“There is no better designer than nature.”
- Alexander McQueen
For many of us, the past couple of years has transformed our relationship with home forever and shown us a certain sense of peace that can be drawn from simply slowing down and embracing all things natural.
Organic forms - these baskets are inspired by plump gourds and garlic bulbs - synergise the interior with the outside world. Shop The Collection.
Wanderlust has also increased our thirst for interior accents that nod to nomadic adventure, whilst our increased exposure to climate change and the pitfalls of mass consumerism has fed the concept of sustainability deep into the interior industry.
Organic Modern brings the outdoors in and the indoors out | Image credit: @deecampling
What many of us are seeking to nurture in our homes (and in our lives) these days is a deeper sense of connection: an understanding of where our things have come from; a more intimate relationship with the materials and the processes – and the people behind them. A slower and more conscious approach to everything from the food we eat to the ways we furnish and run our homes. A return to the earth.
“With folks looking to bring a little magic into their lives after a couple of very tough years, I see earth's magical wonders taking centre stage.”
-Justina Blakeney, Interior Designer
Wall platters and unique storage baskets, handmade from palm tree leaf, creeper vines and locally foraged twigs in Zambia.
With all of this resonating deeply in our hearts we have curated a collection of baskets and basketry that bring a renewed focus to our connection with nature. Undyed weaves, plant-based dyes and organic forms all dominate this group of woven baskets – each and every one traceable to the rural African craft group and often even the named weaver who worked on it.
Organic Modern blends of the ancestral craft of basket weaving with our modern thirst for truly conscious interiors. This curation of handwoven African baskets celebrates woven pieces made in Ghana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.
MAIVA natural wave dancing basket from £45 | Image credit @kitandco__
Choose from gourd-shaped woven pots and colour block planters to lidded pots, laundry baskets, round market baskets, bowls and open weave floor baskets. The collection also includes woven rugs, large woven planters in natural rust and terracotta tones and geometric striped storage baskets in ochres, blacks and whites, and an array of woven wall baskets.
Every piece will enhance the space it inhabits with a duality of function and form, bringing texture and warmth and harmonising the outside world with modern living.
Image credit: @gareth_at_31
“We are starting to see lots of new brilliant options for sustainable fabrics and materials. I think this should now be a priority for all designers.”
-Marcus Barwell, Managing Director of Soho House Design
These handwoven baskets are all undyed in their purest form or hand-dyed using plant-based dyes - their rich natural hues achieved through foraging, pounding and mulching local grasses, tree bark, soil and even fireplace charcoal and soot. Prepared fibres like sisal, elephant grass and milulu grass are then boiled in large vats of water with the natural dye materials added. Sometimes weaving fibres are buried in the ground next to tree roots to take on the desired colour – all dyeing processes are lengthy and meticulous.
Each naturally dyed basket tells a rich story of the time and skill invested in its creation. Sustainable incomes are created and age-old legacies upheld for those women doing the work of growing, harvesting and preparing fibres as well as those involved in the dyeing process and – of course – the weaving itself.
How to get the Organic Modern look at home
Handcrafts
Curate your own collection of handcrafted curios - Shop The Collection
Hand-crafted and hand-worked finishes bring depth, texture and character to a space. A curation of handwoven wall baskets in natural tones will instantly soften an angular and minimalistic zone. The artful placement of a lidded Zulu art basket on a shelf or mantelpiece serves the dual purpose of storage and a dash of curiosity.
Lighting
Pale walls, painted floorboards and daylight make the perfect companions for woven treasures
Lighting fixtures made from natural materials like sisal and rattan will help maintain a soft and organic charm, and a gentle light. Keeping walls pure white or neutral will enable you to make the most of the natural light available to you and will complement the natural textures and forms you want to showcase.
Layering
Wall baskets bring texture to a neutral space | Image credit: @deecampling
Perhaps the most impactful way to embrace Organic Modern is through layering soft and more robust natural textiles in the home. Blend natural wools and linens with milulu grass rugs, elephant grass floor baskets and woven sisal planters (plus lush greenery) for a tactile and sophisticated space that still feels deeply connected with the outside world.
