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Monday Inspiration: Beautiful Rooms

A riot of pattern and colour for you this week – well mostly – and if there’s no pattern and not much colour then there’s texture. So important, so often overlooked. Let’s dive in with this wonderful floral wallpaper:

image via josh and tonic using Jannah wallpaper by Warner House 1870
image via josh and tonic using Jannah wallpaper by Warner House 1870

This pattern, which comes in seven colourways and includes an indoor velvet and a linen, an outdoor fabric and even a £10 notebook if you’re not decorating but just want to look at it, is based around the Indian Tree of Life patterns that were hugely sought after during the 18th century. This image also shows you how well the paper stands out against the purple paint but you could use any of the colours within it and if you prefer to stay neutral then it’s fine to go with the background colour but make sure you match it as it’s not white.

Warner has recently relaunched, but is a company that dates back to the 16th century Huguenot scarlet dyers, who in 1685 escaped persecution and the Edict of France fleeing to Spitalfields in London. The company has woven silk for every coronation since 1902, was commissioned for the Titanic and helped supply Morris & Co and The White House, when Eleanor Roosevelt was redecorating.

headboard design by Poh Maluna for @lucyjbridge
headboard design by Poh Maluna for @lucyjbridge

Now this stopped me in my scrolling tracks. The headboard is such a great opportunity to make a statement in a room and you can take it with you if you rent. This is by Margate-based Poh Maluna and was apparently sparked by an image on Pinterest that was a similar shape but the pink edges were painted onto the wall. Go and check them out and get in touch to have your own ideas made real. You’ll be helping a small business at the same time. I’m not even sure I’ve got my own idea I just want this.

poochi wallpaper by divine savages in black
poochi wallpaper by divine savages in black

Now the next two images are from the new collection of wallpaper by Divine Savages who have reimagined flock with this twist on the classic polka dot – when you look closely it’s a little dancing dog. And this raises an important point when it comes to choosing wallpaper.

Often we fall in love with a pattern on a sample but when you see it all over a wall the design looks different and might, from a distance, create shapes that you don’t want. Small, intricate designs that look so delicate up close can become slightly dizzying from afar. When I have used wallpaper I have spent hours looking for floral motifs that trail all over the wall rather than end up looking like a collection of disconnected bouquets which my brain tries to make into recognisable shapes. I blame the blue and white curtains in my bedroom at my Grandmother’s house growing up which would form themselves into gargoyles at night before reverting to perfectly acceptable flowers in the morning.

Of course, everyone must chose what they want, but do remember to check the overall effect from near and far. This is a classic example. I might not choose a paper with a dog on but when seen from a distance it’s rather gorgeous and is less distracting to the eye than spots might be but the flock texture gives it interest. And in black velvet it’s just incredibly luxurious.

poochi wallpaper by divine savages in creme
poochi wallpaper by divine savages in creme

And here is another of their designs – the classic crane fonda, which I have featured before, but here in a soft metallic copper, which is beautiful with the soft pink ceiling. And you can see here how the pattern, intricate close up, is quite bold and linear from a distance. For another great example of how patterns change look at their Cat-itude. Close up the cat is very detailed (and slightly fierce?) but from a distance you mostly see a textured background with the metallic martini glasses just catching the light which has the effect of making an intense design mostly about the light and shapes from a distance but gives you plenty to examine close up.

crane fonda metallic wallpaper by divine savages
crane fonda metallic wallpaper by divine savages

Finally Anna Hayman’s designs are always a delight and her latest, Vittoria is no exception. It looks faintly like tiles in this setting but it would also work well on a bathroom ceiling … that’s a conversation that in progress over here in The Mad House by the way. Do have a look at her site for more sumptuous patterns – I particularly like Showgirl and LouLou Rose.

vittoria wallpaper by anna hayman
vittoria wallpaper by anna hayman

And that, as they saying goes, is all folks. Do drop back tomorrow for my post on tips for buying furniture online and if you just swung by on the off chance you can always subscribe here so you never miss a post (four a week with sponsored content on Wednesdays only).

 

Kate Watson-Smyth

The author Kate Watson-Smyth

I’m a journalist who writes about interiors mainly for The Financial Times but I have also written regularly for The Independent and The Daily Mail. My house has been in Living Etc, HeartHome and featured in The Wall Street Journal & Corriere della Sera. I also run an interior styling consultancy Mad About Your House. Welcome to my Mad House.

3 Comments

  1. Very well timed (for me anyway!) We’ve finally said goodbye to our 45 year old boiler and at last we can refresh the kitchen and not have to work around a hunk of metal in the corner.
    Loving some of these choices and am totally inspired by Sophie Robinson’s bold wall in her kitchen

  2. That headboard Poh Maluna is an invitation for the family to cuddle in bed and watch tv. But the little person should be in the middle. Daddy is the tall one, and Mummy needs to lose a few pounds. Cheers from Canada!

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