As a designer, artist, and home staging professional, I’m always on the lookout for trends to inspire my work. The organic modern style (also referred to as organic modernism) is a trend that’s been building for a long time, and it’s one that I’ve recently fallen in love with. This style has roots in the works of Frank Lloyd Wright and the mid-century modern aesthetic. Today, it’s found a place among the luxury interior designers of Paris.
What Is Organic Modern Style?
Organic modern style is the combination of organic and modern aspects into one cohesive unit. The unit can be a piece of furniture, the interior design of a home, or even the architecture of a building. However, it is not simply combining organic pieces and modern pieces in one room. This style is less about juxtaposition and more about immersing an object in the essential aspects of both organic and modern styles.
An organic modern light fixture does not have organic pieces and modern pieces; every piece of the fixture is both organic and modern.
Foundations of Organic Modern Style
Some say that the style came about as early as the 1940s and ‘50s. This corresponds with the height of Frank Lloyd Wright’s work and also the birth of the mid-century modern style. You can find similarities between the organic modern style and the organic architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. Both play with form and function, volume and contrast. Most importantly, both have a raw honesty in their design and construction.
The organic modern style also shares characteristics with mid-century modern styling; there is a similarity in their shapes and silhouettes. Where the two styles differ is in the rawness of the shapes and materials used. Mid-century modern could be classified as modern organic, where the organic is being modified by modernism rather than the other way around. Organic modern pieces have more of a craftsman, handmade feel to them. The perfectly-shaped oval top of a mid-century modern coffee table would appear as a loose representation of an oval in the organic modern version of the piece.
Organic Modern Style Today
Today, the organic modern style can be found in luxury interior design showrooms across the globe. I’ve fallen in love with a few specific pieces from the Nativ Collection created by Raphael Navot for Roche Bobois, which I’ve featured below. These furnishings are emblematic of the organic modern style.
Identities Chairs
These chairs feel like an evolution of the now-classic Parsons chair. Both have high backs, no arms, and make an elegant statement for your dining room. The Identities Chairs pictured below each have their own personality, yet all look very comfortable!
Patchwork Console
The Patchwork Console table is a true statement of organic modern style. The gorgeous varieties of wood shapes and sizes inlaid into the tabletop are just stunning. This table also comes in cocktail and dining sizes.
Primordial Bookcase
It’s no wonder where this bookcase gets its name! The Primordial Bookcase is a throwback to primordial times when shapes and textures like these were a necessity rather than a design choice. I love the imperfect shape of this statement piece.
Organic Modern Love
I hope that this post has helped you become acquainted with the organic modern style. Even if it isn’t your preferred aesthetic, perhaps it inspired you in some way. The natural textures and neutral color palette are just a couple of the elements that I will carry over to my own design work. What will you take away?
Warmly,
Megan