What Is Biophilic Design?

Biophilic design is more than a trend, it’s a design philosophy that promotes harmony between the built environment and the natural world. The term comes from “biophilia,” meaning a love of nature. It’s about creating spaces that support human health, creativity, and comfort by incorporating elements of the outdoors: natural light, plant life, organic materials, and flowing forms.

Research shows that integrating nature into indoor spaces can improve air quality, reduce stress, increase productivity, and even promote faster healing. It’s no surprise that this design style is gaining traction everywhere,from homes and condos to offices, hotels, and wellness studios.

Custom Furniture: The Key to Seamless Integration

Standard furniture often leaves little room for creativity when it comes to accommodating natural elements. Custom furniture, on the other hand, offers a unique opportunity to design around nature. With personalized dimensions, materials, and features, you can create pieces that allow plants, light, and air to move freely through your space.

At Sklar Peppler, our in-house design experts work with you to develop furniture pieces that complement and support your vision,whether you're working with a few potted plants or designing around a full-scale living wall.

How to Pair Furniture and Plant Life

It starts with placement, but the magic is in the details.

1. Create Focal Points with Plants

Use greenery to soften the edges of your space and draw attention to key focal points. For example:

• A tall bookshelf can frame a floor plant like a fiddle leaf fig, turning an unused corner into a vertical vignette.

• A custom sideboard can be styled with a mix of trailing ivy, sculptural pots, and natural materials to warm up a dining or living area.

• Window-side seating, like a custom bench or accent chair, can be placed to take advantage of sunlight, surrounded by potted greenery or hanging plants.

This layering of natural and functional elements makes each area feel intentional,and visually rich.

2. Living Walls as Functional Art

Vertical gardens or “living walls” are one of the most striking features you can bring into a home,and they work beautifully when integrated into furniture design.

Rather than mounting plants onto a plain wall, imagine a custom media unit or cabinet system that’s built to frame or even support a living wall installation. These hybrid designs bring structure to the greenery and allow for lighting, irrigation, and storage to be built in,without compromising on aesthetics.

Ideal for open-concept living spaces, hallways, or even home offices, living walls are more than a design feature,they’re a lifestyle statement.

3. Plant-Friendly Shelving and Storage

Shelves are one of the easiest and most flexible ways to showcase plants. But when you go custom, you can design them to truly support both plant health and your interior layout.

Some features we can build into plant-friendly shelving include:

• Recessed lighting to help indoor plants thrive in rooms without natural sunlight

• Water-resistant surfaces to prevent damage from soil and moisture

• Tiered or asymmetrical layouts to allow room for trailing or taller species

• Integrated cable management for grow lights, fans, or hydroponic systems

A floating shelf above a workspace or a low console beneath a window can transform into a thriving plant station when designed intentionally.

4. Green Room Dividers for Flow and Function

Open-concept spaces are beautiful,but they often lack natural divisions. That’s where biophilic room dividers come in.

Custom furniture-based dividers that incorporate planters or trellis-style shelving can visually separate a space without closing it off. Imagine a freestanding shelving unit with built-in plant boxes or a partition wall that holds vertical planters,both beautiful and practical.

These pieces are especially useful in lofts, condos, or multi-use family rooms where zones need to be defined without sacrificing air flow or natural light.

5. Natural Materials & Finishes

Biophilic design isn’t only about adding plants,it’s also about embracing materials that feel grounded and real.

We offer a wide range of custom finishes and materials that support this aesthetic:

• Reclaimed wood or live-edge slabs that highlight organic imperfections

• Natural textiles like linen, cotton, and leather for upholstery

• Stone, clay, or ceramic accents built into furniture surfaces

• Low-VOC finishes to maintain air quality

Every element we use in your custom piece can be selected to support a more sustainable, nature-forward interior.

Why Customization Matters

No two homes,or homeowners,are alike. That’s why every Sklar Peppler piece is made to suit your space, your lifestyle, and your design goals.

Our design consultants work closely with you to:

• Assess your layout and lighting

• Choose materials that suit your environment

• Design around your existing plant collection,or help you plan for one

• Integrate functionality like lighting, storage, or tech

Whether you're starting from scratch or building on an existing aesthetic, our team will help you craft furniture that brings balance between nature and design.

Build a Space That Grows With You

The benefits of biophilic design go beyond style,they enhance the way you feel in your home. At Sklar Peppler, we believe custom furniture is the foundation for building environments that promote health, creativity, and long-term comfort.

Want to explore what’s possible?

Visit our showroom or book a one-on-one design consultation today. Let’s create a space that lives, breathes, and grows,beautifully.