Interior Landscapes for
Exceptional Spaces

Biophilic Design Benefits

Plants in an office are never just plants. They shape how people feel, focus, and interact. A carefully placed living wall softens the sharp lines of corporate interiors, while seasonal greenery transforms lobbies into places that feel alive, connected to the rhythms of the city outside. But greenery in commercial spaces isn’t only about aesthetics. Research shows that biophilic design—bringing natural elements indoors—reduces stress, improves air quality, and increases productivity. In a city like Chicago, where winters are long and gray, these benefits are more than luxuries; they’re necessities for well-being. At Amlings Interior Landscape, we design, install, and care for plants with the same attention architects give to steel or stone. Our work is about more than placement—it’s about creating an environment that evolves with the people who move through it every day. The science backs it up. Research from the International Living Future Institute and the American Society of Interior Designers shows that biophilic design—integrating natural elements into the built environment—can reduce stress by up to 15%, increase productivity by as much as 6%, and improve overall well-being. The World Green Building Council also reports that workers in spaces with natural light and plants experience 30% fewer sick days. In a city like Chicago, where daylight is scarce in winter and high-rises dominate the horizon, those benefits aren’t just aesthetic—they’re essential.

But at Amlings, biophilic design is not a formula. It’s a philosophy. Our designers think like architects, considering sightlines, light, and flow. Every installation—whether a dramatic living wall in a corporate lobby or a collection of desk plants in a tenant suite—is tailored to reflect the property’s architecture, brand, and culture. We curate species that thrive in Chicago’s indoor climate and pair them with containers that echo the building’s material palette, creating a cohesive, elevated look that complements the surrounding design. For more than a century, we’ve partnered with Chicago’s most distinguished office buildings, hospitality brands, and property managers to bring nature indoors with precision and care. And just like people, plants need ongoing care. Each project is nurtured through regular maintenance, thoughtful seasonal updates, and expert horticultural support. That’s how greenery continues to thrive, even in high-traffic spaces where other details fade with time. Our horticultural specialists provide proactive, museum-quality care—monitoring soil, light exposure, and moisture to keep every plant healthy and flawless. It’s this attention to detail that allows greenery to endure, even in the busiest corporate settings. For property managers and owners, that consistency protects not just the investment but the impression. A single wilted leaf can change how a space feels; our job is to make sure every detail remains impeccable. Beyond the visual impact, greenery contributes to the operational and cultural health of a workspace. Plants naturally filter air pollutants and balance humidity—making interiors healthier for employees and guests alike. The U.S. Green Building Council notes that biophilic enhancements can contribute to LEED credits and sustainability goals, while simultaneously improving employee satisfaction and retention. In today’s workplace, where hybrid work has reshaped how people engage with offices, environments that feel inviting and human-centered have become a competitive advantage. Chicago may be defined by its skyline, but it’s the living details inside that give workplaces their pulse. When light catches the curve of a leaf or a burst of green brightens a lobby corner, something subtle happens—spaces become warmer, more inspiring, and more alive. At Amlings, we bring that life to every project. With design-forward thinking, meticulous workmanship, and a century of horticultural expertise, we help Chicago’s most iconic buildings embody the quiet power of nature. Because when spaces thrive, so do the people within them. In fact the hidden value of green isn’t hidden at all—it’s felt every day.

“Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness.”
— Frank Gehry

A five-star lobby doesn’t need to announce itself. It feels effortless — a quiet confidence that welcomes, impresses, and restores. The secret lies not in excess but in understanding how light, proportion, and nature can come together to create balance.

At Amlings, we’ve spent more than a century shaping environments that achieve this kind of understated luxury. From Chicago’s landmark office towers to its most prestigious hotels, our design team understands that beauty and calm are not opposites — they are partners in creating atmosphere.

The world’s most memorable lobbies are not defined by marble floors or chandeliers, but by how they make people feel. Step into The Langham, the Wrigley Building, or any space elevated through thoughtful design, and there’s a rhythm at play — a visual and emotional harmony between architecture, materials, and nature. Everything is intentional, but nothing feels forced.

In recent years, biophilic design has become the foundation for this kind of timeless luxury. Rooted in the human instinct to connect with nature, biophilic spaces use living elements, organic materials, and natural light to enhance well-being. The International Living Future Institute notes bringing nature indoors reduces stress, boosts creativity, and promotes focus — qualities that make even the busiest lobby feel like a sanctuary.

Plants, when thoughtfully integrated, bring warmth to modern architecture. Living walls that climb against concrete, sculptural fiddle leaf figs placed like art — these details invite both energy and stillness. A lobby that incorporates greenery not only feels alive but becomes a reflection of balance and curation.

Texture is another hallmark of five-star design. Layering natural materials like stone, linen, or wood introduces depth and subtle movement. Light plays across these surfaces, revealing tones and shadows that shift throughout the day. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) emphasizes this interplay between sustainability and sensory design — how the tactile and visual experience of a space can enhance environmental and emotional health simultaneously.

Color, too, shapes emotion. The Pantone Color Institute reminds us each year that color reflects culture, hues that define modern luxury are often drawn from nature. The green of olive leaves, the gold of warm sunlight, the subtle taupe of river stone all ground the design and serenity.

To make a lobby feel like a five-star hotel, every element must feel intentional. The result isn’t simply aesthetic; it’s sensory. It’s the way light filters through glass in the morning, the rhythm of footsteps softened by greenery, the stillness that lingers even in motion. Think of the atmosphere that surrounds you and influences your emotion through your five senses.

American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) emphasizes design as an “intrinsically human-centered profession” with the power to transform how people feel in a space. In a lobby, that means every element tells a story: the architecture, the lighting, the decorations. When design becomes narrative, function transforms into feeling.

Ultimately, the secret to creating a five-star atmosphere is understanding that luxury isn’t about what’s seen — it’s about what’s felt. It’s about harmony, rhythm, and restraint. It’s the quiet confidence of design that breathes, embracing imperfection and allowing people to belong.

Because true luxury is not a look. It’s an experience.

Biophilic design is a return to timeless principles that great designers have always known: spaces that thrive are those that connect structure and life. It’s not a passing trend but a rediscovery of something deeply human—the instinct to feel at home in nature. As Frank Lloyd Wright said, “Love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.”

The Human Connection: Core Principles of Biophilic Design

At its essence, biophilic design is about integrating different life forms (plant and human)—creating environments where living forms work in quiet harmony with architecture. It’s about designing spaces that feel alive. Skylights that bathe interiors in sunlight. Sculptural greenery that softens the edges of modernism.

This approach is not new to Amlings—it’s the foundation of how we’ve worked for more than a century. What began as a family floral and plant business has evolved into one of Chicago’s leading interior landscape design firms, trusted by Class A office buildings, luxury hotels, and landmark properties. Our design-first philosophy ensures that every installation—whether a lobby statement piece or a lush rooftop terrace—feels intentional, elegant, and connected to its surroundings.

This philosophy mirrors the vision behind celebrated organic works like Casa Orgánica by Javier Senosiain—a structure where form and function coexist in effortless flow. Its design, like all biophilic spaces, rejects rigidity. It follows the curves of the earth, inviting light and shadow to move through it naturally. The lesson is simple: when we design in conversation with nature rather than in control of it, we create places that feel timeless, restorative, and deeply human.

Why Biophilic Design Matters: Research and Results

Research from the International Living Future Institute and the American Society of Interior Designers has shown that spaces enriched with natural elements profoundly affect how people think, work, and feel. Employees are more engaged, guests stay longer, and visitors describe a sense of calm that lingers. For property managers, designers, and hospitality brands alike, the benefits extend beyond beauty—they shape brand perception and experience.

Biophilic design also carries a quiet sense of responsibility. Guided by the sustainability principles of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it encourages material choices and construction methods that work with the environment rather than against it.

Across Chicago’s most iconic spaces—John Hancock Center, Wrigley Building, Aon Center, and the grand interiors of The Langham Hotel—biophilic design has become a quiet revolution. It’s the art of building environments that breathe. Living walls that thrive against steel and glass.

For more than a century, designers and horticultural innovators have carried this philosophy forward, shaping how cities like Chicago experience nature indoors. Their commitment to craftsmanship, design integrity, and sustainability continues to redefine how we think about biophilia in the built environment.

Because when design breathes, so do we.