Interior designers demonstrate how to decorate with pattern
Decorating with pattern can be challenging – there are so many scales and styles to choose from and an infinity of colourways out there. How much pattern does a room need, and if multiple patterns are in play, are there any foolproof ways to combine them? There's no need to stick to one particular type of pattern in your decorating – florals can play nicely with geometrics and a whole range of designs can help a room to feel layered and inviting. For this edition of ‘Design Ideas’, our decoration team have chosen 11 brilliant examples from interior designers to show how it's done – bookmark these ideas to steal.
Haris Kenjar1/11Add layer upon layer (upon layer)
In this attic bedroom in San Francisco, designer Heidi Caillier has used a mix of prints to create an inviting atmosphere. An antique rug and bedcover in deep tones have been combined with wallpapers and fabrics in a restrained palette. ‘Centenary’ wallpaper by Bennison Fabrics lines the ceiling, while Jasper Fabrics’ ‘Devonshire’ linen and ‘Dutch Stripe’ hemp from Michael S Smith cover the walls and chairs.
Joaquín Laguinge2/11Balance florals with geometrics and stripes
In a small anteroom to the much grander Russian Room in the 16th-century Château Montalembert, an ornate scroll-framed alcove has been lined in pink and white striped silk. It provides an eye-catching backdrop for the antique pen-and-ink family tree that hangs above a sofa covered in ‘Roses Tchekhonine’ cotton by Décors Barbares. Both fabrics work well with the chequerboard pattern of the 18th-century parquet floor.
Alicia Taylor3/11‘Wheat Flower’ linen by Bennison Fabrics provides floor-to-ceiling pattern in this bathroom scheme from House & Garden’s decoration pages. The same fabric is repeated on a folding screen for a clever camouflage effect. ‘Greek Key’ floor tiles from Popham Design and The Water Monopoly’s ‘Rockwell’ bath pick up on the brown and blue tones of ‘Wheat Flower’ while offsetting its detailed foliate design.
Simon Upton4/11In this bedroom at Houghton Hall in Norfolk, Flora Soames has covered faded floral wallpaper with sheer fabric in place of a bed canopy. Two fabrics from her own collection – ‘Plain Stripe’ on the eiderdown and lampshade, and ‘Broken Stripe Poplin’ on the valance, both in the ruby colourway – complement the pretty pink wallpaper and add impact to the scheme.
Boz Gagovski5/11When restoring their Périgord chateau, antique dealer James Jackson and his husband consulted toile expert Christopher Moore, who has a collection of historic designs. ‘Fragonard’ was chosen for the walls, bedcover and canopy here. It is contrasted by the canopy lining in ‘Ondine’, piping in a similar yellow-green and Farrow & Ball’s ‘Olive’ on the door, introducing the palette for the en-suite bathroom.
Matthieu Salvaing6/11A panoramic wallcovering can provide the perfect starting point for a decorative scheme. In this bedroom designed by Laura Gonzalez, ‘White Blossom’ by Iksel Decorative Arts inspired the palette. Its warm copper tones are echoed by a Pinton rug – its pattern reminiscent of fallen blossom – as well as by the velvet and woven fabrics on the cushions.
Vincent Leroux7/11Martin Brudnizki has used an Aubusson-style tapestry as an elegant bed canopy in this room at Parisian hotel Le Grand Mazarin. Reproduced in jacquard by Art de Lys, it is the basis for the vibrant colour scheme. With green walls, yellow and orange upholstery, and a bright rug, the bedroom offers a fresh and contemporary take on traditional French style.
Simon Upton8/11Known to throw decorative caution to the wind, Rachel Chudley opted for velvet walls in her own bathroom – ‘Bezique Flamestitch’ on one wall and green performance velvet on the others, both from Schumacher. ‘I wouldn’t ask a client to open all the windows after having a bath,’ says Rachel. ‘But it’s worth it here.’ The veined marble bath surround and a chair in a distinctive blue print add pattern and texture.
Simon Upton9/11Embrace a pared-back approach to pattern
The combination of patterns in this sitting room by Robert Kime is a lesson in masterful restraint. The late, great decorator has used variations on a mother of pearl shade – inspired by a chimneypiece elsewhere in the room – for the walls, sofa upholstery and lampshades. His client’s collection of Japanese artwork brings in reds and blues, which he then picked up in the rug and upholstery, using some fabrics from his own collection.
Owen Gale10/11Brown and yellow make fine bedfellows in this scheme by Joanna Plant. The stripes on the rug, lamp, and headboard by Ensemblier are the foundation for a rich, earthy scheme, with curtains in Rose Cumming’s ‘Camille’ linen from Tissus d’Hélène, and a toning suzani bedcover.
Mark Anthony Fox11/11A few judiciously placed antique textile fragments can provide all the pattern a room needs. Remy Renzullo has arranged an intriguing display in a corner of his Islington flat, which includes: a 19th-century textile from the Dodecanese; a piece of 18th-century silk lampas used to highlight the framed picture; and a fragment of Sicilian cut velvet. The sandy paint colour on the walls is an excellent choice when displaying antique textiles, as they often have a yellowish ground.
