Patterns

ALL ABOUT THE PATTERN

by Claire Bingham

First things first, color and pattern = pizzazz. It’s empowering. For anyone who likes to walk into a room and have their eyes dart around like fireflies, a deft use of pattern is key. We’re accustomed to bold colors being used in a room to define a mood or make a style statement. However, a splash of eye-catching wallpaper, a checkered two-tone floor, or a piece of furniture upholstered in zebra stripes, is enough to enliven a space, whether large or small. The beauty of pattern is that it keeps a space evolving. If you have a room that needs a boost, a new rug, cushion, or throw can make all the difference. It lifts the room and brings a smile.

A PASSION FOR PATTERN

Our appreciation for bold, decorative interiors is a two-fold thing. First, it is a counterpoint to the Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetic for simple and minimalist spaces. Secondly, the use of patterns is a way to create a uniquely memorable interior. Pattern can be low key. Or it can be daring. Pattern can make a home feel simultaneously current and classic. Whatever the predilection for pattern is, the use of print is a way to express individuality perhaps more than anything else.

Learning to layer patterns has become extremely fashionable with rooms increasingly filled with floral designs, a stripe or an ikat. Interior designers the world over—Kelly Wearstler, Beata Heuman and Martin Brudnizki, to name a few—are experts at layering and will happily mix graphic prints that aren’t natural bedfellows. Color or pattern type: there will always be something that unifies the scheme.

When it comes to mixing patterns, London interior designer Susan Deliss says: “I don’t believe in received wisdom about color combinations, except for red and green, which always looks Christmassy. Beyond that, I don’t follow the rules of the color wheel and I avoid using grey. Pattern depends a lot on scale and the quality of design. I like to tie whatever patterns I am using to the building I am using them in.”

PRINT REVIVAL

The popularity of pattern in our homes continues a long tradition of textile design. The 19 th century master of maximalism William Morris inspires homes today and his vibrant, nature-filled prints are as in demand as ever. Archival prints such as Strawberry Thief, designed in 1883, are a firm favorite at London’s

Liberty, a store long associated with pattern, maximalism and nostalgia. For Liberty, and other heritage brands alike, décor is moving forward while drawing inspiration from the world of folk and craft. It’s comforting. In a post-pandemic world, the need for comfort is essential to our well-being—and much of that involves having fun.

Color and print combinations reach peak playfulness at Swedish interior design brand Svenskt Tenn, who champion mid-century printed linens by Viennese architect and furniture designer Josef Frank. Dense with flowers, fruits, and birds, Frank’s wildly colorful prints add joie de vivre to any sofa or window frame.

As do the contemporary patterned tablescapes of JJ Martin, the vivacious founder of Italian clothing and homeware brand La DoubleJ. Or the extra wide red- and white-striped fabrics by London interior firm Buchanan Studio. All these designs are distilled through a lens of pure joy, which goes a long way to explaining their appeal. If something makes people feel good and happy, it will naturally attract them.

PLAYING WITH PRINT

The warmth and personality is all in the mix. But how do you successfully pick patterns that work in harmony? For those who are cautious about color, start with a neutral base and introduce abstracts in black and white. Pattern will add interest to this muted palette.

Wallpaper also brings a lot to a room. It can be a background canvas as much as a dominant feature. It provides an extra layer of depth. Don’t forget that small scale designs harmonize with bolder prints. It doesn’t have to be a pattern explosion on every single surface (but it also can be too).

King and Queen of maximalist decor, House of Hackney are renowned for their multicolored and joyful mismatched patterns. For husband-and-wife founders Frieda Gormley and Javvy M Royle, leopard print is a neutral and works in harmony alongside a damask pattern in gold and blue. They will happily encase an entire room from top to toe and the result is magic. “We love a heady mix of patterned wallpapers and prints with richly painted woodwork and intricate tiling,” Frieda explains. “We’re all about being playful, but everything still needs to feel beautiful, never crazy, with a sense of symmetry that brings balance and calm. Everyone has their own taste so we’re really about no rules. Gravitate to what makes you happy.”

And if this happens to be patterned wallpaper on the ceiling? Why not. There is, however, a caveat: lookat-me ceilings are for the print confident pros.

Tartan (Plaid) SCHOTTENKARO

A pattern with a turbulent history

Few patterns are as associated with a particular nation and culture as the characteristic tartan, although the pattern was already worn in China over 3,000 years ago. It is created by weaving different colored threads and is used today not only in fashion (kilts, shirts), but increasingly for home textiles of all kinds. True tartan devotees can decorate a room with plaid-patterned wallpaper and upholstered chairs.

Ein Muster mit bewegter Geschichte

Kaum ein Muster ist so sehr verbunden mit einer bestimmten Nation und Kultur wie das charakteristische Schottenkaro, obwohl das Muster wohl schon vor über 3 000 Jahren in China getragen wurde. Es entsteht durch das Weben verschiedenfarbiger Fäden und wird heutzutage nicht nur in der Mode (Kilts, Hemden) verwendet, sondern zunehmend für Heimtextilien aller Art. Richtige Schottenkarofans können sich sogar die Wände damit tapezieren.

Fans of this pattern will surely find inspiration with brands such as MINDTHEGAP and The Tartan Blanket Co.

Freunde dieses Musters können sich bei Firmen wie MINDTHEGAP und The Tartan Blanket Co. inspirieren lassen.

The Frame Sofa by Beata Heuman is made of solid beech and looks elegant from all angles. This one is upholstered with a gingham-patterned fabric. Since Beata’s products are bespoke, customers can order the fabric of their choice.

Das Frame Sofa von Beata Heuman ist aus massiver Buche gefertigt und sieht aus allen Blickwinkeln elegant aus. Es ist mit einem karierten Stoff bezogen. Da die Produkte von Beata Heuman maßgeschneidert sind, können Kunden den Stoff ihrer Wahl bestellen.

Boho style meets Art Deco pattern.

Boho Style trifft Art-déco-Muster.

LEFT Soft and flowing, almost as if hand-painted, the bright ornament of the Hohenberger wallpaper Lisboa stands on a colored background. The wallpaper ornament references the azulejos, the famous Portuguese ceramic tiles.

RIGHT The classical pattern of Bella Notte’s Vienna collection is inspired by the Renaissance.

LINKS Weich und fließend, fast wie handgemalt, steht das helle Ornament der Hohenberger-Tapete Lisboa auf farbigem Grund. Das Tapetenornament zitiert die Azulejos, die berühmten portugiesischen Keramikfliesen. RECHTS Das klassische Muster der Vienna-Kollektion von Bella Notte ist von der Renaissance inspiriert.

If you want to bring the vacation feeling home, this wallpaper from the Gräflich Münster’sche Manufaktur, which even has the name “Beach Promenade,” is just the thing.

Wenn man das Urlaubsfeeling nach Hause holen möchte, ist diese Tapete von der Gräflich Münster’schen Manufaktur, die sogar den Namen „Strand Promenade” trägt, genau die Richtige.

Next pages Wedgwood-inspired suite at Casa Loma in Toronto, Canada.

Nächste Seiten Suite im Casa Loma in Toronto, Kanada, deren Gestaltung vom Wedgwood-Design inspiriert war.

From classic stripes to colorful floral motifs to abstract geometric forms and shapes. Patterns make a style statement in any home. This book is filled with inspirational interiors and products. For those eager to add more patterns to their homes, the index contains numerous brands and manufacturers of everything from wallpapers to tableware.

Von klassischen Streifen über farbenfrohe Blumenmotive bis hin zu abstrakten geometrischen Formen. Muster sorgen in jedem Interieur für das gewisse Etwas. Dieses Buch enthält Fotos inspirierender Räumlichkeiten und Produkte. Alle, die sofort mehr Muster in ihrem Zuhause haben wollen, finden im Index zahlreiche Hersteller und Designer für Produkte von der Tapete bis zum Geschirr.