Let the patterns speak

Patterns give your home a fresh look. There are a variety to choose from, the trick is achieving the right balance, writes Ruth Dsouza Prabhu.

There is a lot to pay attention to when you are working on the interiors of a room. The aesthetics, the style of furnishing, the décor elements have all got to be in harmony with one another to prevent your home decor from resembling a train wreck of sorts. While the colour palette you use in the room is important, the way you present it too can make a world of difference. From stripes and spots to splashes, blotches and abstract, the patterns or prints of colour you use in your home can be manipulated to serve your space the best.

When we speak of patterns for interior design, it is not restricted to your walls alone. They can be had on your curtains, your sofa-backs and even as embellishments on your coffee table. Your space can be open to interpretation that way. Shilpa S Srinivas Kumar, a city-based interior designer speaks about certain standards that exist for using patterns. She says, “Generally, in rooms with a lower ceiling height, vertical stripes are used on wall papers to give the illusion of height, besides a number of other such simple uses.” A mix of patterns too can be had in a room, but, if not done right, there are chances that they might look repetitive and end up making the room look cluttered. This fear of getting it wrong makes a lot of folks want to play it safe by sticking to a single pattern.

A recommended way of introducing patterns is not to shy away from being bold and by adding colours that pop out. You end up giving the room a personality of its own as well as depth. Some would say using the same logic with which we accessorise our wardrobes could help in creating a mix of patterns in your room that can bring it to life. Just as you would team up a blazer, shirt and tie of the same colour and pattern, so too you must choose patterns for your home. Shilpa says, “The same degree of pattern in your curtain and its valance might be a tad too much of activity at a single point. Having a valance that has just the highlights of the pattern on the curtain or in a subtle variation can make them look all the more elegant.”

Doing up a space with patterns takes a bit of expertise. One of the first things that will be done by the professional visiting your home is to evaluate the space. Sometimes, you will find elements of a pattern within the architecture and this can serve as a basis for what can be done to the room. Patterns can be of varying kinds like floral that come in varying sizes and can be traditional, graphic, repetitive or mixed; geometric – these can be symmetrical, asymmetrical, repetitive or varied; checks – you can have these in plaids, ginghams, argyle and many more; stripes – the variation is often in the breadth and the integrity of the line; textured – these are now considered to be a pattern and open up a whole new world. A combination of any of the above too works like geometric patterns with flowers, for example.

In terms of feel, Shilpa explains that stripes give a formal, classy look while abstract patterns are used more for a modern touch. “Animal patterns like zebra stripes can be used both for a classy and contemporary look, which can be manipulated depending on the way it is used. For example, a Chippendale chair can have Cheetah stripes on the upholstery whereas a beige or neutral coloured, contemporary sofa can have just a few cushions with zebra patterns on it. Geometric patterns can be used to create playfulness in family rooms, bedrooms and even kids’ spaces.”

So your interior designer will first evaluate your room and look into its scale and proportion. As a rule of thumb, the larger the space, the bigger the pattern it can handle. But, you can experiment with this as well to create something uniquely different. This, however, has to be done carefully. It’s very easy for a bold pattern on the wall to completely eliminate the presence of a petite floral sofa in the room.

Let’s start with the living room. Since this is the room that you will be entertaining in and spending most of your time with your family in, use subtle colours and patterns. “Self-coloured stripes on sofas, teamed up with abstract pattern or animal print cushion covers for a highlight would work very well,” suggests Shilpa.

The same highlights could be used on the curtains in a subdued manner to complete the overall contemporary look. If you are going in for a classic look with carved wooden sofas, then you could choose a rich red-maroon shade with gold stripes or royal blue with gold stripes. Patterns that are set wide apart like buttis, for heavier furniture will work well. At the same time, the same royal shades on curtains without the golden highlights can really make a difference. The valance can carry subtler versions of the patterns on the sofas.

Coming to the bedroom, this is a space where you can choose from traditional buttis or floral designs to a modern look with leaf-like patterns, with a mix of geometric designs. This last one is especially well-suited for a young person’s room. When it come to children’s room, numerous multi-coloured patterns can be introduced to facilitate the playful element. Shilpa suggests that the curtains be in neutral or subtle colours, with bright coloured geometric patterns or with a touch of nature like trees, leaves or animals on the walls.

The cushions can be bright with cartoon characters or neutral colours with customised images of family members. When you plan to mix patterns, there are some tips to keep in mind. Make sure your patterns are of different densities. This refers to how tightly grouped they are. Also, choose a variety of different patterns. For element that binds them all, have a similar colour run through each element. If you are doing this for the first time, note that groups of threes in terms of patterns and textures work best.