Being Seen to Be Green

• Posted by on January 28, 2010
• 2 comments

Of Mans first disobedience, and the Fruit
Of that Forbidden tree, whose mortal taste
Brought death into the world, and all our woe,
With the loss of Eden
--Milton

Within Milton’s epic poem ‘Paradise Lost’ there are warnings of the effects of excessive living, the importance of moderation and the essentiality of a careful balance between nature and man based on respect. It is a particularly topical piece as it charts the consequences of choices that lead to the destruction of the Garden of Eden.

Now, having plundered the earth's resources for generations, we have arrived at an ecological crossroads. The future direction that we choose to take is a decision that must be made by every individual, every business and every nation. It is an issue that affects everyone and therefore has the potential to unite all people, as it concerns the whole of mankind in ways and to an extent that no issue has previously.

The ‘Green’ bandwagon has been a favourite marketing vehicle for many manufacturers and retailers of interior products during the economic downturn – keen to be seen to be Green! But many consumers are now questioning the genuineness of products and companies' green credentials and it is therefore crucial to prove authenticity and communicate this effectively if your business depends on such claims.

However we cannot simply replace Conspicuous Consumption with Conscientious Consumption.  It’s not that straight forward. 
Products must deliver much more in order to appeal on all levels to an increasingly informed public whose spending has become much, much more selective. Therefore products must be designed with the heart as much as the head, by designers and manufacturers who genuinely bow to ethical and environmental concerns, not just commercial concerns and who endeavor to create and sell products that are:

• Thoughtfully designed
• Well made
• Need-focused
• Pleasure bringing
• Ethically sourced
• Made from sustainable materials
• An improvement on products that already exist

From a design perspective, there is an increasing desire for the colour green - the literal expression of consumers’ concerns and interest in environmental issues. This is a trend concerned with a joyful appreciation of the inherent beauty of nature and its essentiality in our lives. It comes at a time when urban planners and architects are making great leaps forward in bringing more greenery into cities and creating urban sustainability, effectively creating our own manmade Gardens of Eden to revive and improve our relationship with nature, combining rural elements in urban settings.

(Incidentally this is the focus of the 2010 World Fair in Shanghai which runs from May to October: ‘Better City, Better Life’. You can visit the official show website and see the amazing national pavilion designs by clicking this link: http://en.expo2010.cn/

The Great Outdoors is brought Indoors and references to nature via pattern, colour, form and materials continues to be important throughout 2010 & 2011. Working the land in our own small ways and living in harmony with nature are key aspirational characteristics of the season and these issues are also informing the work of designers.

Angela Adams is an example of a designer inspired by the drama of natural landscapes. Adams’ creative process is concerned with the appreciation and accentuation of the intricate beauty of naturally occurring patterns - and the results are stunning. ‘The Birds and the Bees’ collection is a tribute to Mother Nature. The rugs are the product of her passion for organic form and her interest in representing nature’s treasures via textile techniques. The ‘Forest Floor’ rug is a multifaceted landscape of rich colour, mossy textures and varying dimension that creates a wonderfully expressive statement piece. Similarly the ‘Underground Tapestry’ rug explores the pockets of pattern and texture beneath the Forest Floor created by crystal formations, interweaving roots and movements of water.

www.angelaadams.com

This trend is also beautifully encapsulated by the creative work of Emma Gardner Design whose fine contemporary interior products include a range of expertly hand-knotted and hand-tufted rugs.

Emma Gardner - Chief Designer & Principal - understands perfectly the visual rhythms that can be achieved in flooring and the effective use of a green-based color palette. Emma explains:

“There is something about these colour combinations that I think human beings basically respond to very emotionally.

The Chinese River design was the result of several inspiration influences; I had been considering stylised flowing river patterns, paper cut out motifs and butterflies…all familiar in Chinese designs. When I developed the Undersea colorway I was taken with the techniques of creating watercolor effects by use of close tonal colors and I used a very emotive blue/green colour combination.”

http://www.emmagardnerdesign.com/

The concept of bringing the outside inside is not new but as consumer interest in ‘Forest and Field’ inspired interior trends continues, it is important to find authentic and intriguing ways to introduce Nature into interior environments. Angela Adams’ and Emma Gardner’s work should inspire us all to be original and bold in our design statements and to trust that end consumers will embrace these statement products.

Please leave a comment to let me know how you are addressing Green issues from both an ethical and aesthetic stance!

To see Angela Adams’ wonderful product range visit: www.angelaadams.com
You can see more of Emma Gardner’s award winning rug designs by visiting: www.emmagardnerdesign.com

For more information on our company & services visit: www.scarletopus.com
To read our trend blog visit: www.trendsblog.co.uk