Soften up Any Room by Including Designs with Organic Shapes

Generally, furniture and home design are based on expected lines, angles and profiles. Increasingly, however, organic shapes are taking center stage with their amorphous shapes, gentle curves and nature-inspired lines. Not only do today’s organically shaped designs have tactile, textural and raw energies that make them appealing, but they often use natural elements to create their unique vibe. These designs are not angular or linear and they have an overall softer feeling with their meandering lines. Not sure what these organic designs look like? Have a look at these examples.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

This floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell is a wonderful example of an organically shaped design both for the profile of the lampshade section as well as the stone base. Presented by the Carpenters Workshop Gallery, it quite literally has not a single straight angle or line. The cloud-like shade is amorphous and billowy yet rigid and sturdy. The base is decidedly hefty and stable.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

Similarly, a more floral, leafy shape forms this lighting fixture from Costantini. Not only are the organic leaf shapes soft and natural but the actual textile is ridged and more like a natural material both in texture and in color. The overall look is very tactile and flowing, projecting an internal glow from within the fixture.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

Designer Eny Lee Parker creates all sorts of home decor and furnishings that have very organic shapes such as this Lumpy Breakfast Table. Parker is a spatial designer who focuses on objects, furniture and lighting, all of which is made from clay. The contemporary design is stylish, functional and supremely organic.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

Even a coffee table can take on new proportions in an organic design. This table by Theophile Blandet looks as if it is composed of sheets of wintry ice, with their slightly melting edges — the kind you find might find floating in the middle of a lake in late winter or early spring. They give off a very natural vibe and seem to be fragile, yet are composed of many types of plastics along with silicone, polyester and fiberglass.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

Known for their whimsical pieces, the Haas Brothers are masters of the organic form. Whether for mirror frames like these or a host of other pieces including tables, chairs, lamps and vessels, the designers eschew straight lines for softer edges instead. Paired with the irregular lines, elements such as these drip-like forms, or even more whimsical animalistic features, the pieces are functional but also attention-getting.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

A focal lighting fixture is another way to add some organic forms to a room’s decor. A suspension light from Hammerton Studio is a great example because not only is the light that it projects interesting, the forms feel so randomly natural. Its name is Blossom, but the lights also feel like they could be ice chunks. Whatever form of nature it calls to mind, the look is glamorously organic.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

Wood is a natural choice (pun intended!) when it comes to organic forms because there are so many ways that designers can showcase its natural beauty. A stool from the Jeff Martin Joinery turns the natural flaws in the wood into design features and instead of symmetrical legs, opts for more random sizes and curves to highlight the darker inner section of wood.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

Very abstract but still organic in form, the Cymatic Lens Sconce was also created by the Jeff Martin Joinery. It is made from blown glass and mandrill bent steel, all of which was first modeled with plastic components typically found in the custom motorcycle industry. The heftier base holds the more delicate blown glass element. The contrasts make for an interesting and different decorative wall sconce.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

The snaking lines of this lamp are gold-plated bronze that really stand out along the tall acrylic shade.  Mattia Bonetti’s Meander standard lamp is truly a work of art. The labyrinthine lines look as though hand-drawn with the metal that forms the design. Such a striking piece is a stand-out choice to soften the lines of a room that has more traditional lines or as an accent in modern decor.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

When thinking about organic forms, clay is a common medium used to create vessels that have natural shapes in addition to more classic pieces. These vases from KonSepTa of Brazil mimic the look of stone but are super lightweight and can be sculpturally arranged in small installations. Or, used individually, they are a striking minimalist accent.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

Wall art is another way to add an organic feel to a space. This is Platter/Rather by artist Jaydan Moore and presented by Ornamentum Gallery. Recently acquired for by the Carnegie Museum for its permanent collection, the piece is formed from heirloom silver platters that have been artistically fused into a single piece that the gallery has called “lyrical and draftsman-like.”  The reimagining of silver pieces into a modern iteration plays on both the traditional form at the top and a more abstract, amorphous shape the bottom of the piece.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

South African artist and designer Porky Hefer is known for the “nests” he creates based on the genius constructions by Weaver Birds. His human-sized nests are ideal for indoors or out and will decidedly be the focal point of the room. Hefer specializes in vernacular architecture and design of all sizes — from these comparatively small pieces to dwelling sized creations. Whether the nest has a natural shape like this one or a more designed animal form, they are functional too. Every person who enters the space will want to crawl in and try it out.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

A little more traditionally styled than some of the other organic pieces we’ve highlighted, this chair from Quality and Company still conveys an organic vibe because of the hefty and curved frame. The substantial feel evokes visions of a tree trunk and the curve of the wood adds to the natural look. A chair like this is ideal for adding a touch of something more rough-hewn to a contemporary room.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

Felted wool pieces like these ottomans and bench by Ronel Jordaan are textural and natural, with their artfully bulging forms. The artist designs each hand-felted piece and uses recycled materials to form the inner structure. These are the Jasper Gemstones, ideal as poufs or extra seating in any room. Her creations include many other earthy forms and textures for home decor.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

Designed by the renowned Gaetano Pesce, this chair has unexpected features and organic edges despite having the traditional shape. Between the rough edge at the top, the cascading feel of the medium on one side and the human-like face design in the chair back, the overall piece has an edgy yet organic look.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

This unique coffee table is the Geology 03 table by Chen Chen and Kai Williams, which is made from various stones that are split in half and the face then polished to reveal the minerals inside. Each organic stone shape is placed like a puzzle into a surface. The base that supports it is a network of steel strong enough to hold its weight. Each of these tables is constructed upside down and the supporting frame is built fit the special stone structure.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

Sometimes the organic nature of decor pieces derives from the materials used to craft them. These woven vine lanterns from Twos Company are an example of how a rustic material makes for a very natural piece. The vines that make up these lights are an attractive addition no matter whether they are lit or not.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

Even a very functional stool can take on a more organic look as in this Umbra Shift Coiled Stool. The simple but very stylish piece was inspired by the traditional Filippino basket-making techniques. the seat is crafted from hand-woven threads over a rattan core, forming a super comfortable tractor-style seat.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

Adding textural natural materials to walls or other surfaces in a room adds a great deal of organic feel to a space. This wool wall hanging is covered with randomly spaced wool shapes that add decoration as well as more acoustic dampening ability. The feel and look of wool pieces like this one add far more than just a natural element.

floor lamp by Nacho Carbonell

A table lamp made from hand-built clay and finished with a matte glaze is an easy organic addition to any space. This one, by Brooklyn artist Yuko Nishikawa is particularly natural-looking and raw. It lends an earthy element to any desk or table and is an excellent task light. The design has a distinctive shade and central ball element that is a focal point.

Rustic or artful, organic home decor elements lend a softer, more natural feel to any room. Irregular lines, rounded shapes and textural materials appeal to the human bond with nature and promote a more relaxing feeling.