element 06 | materials & colour
As the world gets more obsessed with technology, we crave for more physical connection with space that is warm, authentic, soothing and lived-in. They should never be too finished, or too polished. Blending old and new, with a mixture of texture and natural materials – brick, oak, cork, marble, lime plaster and wool (St Hill, C. 2015), tactility in space regains our mindfulness and allows us to indulge deeper into our daily routine.
"The more virtual our world becomes, the more we need the physical."
by Ilse Crawford , 2015
during her speech in 100% Design Exhibition, London
StudioIlse designed a series of IKEA home furniture that engages our senses and connects us to our homes. The products made from tactile materials - cork, ceramic, glass, seagrass, bamboo and cotton, do not just look good, they feel good to touch and use (StudioIlse 2015). When we use the products, our body can feel and appreciate the rubbery surface of cork, the linear bumps on bamboo, and the softness of cotton.
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Rasmussen also highlighted the prominence of tactility in Experiencing Architecture (1962, p. 182), Japanese take off their shoes when entering their houses where the floors are covered with matting and everything made of wood and papers and other friendly materials that are sympathetic to touch.
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Colour
As consumers seek mindfulness and wellbeing as an antidote to modern day stresses, welcoming colours that psychologically fulfil our yearning for reassurance and security are becoming prominent. Joined together Pantone Colour of the Year 2016, Rose Quartz and Serenity demonstrate balance between a warmer embracing rose tone and the cooler tranquil blue, reflecting connection and wellness as well as soothing sense of order and peace. The colour scheme is serene, composed, yet slightly muted to blend into space and evoke sense.
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