5 Essential Elements of Organic Modern Design
Organic modern is my latest design crush. It gives a nod to the refreshing and restorative feeling of being outdoors with the clean-lined, sophisticated look of modern style… Sign me up! After all, you know I love modern style mixed with, well, just about anything:
Modern Meets French Country (I couldn’t resist)
Whew, you would have thought I’d run out of ways to reinvent modern style for everyday living, right? But the ideas keep coming. This month, we’re moving right along to organic modern, and I LOVE it. Come take a look…
What is Organic Modern Design?
If you’re someone who hears the word “modern” and instantly thinks of a minimalistic home with a monochromatic color palette and a cold, sterile vibe, organic modern design is far from it. When modern meets organic elements — a soothing color palette, cozy spaces, and the incredible health benefits that come with keeping plants in your home — you instantly create cozy, liveable, yet sophisticated spaces. Who doesn’t want that?
Today, I’m spilling the deets on the 5 essential elements of organic modern design and how to use them in your space. If you’re ready to capture the essence of fresh air, deep sunshine, and the peace and calm that we associate with being in nature, keep reading…
Tip 1: Incorporate Natural Textiles
To create a space that embodies the natural elements of the outdoors, use textiles that… surprise, surprise… mimic the Great Outdoors’ natural materials. Mixing clean lines with natural fibers like wool, jute, linen, and even faux fur imitates nature’s relaxed and free feeling while keeping the style of your home modern and fresh.
For example, add interest and softness by combining a cozy throw with simplistic modern furniture. Or select neutral fabric window coverings and layer the space with warm, inviting blankets and throw pillows. While modern design highlights clean lines and functionality, organic design focuses on using natural elements for warmth and comfort. The beautiful combination of two seemingly opposite styles brings alllll the cozy feels.
Tip 2: Use Organic Materials in Unexpected Places
Picture the feeling of adventuring to your favorite outdoor spot, be the dense trees of Muir Woods or the shores of Baker Beach. You stop to pick up a rad shell, look at the whorls in the thousand-year-old trees, and you realize — the unexpected is exciting. Embrace organic materials in unexpected ways, and your home will be, too.
This home embraces the unexpected with a rope (yes, rope!) ceiling. It instantly brings your gaze up, adds warmth with golden hues, and makes the room feel expansive. If the ceiling was just plain white, it would look exactly like every other wall. This home also has an unexpected inset for firewood and live edge coffee table, which feel effortless next to the modern chair, console, and architecture.
Tip 3: Vary Your Textures
To add depth and interest to your space while encouraging the eye to explore, consider creatively layering natural textures throughout in a subtle yet compelling way…and I don’t just mean the textiles from #1. From light fixtures and rugs to baskets and furniture, the options are endless. Here are two great examples:
The clean lines yet organic nature of the wood in the vertical wall paneling (left) keeps the room feeling uber modern in style but relaxed and natural overall. Likewise, furniture that poses an organic feeling, like the cane-framed bed on the right, paired with a minimal design style and a soft color palette, creates a comfortable oasis. (I’d probably call this one Modern Comfort, too.) Love it.
Tip 4: Don’t Forget the Plants!
Arguably one of the simplest and most impactful ways to bring the outdoors in is with, you guessed it…plants! Are you surprised? Probably not. By now, we all know the incredible stress-melting benefits of having lively plants in your space, so I won’t list them out. But what I will do is encourage you to breathe some life into your space (literally) by adding greenery anywhere you can!
Image Source & My home!
Can you imagine how lifeless and empty the kitchen (left) would feel without all the foliage? Or how blue (figuratively) the Novak living room would be without my beloved fiddle leaf? Me neither. Invite organic freshness into your home design by making a statement with big leafy plants like fiddle leaf figs, monstera, and palms. Another tip? Combine plants with natural wood to achieve that picturesque modern organic vibe.
Tip 5: Embrace Imperfections
Over here, we LOVE Japandi style. Never heard of it? It’s the marriage of Japanese and Scandinavian design. Think the imperfections of wabi-sabi meets the comfort of hygge. It’s both chic and cozy and encompasses all that we love about modern organic design.
Wabi-sabi, the art of imperfections, brings an effortlessly natural feeling to spaces. After all, nature isn’t perfect! To embrace imperfections in your own space (and let your beautiful self be imperfect, too), add handmade items full of character like earthenware pottery and vases. Instead of opting for perfectly manufactured and symmetrical, consider styling with asymmetry and welcome unfinished elements with natural character.
Bonus Tip: Brighten your home and your mood by flooding your home with natural sunlight in every way possible! The more natural light you have, the more fresh and organic your space will feel.
Feeling inspired and ready to infuse your home with the elements of organic modern design? Let’s chat, my friend. Together, we can develop a plan to turn your home into a personal, relaxing, and sophisticated oasis.
Xoxo,
Susie