Since ancient times, people have taken advantage of nature’s ingenuity to create more comfortable, durable and functional interiors. As a product of the natural world, people themselves are inherently drawn to these organic textiles and natural finishes, which work with our minds and bodies to improve the way we feel in our indoor environments.
Modern designers have an array of organic materials at their disposal. Aside from their sustainability credentials, drawing on these innately tactile and resilient options can help to craft appealing, user-focused spaces. This starts under our feet. There is no greater canvas than flooring to implement nature’s powerful qualities, bringing a wealth of benefits to the space and its occupiers such as:
Health and wellbeing
Natural materials have long been linked to the fostering of good health and wellbeing for many building users in a number of key ways:
Improved air quality
Designers can choose natural materials to help improve the air quality in a space by reducing the levels of airborne contaminants and VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). These invisible chemicals are linked to an array of harmful health issues, from shortness of breath to dizziness and headaches, and more severe respiratory issues in people subjected to lengthy exposure. Alongside giving off low emissions, natural materials such as Wool can actively absorb VOCs and other airborne contaminants such as fumes and cleaning chemicals, trapping them in their core for up to 30 years.
Many natural fibres are also known to be hydroscopic – stabilising the humidity levels within a space by actively absorbing moisture in damp conditions whilst releasing it when the air is dryer. This helps to combat the risk of mould and fungus, whilst also discouraging the breeding of dust mites.
Some plant-derived fibres have also shown to be hypoallergenic, thanks to the antimicrobial properties they exhibited during life – this reduces the likelihood of aggravating existing allergies for those inside.
Mental wellness
Connecting people to natural environments is known to help nurture mental wellbeing. Natural stimuli in the outdoors have influenced feelings and behaviours for millions of years, and our rapid transition to urbanisation with the average person now spending 90% of their lives indoors, has disconnected people from these natural guides. Reintroducing organic colours, textures and materials back into interiors, and improving all-around visibility of nature, can help to re-establish these essential links.
For areas such as workplaces, including natural elements has been shown to improve general productivity. One study compared workplaces without natural elements to a ‘lean cage’, likening people to animals who become anxious when deprived of organic visual and touch points – highlighting that these natural connections are not just pleasant, but essential.
Natural design
Infusing nature into our interiors through design brings a unique element of life to the indoors. Wool, for example, is an extremely versatile floor finish, where designers can play with a wide spectrum of colours and patterns to define a space. From inspiring energy with vibrant stripes to creating a calm respite with earthy tones – carefully chosen natural material designs can be used to complement and enhance any space’s function.
Other natural fibres such as Sisal and Seagrass typically remain in the same earthy colour band, but their variety of weaves can equally influence an interior’s feel. Whether chunkier, simple styles for a quiet corner or more tightly wound directional fibres to encourage movement, there’s once again the opportunity for designers to steer behaviours in a room through material choice.
Resilience and durability
It’s essential that floor coverings live up to the needs of a variety of spaces and use-cases. The innate properties of many natural plant-fibre or animal-coat floor coverings mean they can be versatile, hardwearing additions to indoor areas.
Organic flooring materials such as Wool are made-up of robust and elastic fibres, being naturally strong and resilient – often bouncing back much better than synthetic alternatives, retaining its plusher bounce underfoot. The natural oils which coat the fibres allow it to remain resistant to dirt and soil, repelling most oil-based containments. This means that frequent suction-only vacuuming is typically enough to keep it looking its best, without the need for time-intensive and potentially costly cleaning processes and damaging harsh chemicals.
Other plant fibres such as Sisal allow for impressive strength and toughness. For hundreds of years, Sisal has been spun into mariners’ rope, weathering the stresses and harsh conditions brought about by a life at sea – so when crafted into a carpet or rug, there’s no surprise it’s renowned for life-long durability. This makes it ideal for higher-traffic routes such as corridors or stairways.
More modern innovations such as Sisool, in which the comfort of Wool and the hardiness of Sisal are combined into a single hybrid material, mean that there is never the need to compromise on a flooring vision.
Natural design in practice: Headlam Brand Headquarters, Tamworth
As the flagship location of Europe’s leading distributor of floorcoverings, Headlam’s brand headquarters house the company’s meeting and workspaces, Innovation Hub and Product Launch Space. This demanding mix of use cases required a selection of floor coverings to both handle the heavy footfall and daily use, whilst introducing thoughtful touches of nature into the project. This led to the selection of a mixture of Wool and Sisal rugs and carpets in varying earthy tones, helping to create a forward thinking, engaging home for the Group.
Combining the practical needs for resilience with considerate elements of design and wellbeing, natural floor coverings help designers to create spaces that cater for the holistic needs of those within.