Organic Design: 5 Characteristics of Organic Design

Taking cues from nature, organic design style in interior design and architecture emphasizes minimalism and harmony between the man-made elements and the natural world. Organic design trends in home furnishings promote natural forms and minimalist materials like wood and glass. It features clean lines, a neutral color palette, and surfaces generally devoid of flourishes or embellishments.

Organic style is a main characteristic of mid-century modern interior design and architecture, a movement that rose in prominence in the United States from the 1940s through the 1960s. Architect Frank Lloyd Wright and furniture design creatives Eero Saarinen and wife-and-husband team Ray and Charles Eames are among the figures who achieved renown for their work in organic design.

Interiors in the organic style feature furniture and elements that subscribe to the design principle that form follows function—meaning items and characteristics should be both functional and aesthetically pleasing, with one aspect always informing the other and vice versa. Here are some additional characteristics of organic architecture and design:

1. 1. Little ornamentation: Organic design eschews flourishes or embellishments for clean lines and more natural textures and nature-inspired motifs—for example, a coffee table that highlights the natural pattern of the wood.
2. 2. Minimalist forms: An organic modern living room, dining room, or other interior boasting organic home decor might feature understated, minimalist furniture with straight lines or simple curves, such as side tables or pendant lights in simple shapes, crafted from only a few components.
3. 3. Neutral or muted colors: To complement their natural surroundings, organic modern-style homes often feature a neutral color palette, such as white walls and area rugs in solid colors that reflect earth and wood tones.
4. 4. Open floor plans: Organic design aims to suggest the wide-open spaces of the outdoors and bring natural elements inside. Organic modern homes therefore commonly feature open floor plans and indoor-outdoor living spaces to reinforce a feeling of freedom for inhabitants.
5. 5. Simple materials: Organic product design utilizes natural materials where possible, such as natural wood, rattan, jute, seagrass, and others. Designers complement these with other simple materials, like concrete, glass, steel, and cast-iron.

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