As spring starts to – uhm, spring – we start thinking of adding decorating touches that are fresh and lively. One great motif that never really goes out of style are florals.
Image: Mjolk
It doesn’t even matter what type you use. Victorian overwrought floral patterns are just as complimentary as photo-realistic textiles of natural grasslands. You can even mix clashing styles together, as long as you recognize the basics of design. Try to match colours, balance vibrant patterns with neutrals, and don’t use too much of any one design.
One of my enduring favourites are the floral patterns from Scandinavia in the 70s. Bold, bright and with a little exuberance of the hippie movement, these patterns work well in the kitchen. They are great for durable family dishware and for adding accents to a modernist kitchen with hanging tea towels.
Wallpaper – once almost a bad word – has begun to make a comeback. And this means that floral wallpaper has returned. The big flowers for wallpaper are peonies, orchids and hydrangea. Floral wallpaper works best with a big neutral sofa. Vice versa, if you have reupholstered your couch in a floral pattern, you might want to just paint your walls.
The newest floral patterns are more modern, funky and bold: think of big, repeating variations on Victorian patterns, or stylized silhouettes of flowers. Cottagey looks, although acceptable, are not as cutting edge. However, with the advent of free-cycling and vintage, these fine prints with Persian rug-levels of complexity and flat, sophisticated colours are great indicators of a piece’s age. Consider putting an arm chair or two with patterns like this in your living room, and then throwing a bold, two-tone floral pillow on it’s seat.
As I said, floral patterns are pretty timeless – we keep coming back to them over and over again. But like all good things, they should only be enjoyed in moderation. I’ve seen homes become floral nightmares because of the endless repetition. Always balance your home’s floral motifs with a lot of other design elements, and careful use of neutrals.
Perhaps the simplest, cheapest and best way to add florals to your home is to go for the real thing: a fresh vase of daisies will do more to add charm to your room than an expensive reno. And when you get bored of them, you can easily choose something new!
Heleen Jacobsen
Broker of Record with InfoMarket Group GMAC Real Estate
www.infomarketgroup.com
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