by Linda Mazur
Are you’re looking to elevate your décor? Playing with patterns is a great way to achieve that upscale, polished, well-appointed look in your home. But there’s more to this than just mixing fabrics, it’s a careful blending of colours, textures, finishes, scales and even a bit of styles. So where do you start?
As a designer, I have quite often found that many of us when rejuvenating a space and playing with pattern will focus mostly on the décor of that particular room. However, certain more permanent features throughout the room should be given equal if not greater attention when considering pattern throughout a space. Addressing the addition of pattern to flooring, walls or ceilings design allows me to create a long-lasting visual impact within my client’s homes. These days we have such an endless selection of flooring possibilities in an abundance of patterns. From hand-scraped flooring which plays on the textures in your room to a beautiful herringbone patterned hardwood that exudes a fantastic vintage feel in your surroundings, basket-weave marble tile to a boho inspired floor tile the pattern selections available today can play an integral part of your overall design plan. When you’re experimenting with pattern remember that all aspects of the space are crucial and require consideration; this could be features like your flooring, millwork, fireplace surround or even hardware…pat tern play is not just about fabrics.
Once you’ve selected your primary patterns, be it for your floors, windows or perhaps even a great wallpaper, then move forward and add in other patterns for some of the less dominant areas of your room. When working with patterns at this point, more than likely in fabrics, pay attention to your colour scheme and textures, remembering to maintain a commonality throughout. You should also be selecting patterns of different sizes using both large and small scale to add variety and interest. Bold impactful colours will always make a statement in any room, however a more subdue colour scheme can also be dramatic. If you are more comfortable keeping to a rather monochromatic colour palette then look to incorporate a variety of textured fabrics and finishes, you may even want to incorporate some metallic tones, to create a calm yet interesting aesthetic in your space. Fabrics are a key element when introducing patterns into a room and a great Canadian source, which I quite often turn to, is Alendel Fabrics. They offer a vast array of patterns that will undoubtedly inspire you.
Add some personality to your décor by incorporating not only a variety of patterns but also blending together styles of furniture to accomplish the look and feel you desire; just make sure when mixing styles that they relate to the space and to each other. Combining different styles is a great way to elevate your décor. This not only pertains to furniture but also all other aspects of your room. A bold geometric fretwork patterned rug could be just the thing to complement a more traditionally inspired living room design, whereas, a large scaled damask wallpaper can juxtapose beautifully in a modern loft setting.
Add a bit of edge to your designs and make your rooms come alive. The layering of colour, the contrast of texture and finishes, the interest of varying styles and the play on patterns all blend together to prevent a room from becoming too sedated. So whether its toiles or damasks, fretwork or coffered ceilings, herringbone flooring or marble fireplace surrounds, have fun with patterns and create a space that is not only satisfying but visually impressive!