INTERIORS
www.crucial-trading.com
www.alternativeflooring.com
SASSYSTRIPES
S
tripes are going to be featuring heavily in our interiors this year. They’re fun and playful and can liven up our homes. They adorn the Mills and Kinsella showroom, there’s so much choice; from the stunning stair runners and rugs of Roger Oates and Off The Loom, to the sensational Mississippi and Audrey carpets by Crucial Trading. Fabrics and wallpapers are no different, with Cole and Son having an entire collection full of striped wallpapers and Jane Churchill and Designers Guild both including some fashionable striped fabric designs in their latest spring collections. Whether you prefer a neat little pinstripe or a big, broad line, stripes can bring structure and elegance to a space. They can be a statement in their own right, creating a focal point that diverts attention away from less desirable features. Vertical stripes help a ceiling to look taller by drawing the eye upwards, horizontal stripes give the opposite effect, making rooms seem wider and the ceiling lower. Strong, vibrant stripes give a small room a more spacious feel, narrower stripes make a space feel grander. Stripes work exceptionally well when combined with patterns. Try striped curtains with a floral wallpaper or a floral headboard with striped bed linen.
Rosie Kinsella Interior Designer 01604 751262 www.millsandkinsella.com 40
www.janechurchill.com
So long as the colours within the stripes and patterns complement each other, the scheme will co-ordinate and look balanced. Alternatively, monochromatic stripes can be used to bring relief to a highly patterned scheme, breaking up the plethora of colour and giving the eye a rest, something more orderly on which to focus. If black and white stripes are the main feature of your room, then accessorise with colourful vases, ornaments, sculptures or artwork. A bright pop of colour will be set off perfectly by the black and white background. Stripes are a tool that can be used in any room, they never go out of fashion; but be careful in bathrooms where the look can become a bit New England. To prevent this, stay away from being too coordinated, mix your colours or use stripes of different proportions. If you fancy being more daring, then combine stripes with other stripes. Layering different thicknesses and colours, some positioned with the stripes lying horizontally, some vertically, can be very effective, particularly in rooms where you want to
be continually stimulated. Home offices, kitchens or playrooms are perfect for this treatment. However, in bedrooms, stripes are best used in softer tones where they will stimulate less and be more conducive to relaxing and winding down at the end of a hard day. Stripes used on the floor will anchor a scheme. Whether your choice is a striped rug or carpet, choose the style and colour you like and then build the rest of the scheme around it. Striped carpets are still a relatively recent phenomenon, but you only need look at the lifestyle imagery featured in the advertisements of Crucial Trading, Roger Oates, Off The Loom and Alternative Flooring, to know how impactful they can be. Their awe-inspiring designs can be perfectly matched with neutral walls and simple furniture; or striking paintwork in deep colours. Over the last couple of years we’ve seen a surge in interest in striped stair runners. They create a strong design statement as soon as you enter a house, adding colour,
www.offtheloom.co.uk
www.redefiningwoodburners.com
February 2022 | NN Pulse Magazine | 22,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Northamptonshire
