What is Organic Modern

Modern interiors, with their focus on form, function and organization are derived from modern design’s use of geometric angles, curves and edges. The outcome is sleek, spacious and uncluttered. But despite these attributes, “modern” often comes across as cold and lifeless.

The organic aesthetic is rich with character and warmth that comes from the use of natural materials - think stone, wood, and textural fibers. Color, pattern, shapes and textural inspiration can all be drawn from nature (learn more about that by clicking here). A challenge with this aesthetic is creating a balanced space without clashing like materials or their varying stains and finishes.

Organic modern, which is our aesthetic, harmoniously blends the best of the two design styles. Adding furnishings that clearly come from nature with the uncomplicated lines of modern design breathes life into a space. One of our Room Makeover Entrants said, “Organic modern means clean lines, functional and purposeful design and the warmth of natural colors and materials which combined create a soothing modern space.” We couldn’t agree more! Natural materials provide just the right counterpoint for an enduring, softer, warmer take on modern.

At EWF Modern, organic modern is more than an aesthetic. We give preference to manufacturers that use reclaimed or sustainably harvested woods, water based and low VOC glues and stains, formaldehyde free foams and no added chemicals (like fire retardants).

INSPIRATION: Nature's Color

Inspiration for the color palettes of interior spaces can come from many sources. Our organic modern aesthetic creates an appreciation for natural colors, textures and organic forms. It also points us to a place where it’s easy to find pleasing color solutions. Nature!  Nature just seems to know how to beautifully harmonize hues and values. Our owner, Renee Russo sums it up well: “Nature has always been reflected in my choices for spaces. What you see in nature works so well naturally, you don’t have to come up with other ways to pair colors and textures.”

Whether the visual cue is panoramic or close-up, color palettes of all kinds - vibrant, serene, monochromatic, even surprising - spark our creativity. When you are out and about in natural settings or looking through nature photos, take notice. There’s a really good chance that nature’s combinations will inspire you too.

Rich brown wood tones paired with fresh green hues create a pleasing nature-inspired color combination. The live edge table, wood chairs and other elements composed of natural materials and colors work to evoke the organic beauty of our Pacific Northwest forests.

The Painted Hills, listed as one of the 7 Wonders of Oregon, showcase glowing layers of reds, oranges, yellows and browns. Such a palette brings a warm, welcoming and invigorating energy to interior spaces.

Gray, ranging from warm (taupe) to cool (silver), is the ideal neutral and never seems to go out of style. Gray looks great combined in different shades for a serene effect that can be casual or sophisticated.

Get Ready To Enter Our Room Makeover Giveaway!

*UPDATE 5/13/16: OUR 2016 ROOM MAKEOVER GIVEAWAY ENTRY PERIOD IS CLOSED. STAY TUNED TO OUR BLOG AND SIGN UP FOR OUR MAILING LIST FOR FUTURE EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES!

Maybe you’ve tried falling in love with your space again or refreshing it with quick fixes, but sometimes, you just have to call in the professionals. We’ve been brewing an exciting opportunity for those who are ready for change, and are excited to announce the chance to win a room makeover!

Entries will be accepted starting March 31, 2016 and the winner will receive a free in-home interior design consultation including a follow up presentation of custom design recommendations and floor plans. Also included is $750 off the purchase of a collection of furniture for the redesigned room and free delivery*.

This offer is for Portland Metro Area Residences and doesn’t apply to kitchens, bathrooms, offices, laundry rooms or exterior spaces. Whether you win the room makeover or you get to watch it unfold on our blog, we hope you are as excited as our designers who are looking forward to working with our winner!

Check back at the end of the month for official details and the online application to open. In the meantime, be thinking about all the good reasons you want an organic modern room makeover from EWF Modern!


*Note: A minimum of $3000.00 of furniture must be purchased in order to qualify for discount

 

EWF MODERN SPOTLIGHT: Dovetail Joinery + West Bros Furniture

Thoughtful design and craftsmanship lend beauty, style and durability to home furnishings. Sometimes a method of construction will add to the strength of a piece and also enhance that piece’s appearance. An example of this is joinery, a technique that’s been used for centuries in assembling fine wood furniture. Joinery has stood the test of time and modern technology too. It’s one of the hand-crafted details we love about our new West Bros Furniture bedroom collection.
 

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Many types of joinery are used in furniture production. The English dovetail is featured in the drawers of our West Bros Furniture cabinets, dressers and night stands. It’s a locking method of joinery that sets the standard for strength and stability over time. Other cool benefits? Since the drawer walls are joined at the outside corners, there’s actually more space for your storables. You’ll notice that being able to see the dovetailed joints adds an element of beauty to the finished piece.
 


We are excited to introduce the West Bros Fulton bedroom set into our organic collection of modern furniture with a New Product Sale March 11-20. The furniture is hand-crafted in resawn white oak and available in 2 finishes. All of the casegoods feature soft-close English dovetail-joined drawers. Unique hand-stitched leather drawer pulls enhance the natural beauty of the textured oak. The night stands include magazine shelves and even coin trays!
 


Family owned and operated, this company has been producing meticulously and sustainably crafted solid wood furniture in North America for over two decades. Their promotion of sustainable practices has earned them  “Silver Exemplary Status” from the Sustainable Furnishings Council. We appreciate West Bros Furniture’s dedication to environmental responsibility and quality. We think you will too!

3 Fresh Fixes

It’s still chilly and gray outside but signs of Spring are everywhere. Now is a great time to bring a fresh eye and new life to rooms in your home. For simple yet effective fixes to make a modern space more inviting and functional, we like to look to color, lighting and organic elements.

COLOR is the design tool that best and quite easily brings a sense of comfort and calm or cheer and drama to interior spaces. It’s all about finding colors and combinations that resonate and make you feel good, not just those that are trending. Consider your favorite colors, read design magazine articles, and leaf through sets of paint swatches for help getting to an enduring color combo that works. Accessories, artwork, rugs and throws provide great ways to add color coordination, interest and texture throughout your room.

LIGHTING, along with color, is key to the mood of a space. Think about how you want to feel in a room as well as how you use it. It’s good to also think about how light lands on the surfaces. You’ll find the right vibe by working with uplights, downlights, ambient and task lighting to create a mix of light sources at different levels and locations.

Adding ORGANIC life energy, shape and texture can seem challenging due to the clean lines and simplicity of modern interiors. But including furnishings and elements crafted in natural materials like wood and stone, often makes all the difference between a flat or lively space. Plants are especially great for filling corners and difficult places, framing or echoing design elements and softening hard areas in modern spaces.

 

 

These three fixes to freshen your home will create immediate solutions. Let us know how we can help.

Fall in love with your space... again

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Have you fallen out of love with any rooms in your home?  It’s actually not too difficult to fall back in love with a space. Just like it’s important to know yourself before having a successful relationship, it’s key to have a sense of your own personal style. We like the way the Houzz article, “8 Ways to Zero In on Your Decorating Style,” explains why and how to do this.

Also important are the functional and aesthetic relationships of the furnishings to each other and their surroundings. Start right where you are by looking at the space planning, storage and traffic flow. Are you not loving the arrangement? Is it difficult to move through your space or around pieces easily? Go ahead, move furniture around!

Next, evaluate your use of color, lighting, shapes and surfaces.You will enjoy your connection to your space more by choosing colors you love, and just a few for harmony. Add visual interest by contrasting dark and light, shiny and matte, curved and straight, organic and high-tech. And, if lighting feels out of balance, consider changing sources of light or adding lamps in different locations.

Finally, accessories help to make a space welcoming and personal. Maybe you don’t love everything in your room so minimize and keep only those objects representing a special connection, memory, or simply those you cherish. Have fun with their placement and grouping.

There is always great potential for your home to become a little more functional. A  little more beautiful. A little more you!

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2016 Interior Design Projections

2016 is here and so is a fresh set of new design trends. Interiors are projected to reflect individual interests and a more relaxed eclectic approach.

What we see coming is an appreciation for bringing together elements we love to work with: a variety of styles, natural materials and colors, uniquely patterned fabrics and rounded or organic shapes.

We are excited about the emphasis upon enduring, personalized and non-formulaic furnishings. Why? Because it parallels our organic modern aesthetic here at EWF Modern. It perfectly suits our customers too.

Our designers are looking forward to Las Vegas Market at the end of the month. We’ll keep you posted on what they find. And, we’ll soon have new pieces in our showroom and on our website for you to see and bring home.

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One of our newest products, The Contour by Pablo Lighting, is an on-trend example of the cool creativity we can expect to see throughout the year. This innovative light, available as a floor and table lamp, has a rounded yet geometric shape, a mix of wood or fabric and plastic, and a USB charging port to serve the tech needs of our busy lifestyles.

All of us here at EWF Modern wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!