As we are being faced everyday with the imminent collapse of our ecological climate, there seems to be increasing interest in all things natural. This, of course, has been translated into interiors trends. Where houseplants and pared-back wood have been on the scene for a while, 2018 is taking it one step further with the use of minerals such as agate.
This week, Elle Décor posted about the green marble trend
currently flooding Pinterest. Since the wake of this year, our
best-selling products have been tables topped or inlaid with agate,
with the
Ida side table and
Cici bar trolley selling out within days. This has led us to
ask what makes marble and semi-precious stone so alluring. Our
answer? Their naturally created lines and curves which hold the
mesmeric beauty of randomness.
As visual culture is always reflective of social needs, it is no
wonder that we are craving organic decoration inside our homes
rather than the overly conscious, man-made we are constantly faced
with outdoors. Peter Dunham, of Peter Dunham Design, was quoted in
Vogue's Interior Design Predictions for 2018, "In our tech-driven
world, we all need handmade pieces in our lives!". This shows the
desire for uniquely made products in rebellion to robotic mass
production. Now, I am not suggesting that we live in a George
Orwell-esq dystopian nightmare, but there is reason for the
increasing awareness of yogic practise, mindfulness, veganism and
the use of natural materials.
Hrund Gunnsteinsdottir, writer and director of the 2016
documentary Innsaei, says we have evolved into overly rational
beings, losing sight of our natural emotions and losing the ability
to act intuitively. For centuries the Eastern world has believed in
the use of natural materials in the home to promote psychological
wellbeing. If you wish to look deeper into the meaning of agate,
its feng shui qualities include energy protection and balance. This
is said to be to do with the strength in the layering of the
crystalline rings that have formed over millennia, from when
volcanic activity created the Earth's continents.
In our tech-driven world, we all need handmade pieces in our lives!
Peter Dunham in Vogue
So how do you do justice to new agate pieces in your home? Well,
where 2016-17's favourite mid-century modern trend is making space
for 70s glamour and gold, the tactility and layered look of these
stones go perfectly with rich textures like velvet. Dark blues,
milky whites and earthy neutrals like sage are the colours in vogue
this year, which again sets the scene for natural materials and
allows for feminine lines and decorative gloss.
Head over to our
2018 Furniture Collection to see a whole range of agate and
marble side tables, coffee tables and consoles or come into our
showroom on Walton Street to find one off delights including agate
book ends, trinket boxes and ornaments.
