August Pattern – Ondine

August Pattern – Ondine

Ondine, the next décor to feature in our 110 anniversary, captured the psychedelic aesthetic of the 1960s with its fluid, water-like effects.

The psychedelic art movement had an effect not only on music, but also on many aspects of popular culture and interiors. 

The 1963 Ondine pattern was named for a water nymph in French mythology, Undine. With its swirling colours and ripple effects, it captured the dynamic forces of the Age of Aquarius beautifully. 

Ondine was designed by in-house Formica^® laminate engineers playing with a marbelising process that wasn’t publicised at the time. 

According to a redacted press release later unearthed in the American Smithsonian Museum, the team put paint drops into a water bath and swirled them into distinctive configurations. They then laid paper over the wet pigments to create a nonrepeating design.

Ondine was a predecessor to nonrepeat and larger repeat patterns, including the popular 180fx^® & TrueScale laminate collections introduced in 2009 and 2010. More recent fluid looks include White Painted Marble and Black Painted Marble which will feature in the new Formica^® Patterns collection launching soon in Europe and the Watercolor Series which were also created using a similar process. 

Learn more about Ondine in this video: