Is there Poetry in Pattern?

October 28, 2014 by Scott Waldron

Meeting with a client last week has got me into quite a conundrum...

Is it fair for the designer to push pattern onto a client, whilst in their own world of soft grey and taupe they can sit back and relax as their pattern heavy designs cause havoc in the rolling hills of the English countryside?

Over the past year or so I have always longed for the geometric chair in the loud as loud fabric, or the floral drapes that take you back to afternoons around your nans (even then secretly thinking that fabric would look better with a leading edge or on a chair with some piping!)

But I have still played safe with the neutral chair and the accent cushion… we have all done it . But maybe now is the time to be brave, be bold, be barmy! Out there are some wonderful fabrics, wallpapers, carpets, you name it - You can have it .

Here are just 3 small general rules of thumb….. when I work with pattern.

1. Keeping the main pattern to a large scale area , such as walling or flooring . This could be a daringly decadent wallpaper over all walls ….. or a stunningly sexy carpet . Both of these can then be balanced out with a simple plain natural sofa or paint colours.
2. When using patterned fabrics for curtains and blinds – have a think about how you can compliment the main fabric with a simple block colour fabric. Such as a leading edge on a pair of curtains in a soft velvet , or plain piping around the edge of the cushion . These small tricks tend to add to fabrics what full stops add to sentences. It gives you time to take it in.
3. Another area I love to use pattern is on lampshades . All too often lampshades play second fiddle to the lamp base. Not any more . With many suppliers now being able to cover your plain white shade in the fabric of your choice. This is a great way to add impact and statement to a room without going the whole hog !

I for one am decided on using more pattern in my own home, bold, brave, maybe a tad barmy… but that’s the designers perogative right? 

Ps. For anyone who read the blog last week on the wreath … well its Halloween this week, so chuck on a few baby pumpkins and some black ribbon and you are all good to go.