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Interiors Nature-Inspired Materials for Interiors: Neo Ecology at Cologne IMM 2016

Nature-Inspired Materials for Interiors: Neo Ecology at Cologne IMM 2016

New German companies are springing up to offer exciting new options for home designers who want to choose nature materials. The trend for natural and ecological materials was evident at Cologne’s International Furniture Fair and is surely set to grow. Homedit was interested in what new materials are being used, and what looks can be achieved in homes and interior spaces. We spoke to companies such as Freund, Organoid, StyleGreen and Rosmarie Schulz to find out about these new exciting nature material options.

Freund uses real mosses and plants for our green wall elements

Freund uses real mosses and plants for our green wall elements corner

Freund have a huge range of options for interior surfaces. If you lust after a woodland infused bathroom covered in genuine birch bark or a moody charred wood kitchen backsplash, then Freund make it easy to achieve with prefabricated panels of natural materials for insulation.

Natural Materials from wood Style — Birch bark has been popular with artisans for centuries because of its characteristic texture

Natural Materials - Bark Wallpaper — Bark Wallpaper on show in a bathroom

Natural Materials Bark wallpaper for bathroom — Freund’s Poplar bark in close up

Bark For exteriors — Bark surfaces are tough enough for exterior cladding too

They also work with moss to create custom living walls and even panels under glass and ceilings.

Multi award winning Organoid Technologies was set up by Martin Jehart and Christoph Egger in 2012. They create, seating, acoustic insulation and wallcoverings such as beautiful honey scented hay wallpapers.

The grasses they use come straight from the alps, and any carbon they use in manufacture is offset by a reforestation project they support in South America.

Calendula flowers were displayed next to the flat wallpaper version. The papers comprise of compacted and naturally preserved materials.

This villa in Taiwan uses Organoid materials including a beautiful lotus flower wallpaper.

StyleGreen are specialists in plants for walls, offering a range from small plant pictures up to living wall installations.

Heidelberg designer Rosmarie Schulz uses “Nature” materials in unexpected ways to create unique objects such as delightful moss lamps and imposing shell spheres.

Rosemarie Schuls Moss lamp — Add a touch of green to your house with a pendant lamp

Romantic Rose lamp — Romantic lamp made of rose petals

Diff colors of moss — Rosmarie Schulz sets and colours mosses

The great range of natural materials on display at Cologne’s IMM might have us looking to the local woods instead of the DIY store next time we are in need of interiors inspiration.