We are profoundly influenced and nurtured by the natural patterns found in nature. These patterns are imprinted in our physiological and cognitive system. They attract us, keep us present and help reduce our stress levels.
When we spend time in environments devoid of natural patterns, it can lead to anxiety and stress which in the short term reduces productivity, and in the long term can lead to illness.
By using the features found in living and natural forms, there are enormous opportunities to create healing built environments.
Studies are starting to uncover just what makes a particular work of art or wallpaper, visually appealing. This means, we may be able to improve the experience of those who occupy homes, public spaces, and commercial buildings by incorporating natural patterns. The patterns shown below are examples of those found in nature that can be incorporated into our interior design.
These are patterns that repeat the same shape but in different sizes. In nature they appear everywhere - think of leaf veins, tree limbs, rivers and streams, lightening, blood vessels, crystals, ferns, seedheads, even cloud formations.
When we look at fractal patterns, our brains feel at ease. Looking at them can be actively relaxing.
Imagine a snail shell. It starts off in the centre with a very tight, tiny curl. Each successive ring gets wider, growing the shell exponentially.
This pattern is present all over nature - from molluscs to rams' horns, spiders' webs to the nerves of the cornea.
Spirals relate to the golden ratio, a form the human eye is capable of interpreting faster than any other.
Symmetry comes in lot of different forms - a pair of butterfly wings, the two sides of the human face, the petals of a daisy or a sea anemone.
When not overused, can be successful in interiors because it's predictable and comforting.
Curves may have evolved as a survival advantage for recognizing food, avoiding predators or danger, and finding mates, whereas hard jagged-edged forms are read as inorganic or lifeless, or even uncomfortable and potentially dangerous.
According to studies, we prefer and find spaces more beautiful when there are curved shapes present rather than sharp and straight edged ones.
In nature, these attractive patterns are used for protection and survival of the species.
Whether laid on the floor, on the walls or in fabric or upholstery, spots and stripes visually lead the eye away, creating a neat space-enhancing trick.
Our preference for softly curving formsas non-threatening, safe objects, may explain why we prefer these forms over straight ones.
Thanks to its gentle and pleasant features, these shapes evoke calmness and peacefulness.
Cracks are linear openings in materials that form to relieve stress from stretching. They are constantly present in our skin, tree barks, soil...
These patterns are reminiscent of nature in ways that can enhance our well-being and induce restoration.
Waves in water or wind create ripple patterns in bodies of water or on the earth. Wind, for example, creates dunes when it blows over large bodies of sand, which can result in extensive dune fields like those found in the Saharan desert. Water waves have a powerful and captivating effect on our attention.
When we are exposed to wave and dune patterns, it can help us to relieve stress and increase feelings of calm.
Natural examples of tessellation patterns include honeycomb arrays of hexagonal cells and diamond-shaped scales that pattern snake skin.
Because tessellating patterns are abstract and non-representational, their interpretation opens everyone's imagination.
A river, stream, or other body of water that has a meandering pattern in its channel is one that frequently has sinuous bends, loops, turns, or windings.
A meandering pattern is created when a river changes its course within a valley or swings back and forth as it travels across its floodplain.
Learn about the benefits of nature-inspired design for better health. Improve your ability to create healthier, yet stylish, living environments.
You won't need special skills to maintain these beautiful, natural plants.
Bring natural materials closer to your sight and touch every day.
