Swide Magazine by Dolce&Gabbana

Interiors are being influenced by today’s tech-savvy graphic designers. More and more, graphic patterns are showing up in bedrooms and living rooms.

With modern technology, the precision and accuracy for creating a pattern and turning it into wallpaper, bedding, rugs or even wood detailing is impeccable. Interior designers are starting to implement bold graphics and patterns in everyday spaces. The challenge to having such bold patterns in a space is to not have it appear heavy and off-balance.

An easy way to be sure that your room remains light and airy is to offset the bold pattern with a solid. For example, in a bedroom, if you have heavily patterned wallpaper, take the most prominent color from the design and have all the furniture in the room be that color. Keeping the accessories in the room to the bare minimum is essential or else the room will look cluttered.  Mixing different patterns (3 patterns max.) is okay as long as you have the patterns be all the same color. When pairing patterns think about the scale of each of them – it is more interesting if one pattern is larger than the other.

 

The last thing you will want to keep in mind is positive and negative space. Positive space is what occupies the space and the negative space is the space that you are not using (i.e.: a sofa in a room is the positive while the empty space surrounding the sofa is the negative space). You want to be sure that your positive and negative are always balanced when you have heavy patterns in a room. This is where the big solid furniture pieces and frames on the wall will help to balance the patterned wallpaper. Always stand back and look to see what lines and spaces are being created by the placement of your furniture or wall art. Do a mental checklist of each view of the room to see if there is asymmetry or symmetry – if so, well done! If not, rearrange the room until you have achieved balance.

Even if you consider yourself as a minimalist or have simple taste, you too can play with pattern. Try creating an all white and metallic room for a very modern, interesting appeal. White and metallic wallpaper will make for a beautiful but subtle wallcovering. The more swirly the pattern, the softer the room will be – if you want more of that cold modern feel, look for a wallpaper that has bolder and sharper lines. Accent the room with metallic finishes – such as silver or gold gilded mirrors and frames, stools and ottomans. Furnish the room with white pieces and again, depending if you want a softer more feminine look get furniture that has curvier, softer lines. A masculine look comes from straight, dynamic lines.

Pattern play is well, playful –so have fun and don’t be afraid to experiment a bit. It might be a little trial and error at first, but if you keep balance in mind, you will be successful!

 

By Christa Rose Falk, love-inspire-create.blogspot.com

All Photo sources: Brocade Home

TAGS: Christa Rose Falk Brocade Home loveinspirecreate.blogspot.com home decor light and airy interior designers modern furniture to furnish pattern home furniture goods