In 1964, Formica showcased the possibilities of their product with the World’s Fair House in Flushing Meadow, Queens, New York: “Made entirely of Formica® brand laminate, the World’s Fair House celebrated the spirit of America with an array of cheerful decorator colors on every surface. Formica Corporation also built one hundred and sixty-seven regional variations of its easy-care ‘House of the Future’.” Since that time, I think it’s fair to say that Formica has declined in popularity—especially in the kitchen, which is now dominated by stone and tough composites like Corian. But Formica’s New Realism Collection may gain the company some fresh disciples.

Dogbone. Designed by Formica.

Industrial Patterns, Organic Patterns

The new patterns, as you might surmise, are intended to replicate (or pay tribute to) the finishes of other objects: roads, fibers, shells. Dogbone, for instance, repeats bone or rattle-shaped images, giving a three-dimensional feeling to its diagonal layout. It’s like a contemporary take on a classic houndstooth (pun intended). Warp depicts wavy lines that look as organic as a pile of pine needles. The freeform design refers to nature—from forest to ocean floor (sand sculpted by waves) to skin (magnified by microscope). Other patterns in Formica’s New Realism Collection are more industrial: Geo resembles an areal view of labyrinthine highways or metropolitan roads; it also looks like the intricate patterns of certain corals; or the complex web of a giraffe’s “spots.” The interesting thing about these new offerings from Formica is their duality: they employ patterns that are organic and industrial all at once—it simply depends on the lens with which you view them.

Warp. Designed by Formica.

Geo. Designed by Formica.

Via Contract.