Most patterns that we see in nature are arbitrary while some others have ingeniously evolved with time. Unlike our houses and pieces of furniture, nature does not prefer linear or rectilinear geometry. Contrastingly, our environment is an amalgamation of various shapes, colours, textures, aromas, lighting, etc. Each of these properties acts as stimulus for our bodies and when we react to them, distinct experiences are created! Our minds memorize these experiences and associate them with this set of stimuli. We don’t have to think to feel the difference between being at a beach and a rain-forest given that we have experienced both previously.

That also means that our perception of a rain-forest will be different from that of yours. You might hate it because the associated experience might not be to your liking. A good architect would discern these preferences from you. Once, your unique taste has been identified, it is time to populate your home with objects that generate associated stimuli. You might be better suited to do most of this yourself than a professional. But:

“The backdrop to reminisce the experiences you love requires the creation of an Ambience”

This might require competent professional help! For creating an Ambience, more important than shapes are all other properties of materials mentioned before. But, the most important parameter is that of Intensity. At any given point in time, one of the emotions we feel usually dominates the rest. So to feel happy, the intensity of joy must trump others like anger, fear or sadness. Similarly, if we are to create a specific Ambience, we need to stress on the stimuli that make you feel so.

For example, to bring our lives closer to nature, we need to replicate the random patterns & textures such as those of stone, wood or soil, the scent and colours associated with our experiences of nature, an adequate number of plants, lighting to emphasize these properties and so on. The key is to focus on the stimuli that evoke as many of our senses as possible. Making something look is different from making it feel a certain way.