Why Every Room Needs A Dose Of Pattern

Pick pattern when you want to be bold. Image Via: IncorporatedLike most trend-driven industries, popularity in interior design tends to go in cycles. Over the past few years, modern interiors favored sleek silhouettes with solid fabrics, monochromatic shades, and clean lines. During this time, printed pieces fell out of favor a little bit.But, pattern is starting to make a comeback and, take our word for it, it’s about to explode onto the interior design scene, and when it does you’re going to want to be prepared. But, we don’t blame you if you’re a little rusty from all those years spent honing your skills at choosing the perfect solid.If you need a little refresher course, we have all the answers right here. Give this article a glance and keep it in mind as you work toward adding prints into your interiors. Once you see the much needed pop of visual interest that a print can bring into your space, you’ll be an ready to give your rooms a dose of pattern.Experiment with pattern throughout your home. Image Via: E. B. Mahoney Builders, Inc.Pattern Determines Activity LevelTake a second to picture a room decorated entirely in solids. While it should certainly seem sleek and serene, there is a possibility that the look can be too plain and come off as a little boring. You need a dose of pattern to bring activity into the space.The key to determining activity level is size. Larger patterns, though they may seem a bit bulky at first, tend to be associated with a calm visual interest. In contrast, smaller patterns can come off as too busy or nervous for some.Let the pattern’s size determine how it’s used in the room. Bigger ones are best suited for things like a sprawling wallpaper or the decorative element to a statement piece of furniture. While tiny ones are best reserved for use in small doses like throw pillows and decor items.Pattern can be used in both big and small applications. Image Via: Brian Watford IDPrints Add Visual WeightWhat do we mean when we say visual wight? We’re talking about which areas of a room instantly draw our eyes when we look at them. It’s easy to test. As soon as you walk into a room, take a second to look at the design as a whole. You should be able to instinctively sense if the room feels visually balanced or if there if it is too cluttered on one side or the other.In interior design, you’re always striving for a visual weight that is balanced. If you want proof, take a second to think about how one of the rooms in your home would feel if you took all the furniture and pushed it all into the same corner. Odds are you would feel as though you were standing on the deck of a sinking ship.Since prints and patterns are naturally eye-grabbing, they are a great go-to item when you feel as though one corner of your space needs a little extra weight behind it. Consider a large patterned wallhanging or even a printed sofa if you really need to pack a big punch.Use pattern to help evenly distribute visual weight throughout the space. Image Via: Andrew Flesher InteriorsTry Mixing and MatchingConventional wisdom states that you should never, ever mix patterns. Doing so was thought to make the space too busy in a way that would overwhelm the eye and confuse the overall look of the space. So, it was often recommended that you pick one pattern and intersperse it strategically throughout the space.Now, however, times have definitely changed. Rather than being seen as “too busy”, the ability to successfully mix patterns signifies a deft eye and adds a level of complexity to the space that is often only found in professionally designed homes.As for the trick that makes all these patterns work harmoniously rather than clash? It’s all about color. Choosing distinct patterns that all fall within the color palette will all them to come together cohesively while still giving your space the intricacy you desire.Mix different patterns by coordinating colors. Image Via: Sweetlake Interior Design LLCMake A Statement With ContrastOkay, so maybe we just told to use similar colors in your patterns to help them all work together. That’s true, for the most part. But, as any lover of interior design knows, the best looks are often achieved when you bend the hard and fast rules. We recommend that you make a splash in your space by adding one contrasting patterned element.While the color may not be the exact same as the main shade in your palette, it should be one that coordinates well. Take a cue from basic color theory and make sure that the distinct color your using fits within one of the main color schemes. Remember, the biggest impact is achieved when two shades sit directly opposite each other on the color.Also, keep in mind that this should only account for one of your design elements. Make it count. Choose a piece that you love and focus on making it the focal point of your room. It could be something like the backsplash in your dream kitchen or the duvet cover for the bed in your master suite.Choose bold, contrasting colors to make your statement item really pop. Image Via:Vendome PressWith modern design advocating for sleek lines and monochromatic colors, it can sometimes feel like using pattern is an outdated choice. Add to that the fact that mixing prints takes a bit of a deft eye and it’s really no surprise that some people are content to decorate with solely solids. But, we’re here to tell you that if you’re not using patterns, you’re missing out on a extra level of visual interest that really makes a space pop. Use this article as a reference for how to integrate prints into your interiors and we’re sure you’ll be hooked in no time flat.Do you believe in providing a dose of pattern in your rooms? What tips do you have for choosing prints like a pro? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.The post Why Every Room Needs A Dose Of Pattern appeared first on Freshome.com.
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16 Distinctive Mid-Century Living Room Designs That Will Inspire You

The beauty of the mid-century design style, especially when it comes to the interior, is best seen from the fact that it has been so long after it first appeared and it is still quite […]
The post 16 Distinctive Mid-Century Living Room Designs That Will Inspire You appeared first on Architecture Art Designs.
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Office&Shopping Tower in Singapore With a Green Park at Its Core

An original triangular geometry defines project “48 North Canal Road“, a complex office&shopping tower in Singapore envisioned by WOHA. The project consisted in reconstructing the shopfront and designing a contemporary new wing. Local architecture law imposed that the building (neighbored by three roads) had splayed corners. According to the architects, this inspired “a chiseled expression that was carried through in both plan and elevation, taking the form of internal angled walls and external slanted planes, revealing a concave curtain wall like that of crystal embedded in the hollow lower strata of its atrium park space.” A pocket park is at the core of the design, gathering around a café, break-out areas and meeting rooms.The original levels with their low ceilings were preserved and the front-end of the initial shop-houses was turned into meeting rooms: “The idea was to strategically lift up the open plan offices within the upper 4 floors where the floor plate size is maximized, higher headroom is gained, better views are enjoyed and more natural daylight is accessed from the sides. Every flat roof area is also transformed into roof gardens with the attic featuring the office’s recreational lounge from which unblocked panoramic views of Hong Lim Park and PARKROYAL on Pickering Hotel can be enjoyed.” How would you comment on this new project added to the Singapore skyline? The post Office&Shopping Tower in Singapore With a Green Park at Its Core appeared first on Freshome.com.
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Il Tempo Ritrovato: Historic Italian Convent Acquires a Colorful Second Life!

Adaptive reuse of structures is all about giving the old and discarded buildings a sparkling new lease of life even while capturing their remarkable past and unique personality. Located in the loevely city of Brescia, Italy, Il Tempo Ritrovato is a vivacious and brilliant modern home laced with eclectic beauty and vintage charm! This ingenious residence was once a convent that was carefully restored and converted into its present glorious form by the creative folk at Claudia Pelizzari Interior Design.Bringing the past and the present together in a truly captivating fashion, the house uses decor in diverse styles ranging from contemporary and Asian to midcentury, vintage and even salvaged! It is this imaginative approach towards eclectic design that turns a seemingly mundane, old structure into an inviting, fun and exciting home that showcases the personality of its own and their wide art collection. Classics such as the Eames lounger and the Artemide Nesso lamp in the living room and Tulip tables and chairs in the dining room ensure that everything looks both curated and classy despite the invigorating mash up of styles.Wooden framed glass doors stand in contrast to the white contemporary walls even as brilliant pendants and oversized floor lamps bring both color and sculptural pattern into the dining room and bedrooms. The kitchen with a wine storage facility and a full pantry also serves as a cozy social zone for the entire family while a private courtyard with sunken lounge easily doubles as a Zen-inspired meditative nook.Whitewashed brick walls, exposed concrete backdrops and glossy contemporary surfaces come together to give this transformed Italian convent a style of its own. And that is a style that seems to celebrate life in an unabashed, cheerful fashion even while embracing the past and looking towards the future…You’re reading Il Tempo Ritrovato: Historic Italian Convent Acquires a Colorful Second Life!, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.
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Less-Is-More Modern Bathroom Decor

Are you going for a clean, fresh look in the powder room? Kate here, and a couple of years ago I moved into a home with beige tile in the bathrooms. My husband and I removed the yellow cultured marble countertops and opted for all-white cultured marble, which created a crisp look. We love the modern, less-is-more vibe that resulted, but we’ve struggled to finish decorating these two bathrooms for fear of cluttering them and ruining the minimalist feel. This design challenge inspired today’s post, which is all about simple ways to add style without going over the top. The result: a refreshing modern bathroom space that speaks for itself!Fresh, Green PlantsOne of my favorite ways to add style in the powder room is with plants. Check out my post on the best bathroom plants for ideas, and if you’re looking for a fun way to display them, place the pots in baskets, as shown below. [photo from C+M Studio]Modern bathroom with green plantsIf your bathroom is on the small side and you don’t want to fill the counter with greenery, try a tall, slender topiary for the floor. It won’t take up much space, and it can easily serve as an intriguing focal point. [from MeddioDesign]Topiaries are the perfect small bathroom accentsEarthy AccentsWhen adopting a minimalist approach for the powder room, there can be a tendency to go sleek. Sometimes so sleek that the space starts to look like every other modern bathroom with slick, matchy-matchy features. To add a dash of earthy style, warm up the space with textured baskets, as shown below with the Newport Wall Cabinet (and corresponding baskets) from Pottery Barn:Wall cabinet with woven basketsAs mentioned earlier in the post, a woven basket makes the perfect earthy plant holder, and you can even go with unexpected touches such as woven pendant lights, which provide a wonderful contrast to the clean-lined features of many modern of bathrooms! [photo from C+M Studio]Earthy details in a bathroom by C+M StudioContrasting ColorIf you have an all-white (or cream, or beige, or grey) bathroom and you’re hesitatnt to add bold bursts of color, try subtle accents in one main hue. For example, green adds a refreshing twist to the white tiled powder room below. Note the green of the plant, the green of the glasses, and the minty shade of the bottle/decanter. [from Gregory Phillips Architects]Modern bathroom with one main accent colorIn the next image, we see the elegant powder room of blogger Camille Styles in a sneak peek shot of her tour in Austin Home. While cream tile clearly sets the tone for the space, fuchsia accents are introduced in the form of striking floral statements. [photo by Casey Dunn]Elegant bathroom of blogger Camille StylesA Touch of PatternWhen keeping it simple, it never hurts to pepper the space with striking accents. Small patterned items can get the job done, as seen with the tub-side stool in this farmhouse-style bathroom: [from Domus Nova]Powder room with a patterned stoolIf you’re wanting to be subtle, select a pattern in neutral tones. If you’re looking to make a bold statement, opt for a colorful print or pattern, as shown by these vibrant bath towels from Missoni Home. [photo by Murray Fredericks, from CplusC Architectural Workshop]Colorful towels add interest to a contemporary bathroomBeautiful Bath ProductsThis last section of today’s post is a great reminder to keep it simple when it comes to grooming products. Nothing can clutter a modern space like a counter filled with bottles and tubes in loud packaging. One option is to keep all but the most beautifully packaged grooming items behind closed cabinets. Another option: pour liquids into matching bottles. I like the closed cabinet approach! [photo by Paul Craig, from Trunk Creative]Lovely bath products add elegance to the modern powder roomThen again, if your grooming products look as classy as the ones below, display them with pride! They can truly add a spa feel to your modern bathroom. And here’s some good news: this Gla Nature Personal Care Collection from West Elm is now on sale for $9.99 for the set!Personal care products from West ElmGreen plants, earthy accents, colorful touches, patterned pieces and lovely spa products are a few ways to add interest to your clean-lined bathroom without adding clutter. Will you be incorporating any of these ideas into your powder room? I can’t wait to get started…You’re reading Less-Is-More Modern Bathroom Decor, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.
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