A seminar on designing for well-being inspired LNN Style Editor Julie A. Palm to showcase biophilic fixtures that tap into the universal desire to be immersed in nature
January 24, 2026
Neuroaesthetics is a field of science that studies psychological responses to art, objects, design and architecture. In the world of home furnishings, neuroaesthetics can be used by manufacturers, designers and retailers to help people choose products and create rooms that improve their physical and emotional health.
Neuroaesthetics has several aspects. A foundation is that, as humans, we are drawn to nature, whether materials like wood and stone or the rhythms and patterns of the natural world, including the flow of water and that dappled light created by some of Crystorama’s Broche fixtures. We sometimes talk about this as the biophilic component of neuroaesthetics.
Humans are evolutionarily wired to be drawn to nature. For instance, dappled light reminds us of the tree canopy and the protection it offers, according to people who study such things.
Bill Browning, Hon. AIA, LEED AP, co-founder of Terrapin Bright Green, is an expert in biophilic design and has a book on the subject, 14 Patterns of Biophilic Design: Improving Health and Well-Being in the Built Environment. He spoke about the subject last spring at High Point Market.
“But many of these (neuroaesthetic) principles and design elements also show up organically for us in the way we think about proportion, material, finish or light output. (With light output,) we place close attention to how the light impacts the room, how it interacts with the pace, softens a room, creates rhythm,” Ranzino told webinar participants. “We also use natural materials like handblown glass.”
Inspired by the webinar and Ranzino’s insights, we thought we’d look at other fixtures that capture some neuroaesthetic design principles, especially those related to biophilia. They range from organic and earthy to sophisticated and ethereal, offering options for a wide variety of consumers.
As humans we’re drawn to water. The High Tide linear pendant is made of Spanish alabaster ovals that shimmer like ocean waves. Or maybe, the company says cheekily, they represent “chic little fish scales.” Either way, High Tide speaks to our affinity for the movement of – and within – water.
