Decorating
Decorating: 10 Ways to Work With Modern Florals
From dainty to daring, discover ways to incorporate florals to stylish effect
Floral patterns are enjoying something of a renaissance at the moment, and it might surprise you how well this trend for the year ahead can work with everything from ultra-modern schemes to vintage looks. As an interior designer, let me prove there really is a floral option to appeal to every taste.
Pair pale shades with wood
The faded florals look beautiful on this simple sofa in a contemporary setting. At first glance, the chalky floral patterns are almost like plain colours, and the muted shades work well together without jarring. The addition of the wooden shutters and oak coffee table make sense of all the fabrics and give a nod to older styles.
When combining lots of floral designs, keeping the colours muted will give a peaceful look. Alternatively, go for bold patterns to create a more playful and adventurous atmosphere.
The faded florals look beautiful on this simple sofa in a contemporary setting. At first glance, the chalky floral patterns are almost like plain colours, and the muted shades work well together without jarring. The addition of the wooden shutters and oak coffee table make sense of all the fabrics and give a nod to older styles.
When combining lots of floral designs, keeping the colours muted will give a peaceful look. Alternatively, go for bold patterns to create a more playful and adventurous atmosphere.
Limit the colour palette for a calm effect
Florals needn’t be multicoloured: the delicate shades in this wallpaper show how a limited colour palette can give a calm feel to a room. The muted shades of whites and beiges stop the design from feeling too intense. Checked patterns can work beautifully with florals – this checked headboard beautifully complements the wallpaper behind.
A feature wall is great way to dip your toe in without getting too deep into the combinations of floral fabrics and furnishings. Don’t be afraid to build up your design slowly as your confidence grows.
Florals needn’t be multicoloured: the delicate shades in this wallpaper show how a limited colour palette can give a calm feel to a room. The muted shades of whites and beiges stop the design from feeling too intense. Checked patterns can work beautifully with florals – this checked headboard beautifully complements the wallpaper behind.
A feature wall is great way to dip your toe in without getting too deep into the combinations of floral fabrics and furnishings. Don’t be afraid to build up your design slowly as your confidence grows.
Choose a charcoal colour scheme
The beautiful monochrome florals of this bedspread look so inviting set against the painted whites and greys of the room. A bedspread is a simple way to experiment with bringing a pattern into the bedroom. A charcoal colour scheme gives the look added strength, and means the floral print looks less feminine than it might in other colourways.
The beautiful monochrome florals of this bedspread look so inviting set against the painted whites and greys of the room. A bedspread is a simple way to experiment with bringing a pattern into the bedroom. A charcoal colour scheme gives the look added strength, and means the floral print looks less feminine than it might in other colourways.
Complement a traditional look
Period properties just seem to sing when dressed in a floral print. The combination of this small-scale floral wallpaper and the curved detail on the period furniture works beautifully with the room: it exaggerates the scale, but keeps a calm feel.
The rug adds elegance and brings a sense of history to the space. In a room like this, you can get away with an eclectic mix of floral designs.
Period properties just seem to sing when dressed in a floral print. The combination of this small-scale floral wallpaper and the curved detail on the period furniture works beautifully with the room: it exaggerates the scale, but keeps a calm feel.
The rug adds elegance and brings a sense of history to the space. In a room like this, you can get away with an eclectic mix of floral designs.
Go for floral window dressing
When you have lots of windows to dress in one space, it’s very easy to go for the safer option and keep things plain, but I think this floral printed fabric is the perfect choice here. Such a large room can take it.
To keep the look cleaner, go with just a single floral window treatment – either just the hanging curtains, or just the upholstered pelmets. Here, the choice of fabric was crucial to this room’s success, and the pale blues work beautifully.
When you have lots of windows to dress in one space, it’s very easy to go for the safer option and keep things plain, but I think this floral printed fabric is the perfect choice here. Such a large room can take it.
To keep the look cleaner, go with just a single floral window treatment – either just the hanging curtains, or just the upholstered pelmets. Here, the choice of fabric was crucial to this room’s success, and the pale blues work beautifully.
Use large-scale designs on floors
Rugs are a brilliant way to introduce a floral design, and this is a perfect example of how a room can feature florals while retaining an essential masculinity. A larger-scale design makes the floral shapes more abstract. The rest of the room is beautifully simple, and the rug just adds a touch of warmth, tying in with the wall colour and anchoring the furniture.
On a side note, it’s always best, where possible, to follow the example of this room and sit your furniture completely on the rug rather than ‘half on, half off’. It gives a more coherent look.
Rugs are a brilliant way to introduce a floral design, and this is a perfect example of how a room can feature florals while retaining an essential masculinity. A larger-scale design makes the floral shapes more abstract. The rest of the room is beautifully simple, and the rug just adds a touch of warmth, tying in with the wall colour and anchoring the furniture.
On a side note, it’s always best, where possible, to follow the example of this room and sit your furniture completely on the rug rather than ‘half on, half off’. It gives a more coherent look.
Combine fabrics to add fun
To bring a sense of fun to your space, consider combining fabrics. This bright floral works so well against the pretty, chalky velvet. These relatively delicate proportions work particularly well for this effect. The chair is so bold that the rug and painted wardrobe take a little step back. And together, I think the whole scheme works very harmoniously.
To bring a sense of fun to your space, consider combining fabrics. This bright floral works so well against the pretty, chalky velvet. These relatively delicate proportions work particularly well for this effect. The chair is so bold that the rug and painted wardrobe take a little step back. And together, I think the whole scheme works very harmoniously.
Add flowery accessories
Whether it’s crockery, cups or cushions, accessories are the perfect way to bring a floral design into your home without commitment. I love these bold and beautiful cups: they look so pretty on the shelf, it would almost be a shame to use any of them and spoil the display.
See how to add florals to your kitchen
Whether it’s crockery, cups or cushions, accessories are the perfect way to bring a floral design into your home without commitment. I love these bold and beautiful cups: they look so pretty on the shelf, it would almost be a shame to use any of them and spoil the display.
See how to add florals to your kitchen
Pick a modern, exotic print
Some really fun and contemporary florals are available in the interiors world, so it’s worth looking at what’s out there and choosing a stunning and unusual print. Here, the tropical flowers give this pattern a modern feel, and a bit of exotic edge.
The plain, Tiffany-blue headboard behind really makes the turquoise flowers on the throw stand out beautifully. The use of polished chrome on the bed surround and the architrave is a great way to bounce colour back into what is actually quite a muted room.
TELL US…
Which of these floral looks is your favourite? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Some really fun and contemporary florals are available in the interiors world, so it’s worth looking at what’s out there and choosing a stunning and unusual print. Here, the tropical flowers give this pattern a modern feel, and a bit of exotic edge.
The plain, Tiffany-blue headboard behind really makes the turquoise flowers on the throw stand out beautifully. The use of polished chrome on the bed surround and the architrave is a great way to bounce colour back into what is actually quite a muted room.
TELL US…
Which of these floral looks is your favourite? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
It’s great to see a big, brave colour scheme working so well with a floral fabric. There is certainly nothing wishy-washy about this look, and the combination of bold colours and florals works so well in the modern setting. The plain, dirty-mustard fabrics used on the cushion and lampshade work to soften the look, and actually make the sofa less important in the room than it could have been.
Rooms with high ceilings and big proportions can really stand a strong floral fabric, as this scheme shows. It’s a very luscious effect that must look stunning lit with warm candlelight in the evenings.
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