Shiplap paneled walls and monochromatic white surfaces are not everyone’s cup of tea. Others are getting tired of everything being all about farmhouse style. Interior designers from around the world are sharing how they are ready for something new: they are embracing patterns.
Pattern inspirations are coming from the past, the environment, geometrics, and the maker movement. Geometrics, simple botanicals, Art Deco designs, abstract art, world heritage, vintage old-world tiles, and terrazzo are some of the patterns being used in tiles, wallpaper, and fabrics.
Patterned Tiles
Using both updated printing processes and relief impressions, tile companies are providing consumers with more options than ever before.
Patterned tiles in black and white, shades of blue, or multi-colors bring a touch of the old world into a home. These tiles make us think of Spanish cathedrals and California haciendas. Used as a backsplash they create drama, and on a floor, they are a focal point.
Marble is still a hot commodity and this includes marble-look tiles. Options range from small mosaic tiles, to geometric patterns, to large format tiles.
Geometric patterns and Art Deco influences can also be found in new tile options. These make a statement, draw the eye, create texture, and bring a dash of glitz.
Wallpaper Options
Wallpapers are being inspired by botanicals, abstract art, and English country fabrics — like Chinoiserie, which is based on ancient Asian art forms.
Botanicals and English country fabrics are a way to bring the outside in. They have an organic quality that forges a feeling of calm.
More and more designers use wallpapers to develop a sense of emotion upon entering a room. Mood is just as important as form and texture in constructing a perfect room design. The right sense of feeling instilled in the design of a room can make it relaxing or invigorating, casual or formal.
The best part of many new wallpapers and murals is that they are much easier to install. New adhesives make them removable, like a large sticky note. So, if you get tired of a design, it can be removed with less fuss than in the past.
Inspired Fabrics
A more budget-conscious way of adding pattern to a room is with fabric. Pillows, a framed hand-painted silk scarf or woven fabric, and rugs offer additional ways to bring pattern into a room.
Printed or woven fabrics can create a focal point in a room. Boldly patterned pillows on a solid, neutral-colored couch can draw the eye. A large vintage printed silk scarf framed in a simple frame is another way to add panache.
The right area rug can break a large room with wood floors into smaller, more intimate spaces. But, instead of using an Oriental rug, today’s designers are using more modern styles, like one with an arabesque print. Or a geometric print. To learn more about patterned carpet, check out “How Can Patterned Carpet Reshape Your Home?”
Expanding Design with Fabrics
For those who are timid or experimenting with prints, small splashes of color can be brought into a room with the right print on a pillow or a throw. Those who are more daring can use them to cover an accent wall or an entire floor.
The mural of a forest of birch trees can make an inner room feel like you are in the great outdoors, while a small print can make a boring bedroom room feel like an elegant English country manor.
Bold or simple, patterns, when used with purpose, give a room a feeling of completeness, and interest. For a minimalist, the pattern may seem to be fading with time, and for a bohemian feel, play with primary colors. There is a rainbow of options in between, just make a wish.
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