Rewilding Britain, Inspiring sustainable design for the future?
I recently spoke to a friend about the concept of ‘Rewilding’ in Britain and the conversation got me thinking about how the concept could relate to design.
Rewilding involves letting nature take the lead. This is done by restoring natural processes and reducing human management. It’s about creating a true harmony between ourselves and nature. If you apply that thinking to furniture design and interiors, it becomes clear that the harmonious connection between ourselves and our homes has become lost as we fill our homes with mass-produced, chemical-riddled products that have shifted away from true craftsmanship. Rewilding offers a beautiful transitional framework for moving away from ‘fast furniture’ and towards more sustainable, timeless interiors.
Fast Furniture is a new term coined for its striking similarities to the fashion industry of mass-produced, price-driven products that are led by fleeting trends. Fast furniture lacks the durability and quality of bespoke or batch produced products and more often than not ends up in landfill within a few years.
According to the Environmental Audit Committee, the UK alone discards millions of tonnes of furniture per year, much of which is neither recycled nor reused. The major issue with sending cheaply made furniture to landfill is that due to the materials used - like particle board and plastic laminates - makes it difficult to recycle and therefore incredibly damaging to the environment.
Sadly, this disposable culture that we have created prioritises price point over quality and short-term aesthetics over long-term value.
So, how can we apply the concept of ‘rewilding’ to a design philosophy?
Rewilding, in the ecological sense, aims to restore ‘balance’ and embrace nature’s untamed beauty and brilliance. The way in which this is done is through the reintroduction of Keystone species or by restoring natural vegetation. Rewilding is about working with nature to get natural processes working again. When applied to furniture and interior design, we need to consider the key factors: sustainability, source and longevity. So, how do we do that?
Firstly, we need to prioritise the use of natural and reclaimed materials. “Rewilding’ inspired design should aim to use materials that are renewable, recycled or reclaimed/salvaged. A great example of someone following sustainable practices are ‘Goldfinger’, London-based designers and makers of bespoke furniture. Goldfinger work with ‘treecycled’, an initiative to use locally felled trees to create bespoke pieces of furniture, which are both planet-positive and community empowering.
By using natural materials like wood, stone, and natural fibres in our homes, we not only reduce the environmental impact but also help to bring warmth and personality to a space. With each twist and turn of the natural grain of wood, or gleam from the flecks of flint in stone, we monopolise on uniqueness and invite the raw beauty of nature into our homes.
Secondly, we should aim for products that are both durable and timeless. Just as rewilding emphasises the resilience of an ecosystem, furniture design should also focus on being as durable as it can be. This will help it last for years to come, transcending seasonal trends and offering the adaptability and longevity that comes with timeless design. A great example of this is the ever enduring appeal of mid-century modern furniture. I believe this is down to great design, that focuses on functionality and a timeless aesthetic. A key thing to note, when looking to source your own mid century furniture, is to look to buy second-hand classics and avoid mass-produced replicas. The real deal is worth it, as replicas tend to lack the quality and durability of a real 20th century piece.
Thirdly, we should aim to create spaces that connect us to nature. This has been a growing recent trend with interiors, as ‘indoor-outdoor’ inspired living spaces become a new narrative. To blend nature into your home, it’s not just about adding the odd potted plant into a space, but about considering all the senses that are positively affected by nature. Think natural light, warm earthy tones, natural materials, organic shapes and natural inspired textures. A well-balanced space that incorporates nature can help to foster well being and a calmed mind. Consider the Japanese Katsura Imperial Villa, built in the 17th century. This ‘strolling garden’ was designed to unfold slowly. Every step takes you on an intimate journey, as you walk through and discover the beauty of changing seasons.
This philosophy of discovery and movement through space can help us connect and engage with a space, and therefore nature. We can apply this same philosophy to interiors and our homes by creating spaces that invite us to engage and reveal new spaces as we move within.
Finally, think about circular design and craftsmanship. Integrating design principles that focus on circular design help to reduce our waste output and encourage consumers to value both their products and the resources used to produce them. How can we apply these principles in design?
Repair, repurpose and recycle.
In today’s world of consumerism we have become easily accustomed to throwing something away once it’s broken, unable to repair it or unwilling to spend the time to find out how. We have also become less dependant on a local seamstress to repair our jackets or a shoesmith to fix a broken sole. It’s just too easy to buy ‘new’ and play ignorant with what happens to the things we throw in the bin.
I’ve been guilty of these habits and I’m consciously working to do better. I had forgotten the joy of fixing things, and I can thank my son for recently bringing those feelings back when he demanded I mend his broken toy. A plant pot fell off my window ledge the other day, and it felt wonderful to purposely restore it with the same love and attention given to Kintsuki in Japanese culture.
Not only is it important to consider what happens to our furniture in its lifecycle, but also how it was made in the first place. And by who. By using local artisans and craftsmen, we can reduce our carbon footprint and be kinder to our planet, whilst at the same time becoming part of a generation that fights to preserve cultural traditions and honours the skills passed down by our ancestors.
In terms of how rewilding fits with design trends for 2025… I personally think the concept aligns perfectly. As we become more aware of our impact as consumers, it has changed the way in which we shop for our homes. A key trend for homes and interiors is the 3 R’s: reduce, reuse, recycle. They are a mantra drummed into us since primary school, but they are often overlooked or carried out with little conviction. However, shifts in consumer patterns and economic uncertainty after the pandemic has seen us buying more pre-loved furniture, upcycling, sourcing recycled materials and browsing vintage furniture markets like vinted and 1st Dibs. Not only do these practices align with a more sustainable ethos but also tie into the interior trend of the moment: ‘Newstalgia’, a trend that combines the best of past and present, bringing the comfort of nostalgia into our homes, but with an unexpected twist.
Additionally, the way in which we use our homes has changed. The day where we sit down to dine in a dining room and work in our office at our desk are over. Family homes are getting smaller and as generations shift, what we want from our homes has changed. We want our homes to be more agile and adapt to changing lifestyles. This means we require more flexibility, more years of usability, and want to reduce the need for frequent replacements. With this, modular and multifunctional furniture has taken front stage.
Modular sofas are becoming more and more popular as they can be personalised to suit a space, but also rearranged for future renovations or even moving homes. Dining tables that can extend to fit the whole family at christmas, but can be stored away to fit into a nook for a perch for morning coffee are also more in demand.
The ways we use our outdoor space have also changed. We now expect our gardens to be an extension of our living rooms and kitchens, ‘taking the indoors out’. When we take this back to the concept of rewilding, we almost need to think of our homes as a living breathing ecosystem, ever-changing to adapt to the needs of the environment.
How can we best support this with our purchases? If we are to truly embrace the concept of rewilding in our homes and furniture, we must move beyond superficial trends and make sustainability the cornerstone of design. This means opting for quality over quantity and making considered purchases that are for the long term. We need to ask ourselves “how will this product age? Can it be repaired or repurposed for the future?”. We must be mindful of trends by avoiding filling our homes with fad products that quickly feel dated. That’s not to say we shouldn’t fill the homes with things we love but just focus on pieces that ‘spark joy’, fit with our own personal styles and are both versatile and timeless. Aswell as considering the space and the furniture itself, we need to do our own research and advocate for brands and designers that prioritise circular production, offering take-back schemes, repair services, and recyclable materials.
In today’s world of rampant overconsumption and consumerism, sustainable practices like ‘rewilding’ should be seen as a ‘North Star’ for how we can improve our practices in furniture and interior design.
I’d like to propose ‘rewilding’ as not just a concept to restore natural habitats but as an invitation to rethink how we design for our own habitats. By integrating rewilding principles into design for furniture and interiors, we can create spaces that honour the planet, foster wellbeing, and stand the test of time. When I work on my next project, I will embrace these rewilding principles to create products that emulate harmony with the natural world, the true source of everyday inspiration.
