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How much pattern can a room take?
May 1, 2017
So, you’re looking to jazz up a space, but perhaps you’re tired of the same old ways of going about it – a statement couch, colour blocking or new cushions just not cutting it? Patterns could be your answer (or your problem)! There is a fine line between too much and too little when it comes to spicing up your room with patterns.
Just how much can a room take and what are some of our interior design tips on making patterns work for your space?
Determine your favourite colour palette first
One of the most important basics when decorating with patterns is deciding on a colour palette that will bring all your elements together – ultimately determining what will look chic and balanced, versus what will look garish and, well, unbalanced!
Colour palettes to choose from include going with a warm or cold set of colours as your base, then picking a maximum of two accent colours to deliver a little bit of character. It’s also advisable to go with a neutral background colour – a white or a cream on your walls, in this way your room can withstand stripes, polka dots, chevron stripes or all three without an overabundance for the eyes!
Mix up the scale of your patterns
It’s good to remember that a space can withstand both large and small scale size patterns – so don’t be afraid of mixing up large, dominant prints in artworks and smaller scale prints in accent pillows and other textiles. The more variety in the scale of your patterns will ultimately help to make your room warmer and more inviting.
Mimic your favourite pattern in your décor
Great news! If done tastefully, your room can handle both prints in your artworks and on your walls and in your décor! As mentioned in our first tip, the general rule-of-thumb is to start off with a neutral colour on your walls and flooring, then layer bold prints in either a rug, your curtains or a few key pieces of furniture. You can then bring smaller scale versions of your favourite prints into your bedding, on accent pillows and even lamp shades – gingham stripes, plaid or polka dots – mix them all, but don’t forget the neutral base!
Introduce patterns from your recent travels
Jetting off on any travels soon? Your space is craving an introduction to the amazing fabrics and textiles you can find along your travels. Try decorating your room with solid coloured hues, then introduce beautifully patterned fabrics with scattered pieces of African art in ethnic or native prints to create character you’ll absolutely love!
Wallpaper – no longer a thing of the past!
Patterns are not only restricted to textiles and paint these days – wallpaper could be your next inspiration when introducing pattern and colour to your space. Wallpaper allows you to showcase a love for a certain pattern in either an unreservedly flamboyant or tastefully subtle way, without overshadowing the rest of your room’s furnishings.
In order to not overwhelm your room, make sure to use a bold print wallpaper on an accent wall only, while ensuring the other walls use a smaller print or neutral paint colour, helping to keep your space balanced and on-trend!
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Back in March of 2020, Bianca and Jana were dusting off their Fez’s and grabbing the pashminas out of storage in preparation to Rock the Casbah! However, as we all know and vividly remember - with March, came the eventual Covid shutdown, and instead of frolicking down the Moroccan streets, we all shut ourselves inside and watched the days tick by… 3 Years later, and now we can finally say - with conviction - that they’re going to Morocco at the start of September! This blog, filled with excitement and curiosity about all the weird and wonderful curios they might find, and endless sourcing they’ll do, stays as a reminder that sometimes plans change, things go awry and there’s not much you can do about it other than persevere - and that we did! So, here’s Bianca and Jana’s innermost thoughts about the trip, 3 years before it came to fruition, enjoy :) We've got our passports out and Jana has already picked out what she's going to wear each day… Come March [September] we'll be heading north with Air France to the Kingdom of Morocco, bright eyed and bushy tailed as we make our base in the ancient city of Marrakesh (also known as Marrakech to the French, but we're not French, so we'll go with the English version until all that fuss about Brexit is sorted out) - This turned into a year long negotiations trade, and now us outsiders would pay nearly double what we used to if we visit the UK - thankfully our flight is direct!! We'll be looking for inspiration and will be investigating what's there that we could possibly bring back to The Hoed. We can't wait to experience the atmosphere and afro-arabic influences of this amazing place as we visit the celebrated souks and off-the-beaten track artists and craftsmen that make Marrakesh so special. We're desperate to see the beautifully hand-crafted furniture, textiles, fabrics, rugs, carpets, objets d'art, accessories, lighting… anything that catches our eye and could possibly be brought back south. Berber mats and rugs are definitely on our list, as are the kind of furnishings you might find in a gorgeous Bedouin tent. If you think about it, the Bedouin refined the art of "glamping" into an artform - fabulous carpets on the ground, soft, billowing fabrics hung here and there, plump cushions spread on the ground, intricate leatherwork and carved wood, patinated metal… Total Glamping vibes! We just love all of it and will be tracking as much of it down as we can. We'll also have an eye or three out for wonderful ceramics and glassware and wonderful lamps that give off soft, filtered light. For us it's about workmanship, so we'll hopefully be finding the people who make furniture and ceramics using techniques that have been passed down over countless generations meaning that everything we look at will have its own, and its own special story. Our mission is to share those stories with you and, if it's feasible, bring some of that special workmanship home to the Rainbow Nation. We're most definitely inspired and are sure this is going to be a truly special trip! Counting the sleeps till then! Less than a month to go now - we will be keeping the updates going on our social channels as well as another few blog posts to explain in detail our wild adventures - Stay tuned!
A safari theme never really runs out of viewing time and is particularly popular for interiors at the moment. The warm, earthy tones give a sense of comfort and the accessories offer the anticipation of travel and adventure.
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