Natural Inspirations From the most primitive of times, mankind has decorated the objects around him Ð his walls, drinking vessels, food containers Ð with patterns inspired by what he could see: the natural world. A birdÍs plumage, a branch of blossoms, a snail shell, a honeycomb, the ripples creating by dropping a pebble into a pond, fish scales, the grain of wood Ð all are examples of wonderful natural patterns that need no enhancement. We are surrounded by pattern and it is no wonder that patterns derived from nature are at the heart of our urge to decorate our homes. Trees, foliage and flowers, in all forms from extremely representational to highly stylized, are by far the most commonly occurring of all patterns, and have been so for centuries, especially in the Western World. Today, natural patterns are derived from flora and fauna, just as they have always been, though the emphasis may be more on, say, petals, seed heads or ferns rather than more traditional imagery. Although natural inspirations could be said to apply to all types of pattern, here we refer to a modern type of natural pattern, with a look that is delicate and detailed, often romantic and ethereal, even other-worldly. What these patterns have in common is a very open, fresh feel. Backgrounds are nearly always pale and the proportion of pattern to field is low Ð there may be a much greater area of plain background than there is of pattern itself. Colours are, if not monochromatic, generally quite limited, and are usually quite soft and subtle. The most cutting-edge interpretation of this look employs innovative, modern techniques, such as computer-enhanced imagery, digital printing and laser-cutting, to produce patterns that are pretty and appealing, but which also have a pleasingly contemporary aesthetic. They may use sinuous lines or solid sections of colour, they often have a flattened, graphic quality, and use surprising colours or play games with scale. This is a young look, very accessible and not necessarily at all expensive, and can often be applied in intriguing and unusual ways throughout the home. Naturally inspired patterns are, enormously versatile, and are among the easiest to use of all. For such a scheme to appear really coherent and pleasing, however, it still helps to devote a certain amount of thought to it in advance. The initial question is how dominant these patterns should be in the room. Depending on your style, they can be extremely subtle, hardly visible at all, or more noticeable, employed as an overall theme. The more grandiose the scale, the more contemporary the pattern will appear, particularly if repeated, but this will make it much more of a bold feature than if you restrict the size of the pattern.
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