Tina Worboys | Jan 18, 2024
Ok so it’s not true wilderness but it sums up what I do, what drives me and what I love.
Design inspired by, and created hand in hand with nature. Our deep connection to the natural world is there, no matter how hidden it is under commutes and concrete. When you get it right, that deep connection triggers something in us, even moving some to tears, as I’ve discovered on more than one occasion.
I have an absolute passion for great design, in all its forms. Whether that’s in the garden, interiors, branding, typography or fashion, I love it! It’s what I’ve spent my life studying, working in and honing my skills in. From designing clothes and my own magazines as a child to my years experimenting at art college (with art!), my years working on small start ups to global brands to studying interior design and decoration at Chelsea. Yes I’ve been to a lot of art schools. But it was there, and working in industry, that I dived into design and all the psychologies at play when we communicate visually. How to tweak a colour to trigger a certain response, how a texture can evoke a mood or an image or shape can whisk you to another time or land. How a slight difference underfoot can alter your breath or a change in direction can surprise or delight.
What I thought would be all about creating beautiful outside spaces for folks to enjoy has turned into a journey of ecological discovery and a whole new visual language. When you realise what’s at play beneath the soil, the world of insects and systems depending on a single piece of earth and the cascade effect of even the tiniest change, you realise this job is far beyond the aesthetic.
That doesn’t mean simply rewilding every space (although if you can face it I’ll back you 100%) or recreating wilderness (again, please do) but it’s about taking inspiration from nature and running wild with it. It’s about loosening our hold on nature, letting it breath and live a little more freely. Letting nature be the inspiration and you the curator. Together the results and benefits can be extraordinary. It really is ‘feel good design’ .
So join me in these posts on my journey through the natural world and the design world. I’ll include designer’s insider tricks, creative inspirations, seasonal to dos and observations, ecological news and insights, sustainability tips and much more. Hopefully you’ll feel inspired and confident to experiment in your outside space. Trust me, it feels good.
Do you know a design lover who’s stuck when it comes to the garden, or a gardener nervous of where to start? Why not share this post and bring them along for the journey too.
