Biophilic Design in the Tropical Kitchen

It is not simply adding plants. The principles are daylight, natural materials, views to greenery, natural ventilation and organic form. A Thai home usually has the daylight and the greenery already, which is a considerable head start.

Large glazing is common in Thai houses and the kitchen often borrows from it. Keeping wall cabinetry away from windows, using pale worktops to bounce light and avoiding heavy upper runs on the window wall all amplify what is already there.

Timber with visible grain, stone with real variation and unlacquered metals that patina all age in a way synthetic finishes cannot. The point is that the surfaces change over time rather than simply wearing out.

Heat, grease and inconsistent watering kill most kitchen plants. Pothos, snake plant and herbs on a bright sill are realistic. A planted sill beside the sink works better than anything placed above a hob.