Some numbers just… feel right. The Fibonacci sequence is one of them.
You’ve seen it, even if you don’t know its name. It appears in pinecones, pineapples, spiral staircases, seed patterns, and seashells. And when applied in design, it makes things look natural, even when they’re not.
So what is it, exactly?
The Fibonacci sequence is a simple pattern of numbers: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21…
Each number is the sum of the two before it. But here’s the twist: as the numbers increase, the ratio between them approaches the Golden Ratio, that mysterious 1.618 that seems to make things pleasing to the eye.
Interior designers, architects, and artists have quietly used this sequence for centuries. Not because it’s trendy or spiritual or mathematically elegant (though it’s all three), but because it works. It feels balanced. It calms the chaos. I always use it myself when I design a room.
Fibonacci in Action: A Living Room Example: Want to try using the Fibonacci sequence in your own space? Here's a simple way to start:
Imagine you're designing a living room wall with a combination of artwork and shelving. Using the Fibonacci numbers (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21...), you could:
- Choose a base unit of measurement (let's say 20,32cm)
- Hang your main artwork at 86,36 cm wide (8 × 4.25, approximating the Golden Ratio)
- Place a shelf that's 53,34 cm wide beneath it
- Add two smaller decorative pieces that are 33,02 cm and 20,32 cm wide respectively
- Space these elements 12,7 cm apart
This creates a composition where each element relates to the others following nature's proportions. The largest piece draws the eye first, while the smaller elements create a natural visual flow.
In a room, this might mean proportions between furniture and wall space. In a building, it might shape the relationship between height and width. In a layout, it might guide where your eye lands first, second, and third - and whether it feels satisfying or slightly... off.
The Fibonacci spiral - often seen in nautilus shells or sunflower heads - has also inspired furniture, lighting, and even garden layouts. Not because someone had a geometry textbook open, but because nature’s proportions make instinctive sense. Experiment and you will feel it.
And maybe that’s what we’re always chasing in design: the illusion of inevitability.
That sense that a space couldn’t be any other way. That it fits. Exactly. And it can take a while until you reach this state. In our last house it took 2 years until everything seemed perfect. We sold it in a week despite difficult circumstances.
If you’ve ever walked into a room and felt it just worked, without knowing why, the Fibonacci ratio may be quietly behind it.
Curious how nature shapes our interiors in ways we rarely notice?
Read the post: Design Lessons from Nature – How Biomimicry Is Shaping Our Homes
written by Helen M. Krauss