Employee Well-Being Increases With Natural Elements In the Workplace
Walk into any forward-thinking workspace these days, and you’ll notice something different: plants cascading from shelves, natural light flooding open spaces, and materials that make you want to reach out and touch them. This is biophilic design, and it’s transforming how we think about our workplaces.
Employees’ reactions to biophilic design are almost primal; after all, humans are hardwired to connect with nature, even when we’re indoors processing spreadsheets or hosting client meetings.
But here’s what many don’t realize: creating these environments doesn’t require blowing your budget on brand-new, high-end furniture. In fact, used furniture might be your secret weapon in biophilic design.
What Exactly Makes Design “Biophilic”?
Biophilic design brings nature indoors, not just with a sad desk plant that you forget to water, but through intentional design that mimics our natural environment.
The concept has deep roots. “Biophilia” (meaning love of nature) recognizes that humans evolved in natural settings for thousands of years. Our bodies and minds still crave those natural elements, even as we spend 90% of our time indoors.
Real biophilic design includes:
- Materials you can feel; real wood with visible grain, natural stone, woven textiles.
- Light that changes throughout the day, preferably natural sunlight.
- Living elements like plants (the more variety, the better).
- Views of nature or imagery that evokes natural patterns.
- Natural color palettes, like forest greens, earth tones, and sky blues.
When done right, these indoor spaces actually make us feel good. Employees in biophilic offices report 15% higher wellbeing scores and show measurable increases in productivity, according to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. They get sick less often, stay focused longer, and even report feeling more creative.
Used Furniture: The Unexpected Biophilic Hero
Older furniture often contains more actual wood, leather, and natural materials than most new, budget-friendly lines with man-made finishes.
Walk through our Kansas City used office furniture store in downtown Overland Park, and you’ll find solid wood conference tables with character and history that would cost thousands more if purchased new. Those wood grains, natural imperfections, and warm tones? They’re biophilic gold.
Biophilic design works best when spaces flow naturally between different areas (just like in nature). You need transition spaces, collaborative areas, and quiet zones.
Used office furniture makes this financially possible. Instead of blowing your entire budget on identical workstations, mix in pre-owned pieces to create distinct “neighborhoods” within your office.
The Sustainability Connection
Here’s where used furniture really shines in biophilic design: it’s inherently sustainable. Reusing existing resources instead of manufacturing new products drastically reduces your carbon footprint and keeps perfectly good furniture out of landfills.
That connection to environmental responsibility strengthens the overall biophilic message. Your space looks natural while actively supporting nature by reducing waste.
Practical Ways to Incorporate Used Furniture In Biophilic Office Design
Most people think of wood paneling or flooring for biophilic elements, but used office furniture offers more tactile connections. When employees actually touch natural materials throughout their day, they receive more biophilic benefits.
Look for used desks with real wood components, conference tables with visible grain patterns, or storage pieces made from natural materials. Even if you can’t replace everything, strategic pieces in high-interaction areas make a difference.
Plant Integration Stations
Plants need homes, too. A favorite trick among plant-lovers is repurposing used credenzas, bookshelves, and cabinets as plant support systems. That 1980s credenza can become a modern plant display with just a little refinishing.
The beauty of used office furniture that Kansas City businesses can find in our showroom is the variety; we have pieces that make it easy to integrate greenery, including desks with built-in overhead shelving or tall cabinets that keep plants out of the way and into the natural sunlight streaming through the office window.
Creating Natural Flow Paths
In nature, spaces aren’t arranged in perfect grids. Varied used furniture pieces create organic pathways through your office. Mix in different heights, shapes, and materials to mimic natural landscapes. Use office partitions to separate areas of the office without blocking natural light.
Making It Work With Your Budget
Budget constraints are a fact of life. But used furniture creates opportunities for biophilic design at any price point.
At Santa Fe Office Interiors, we see businesses transform their spaces through strategic used furniture purchases that free up budget for living walls, better lighting, or quality plants. When you save 50 to 70% on major furniture pieces, those savings can go toward other biophilic elements.
Real Expertise Makes the Difference
Having helped hundreds of Kansas City businesses create more natural work environments, we can tell you that used furniture integration works best with experienced guidance.
Our team at Santa Fe Office Interiors can help you see the potential in pieces that others might overlook. With our constantly changing inventory and 30+ years of industry experience operating a used office furniture store, we’ve developed an eye for pieces that contribute to the design principles that are important to you.
We’ll help you strategically choose pieces that work with your idea of biophilic design – or any other design style you prefer. And because our inventory comes from various eras and styles, you’ll find unique options that current furniture catalogs simply don’t offer.
Stop by our 13,000-square-foot showroom in Overland Park, or give us a call at (913) 901-8800. We’d love to show you how used furniture can transform your workspace into a nature-inspired environment that your team will actually enjoy coming to every day.