Trend Alert: How to Decorate with Stripes

Luxaflex® blog
Trends

Decorators and designers may debate the various values of plains and patterns, but classic and contemporary stylists alike can agree on one thing; the power of stripes.

They work across all periods and properties, and add instant depth and excitement to a scheme. The optical effects they bring can magically transform a room’s sense of proportion. We’ve got some ways for you to bring their winning ways home.

Period Perfection

If you’re lucky enough to enjoy a home with period detailing yet have more minimalist taste, stripes are a great way to bring the best of the two together. Sticking to a limited palette, using graphic lines of a Twist® Shade at the window and leaving the rest of the room simple and spare ensures the room feels contemporary but still highlights historic features.

Go To Ground

Runners and rugs are a great way to add a bold striped edge to a design. A rug can also bring the focus to one part of a room, such as a seating area to draw people in. Such a rug, carpet or striped runner is also a great way to use stripes in a small room, as on the wall the effect can get lost or seem overwhelming. If the window is small, use a narrower stripe to keep it in proportion.

Warp And Weft

There are more ways to get a striped blind than a simple print. Striped fabrics can be created with weave and a mixture of threads. This is the minimalist’s approach to striped fabrics, where subtle interest replaces bold bands. Try choosing a fabric that includes a shimmering metallic thread, as in the evening they will create a glamorous, exclusive feel when they reflect back the soft lamplight.

Tricking The Eye

Horizontal stripes can be used to create the illusion of wider windows, a useful visual trick when windows are unusually shaped or very small. In a small room, like this attic suite, keeping the colour palette simple has helped extend the wall up into the ceiling space increasing the sense of height. Using Twist® Shades that have an interesting woven fabric quality ties in the earthiness of the floor and the natural wool blanket, giving it a simple, cosy homestead feel.

Quietly Does It

A subtle change in tone over a blind, can create a much gentler sense of stripe. This works beautifully with room schemes where there are other patterns featured, such as floral fabrics or checked curtains. Making some patterns more muted and others more boldly drawn makes the design feel more cohesive, rather than each fabric fighting for attention.