Category: INTERIORS

If you do an image search for biophilic design, you’re likely to find photos of rooms filled with plants, but there are plenty of ways to bring the natural world indoors, one being the use of natural colors, textures, and patterns. In Mohawk Group‘s new carpet collection, Wild Horizons, field patterns of soft neutrals evoke the movement of tall grass meadows, while interwoven stands of accent colors refer to species of wildflowers like Bluebonnet, Goldenrod, and Scarlet Creeper.

This isn’t Mohawk Group’s first venture into biophilic design. In 2023, they introduced their Above and Below collection, which was inspired by mycelium and other species of mushrooms. MycoLoop and MycoSuede have more subtle linear patterns, while MycoBiome and Biotope are more complex abstract designs alluding to mushroom species like Indigo Milk Cap and Blue Roundhead.

Prior to these two collections, they released their Lichen Community collection with field patterns of bark and stone, and accent patterns mimicking lichen growth in teal, olive green, and yellow ochre. Next time you want to introduce natural patterns into a design, consider doing so with carpet.

Shown here are rooms from three timber vacation homes designed by Peter Zumthor in the community of Vals, Switzerland, not far from Zumthor’s legendary thermal baths. The ample daylight and rich wood textures create a sense of warmth, while the panoramic windows blur the separation between indoor and outdoor.

Photos by Ralph Feiner

Rudolph Schindler was an Austrian-American architect who worked in and around Los Angeles during the early part of the twentieth century. He is known for his bold use of shape, color, and texture. In this Los Angeles apartment designed in 1935, deep hues in the furniture and artwork compliment the warm wood tones.

Photos by Chris Mottalini

It’s winter in the Midwest, and we’re spending more time inside, trying to stay warm. With the thoughtful selection of colors, materials, and textures, rooms themselves can often convey a sense of warmth. In the rooms below by Carlo Scarpa, bold red emphasizes the role of the fireplace, while gold and rust hues are complimented by green, also accentuating the warm wood tones.

Carlo Scarpa, Villa Veritti, Udine (1955-60); Photo by Aldo Ballo

Carlo Scarpa, Zentner House, Zurich (1964-68); Photo by Ilaria Orsini for NYT

Carlo Scarpa, Casa Tabarelli, Cornaiano (1968); Photo by Ilaria Orsini for NYT

The Stillman House in Litchfield, CT is one of three modern homes designed by Marcel Breuer in the 1950’s. In response to these homes being built, the conservative white people of Litchfield actually banned further use of the modern building style, as to not conflict with other colonial and Greek revival homes in the area. The interiors combine minimal geometric architectural forms with natural finishes and sensible modern furniture.

Photos by Ben Schnall from Marcel Breuer Digital Archive

The Gargarin House in Litchfield, Connecticut, designed by Marcel Breuer in 1957, masterfully combines colors and materials in an expansive open plan. The warm wood tones harmonize with the terra cotta brick and leather sling back chairs in the living room, while in the kitchen, contrasting blue glass is used as a backsplash. Vast fieldstone walls can be seen inside and out, integrating the structure with the serene natural setting.

Photos by Madonna Phillips Group

The Robinson House in Williamstown, MA, was designed by Marcel Breuer in 1948. The open floor plan, panoramic windows, and generous use of natural stone are all trademarks of the designers quintessentially modern style.

Photos by Cohen White Associates

The historic Gropius House in Lincoln, Massachusetts, designed by Walter Gropius, served as the primary residence for the architect and his family while he was teaching at Harvard. They came to the US after three years in London, where they originally moved to flee the Nazi regime. This style of quintessential Bauhaus design is rarely seen outside Germany.

“One must build for the human being, that he might rediscover in the architectural construction the joys of self-fulfillment in a whole that extends and completes him. Even the furnishings should lose their individuality by blending in with the architectural ensemble.” – Eileen Gray

For Villa E-1027, Eileen Gray designed not only the interiors, but the entire building, including some of the furniture. Built between 1926 and 1929 as a vacation home for the designer and her family, a great deal of thought and care was put into both the function and appearance of every aspect this avant-garde modernist gem.

After Gray left the house, Le Corbusier took up residence, and without her permission, vandalized many of the walls with his own murals. After his death, the site remained in disrepair for many years, but has recently undergone restoration.

Photos by Manuel Bougot

Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona served as Frank Lloyd Wright’s summer home, studio, and school. The diagonal lines in the building structure and furniture reflect the horizon line of the mountainous landscape. Warm desert hues of red and orange are used throughout the interior and exterior. The step pyramid and other architectural motifs pay respect to the design traditions of ancient civilizations in Mexico, Arizona’s neighbor to the south.

Photos by Brian Guido