Barnard Design, please visit www.SarahBarnard.com.