Many of the well-dressed home interiors seem to be wearing organic modern design this season, and the style seems destined to evolve from a mere trend to an enduring classic. Here’s what it is and how to get it.

Organic Modern Design Defined

Organic modern style combines clean, clear lines and boundaries with natural textures and materials for a seamless marriage of minimalism and rustic appeal with plenty of nods to Scandinavian design traditions. Colors tend to be subdued and multi-tiered — think layered hues that mirror the color nuances of natural environments such as oceans, stones, rivers, prairies, beaches, and forests.

This style is ideal for those who like to incorporate elements of nature into their home interior design strategies. Home interiors generally complement the surrounding outdoor ambiance and blur the lines between the two. For instance, those whose windows look out over beach vistas may want to select ambient colors that reflect the sand and sea paired with sunset-inspired accents.

Here’s what you need to know about achieving organic modern style.

Start With a Clean Slate

Your starting point for reinventing your living space using organic modern design principles should be fresh white walls. Once you step inside a paint store, you may be surprised at how many various shades of white are available — and the good news is that you don’t have to choose just one. One of the major keys to achieving an effortless organic modern environment is to keep it open and airy, so don’t include elements that make the room feel too crowded. It can take practice to reach that perfect balance between comfortable and welcoming and stark and

Layering shades of white brings textures and interest to the table and helps keep everything from looking too one-dimensional. Think walls mirroring the shade of pristine snow mixing it up with windowsills, runners, and doors the color of cotton, cream, or winter-white violets. Soft dove gray layered with hints of ocean blue is an appealing choice for those who aren’t completely sold on painting their walls white.

Incorporate Organic Textures

Because the minimalist lines commonly used in this particular design strategy often result in a cold, even sterile impression, use organic textures to infuse vitality and warmth into the picture. Think lots of wood surfaces such as repurposed barn doors, natural stone, textured wallpapering, and knotty floors.

Other materials to consider in furnishings, fixtures, and decor are rattan, bamboo, wicker, linen, jute, and wool.

Keep It Clutter-Free

Clutter and fuss detract from the sleek, clean lines that define modern organic style, so keep the presence of knickknacks and other clutter to a minimum. Better yet, eliminate clutter altogether. As an added bonus, studies have found that most people simply feel better in uncluttered environments than they do in their overly busy counterparts.

Introduce Live Greenery

Houseplants are never out of place in any well-decorated home, but live greenery is particularly suited to organic modern style. Whether they’re striking statement plants like ficus or a windowsill line-up of fragrant culinary herbs, the overall uncluttered composition of this design strategy lets plants stand out.

Dried grasses and reeds provide another way to bring a vegetative element to the table. Large arrangements placed in floor vases against white walls make stunning statement pieces.

Get Crafty

Whether you make them yourself or purchase them from local artisans at craft fairs, farmers markets, or nearby consignment galleries, one-of-a-kind arts and crafts items add a natural note that helps balance organic modern style’s minimalist foundation. Good choices include woven baskets, fabric wall hangings, handmade throws, and creatively produced ceramics.

Make Yourself Comfortable

Soft spaces that promote relaxation and optimize comfort provide an excellent contrast to the minimalist dimension to organic modern style. Furnishings should be sumptuous without being stuffy, tending towards round and curved lines to countereffect the linear aspects of the room’s foundation.

Accessories such as pillows and throws in natural shapes and colors bring additional softness to the overall picture.

On the Flip Side

Most people prefer a relatively seamless transition between their indoor and outdoor spaces, and there’s no reason why organic modern style can’t be let outdoors. In fact, when it comes to deck, patio, and fire pit spaces, nature’s already done half of the design work for you — all you need to do is add the strong, linear lines and neutral palette characteristic of minimalist styling. Think geometric tiles, straightforward outdoor furnishings, and oversized planters in easy shapes.

Check out Barndoorz.com for more inspiration on reinventing your living space.