Inspired by Nature
Josef Frank also advocated the importance of interiors centred around human well-being – that furnishings should be flexible and adapted to individual needs. Frank wanted to incorporate the colours and forms of nature into his interiors so that people could breathe and experience a sense of freedom, even in enclosed spaces.
The same approach shaped Josef Frank’s patterns. He held strong views on the psychological power of pattern and believed that a plain surface appears unsettling, while a patterned one has a calming effect. Inspired by nature and by the botanical interest that had followed him since childhood, Frank developed his pattern design during the 1920s by composing a flora of his own. Here, tulips, roses, violets and forget-me-nots were combined with imaginary flowers, often rendered with a slightly expressionistic touch.
