This past weekend was a wet, dark, dreary one in the Lower Mainland, so I spent my time indoors. Slept in, cooked breakfast, did some studying and caught up with my favourite blogs. As our hallway project comes to an end, my mind turns to decorating rooms as they’re complete. Beyond paint colours and trim styles and towards furniture, textiles, and what we’ll hang on the walls.
One area I’ve never truly explored is the world of patterns. I’ve seen them done well on my favourite home decorating shows and in magazines. I’ve ear marked pages and saved photos onto my desktop, but have been scared to take the leap! I just don’t know how to mix and match, and am fearful of the consequences! But lately I’ve been doing research, and preparing myself to take a chance with pattern.
I think the “safest” way to start introducing patterns is in textiles such as pillows, throws and window treatments. They’re not as permanent as wallpapering a whole room or buying a $2,000 patterned sofa that you’l have to live with for a decade.
This is a photo of some damask fabric that we bought on our first trip to Paris, about 3 years ago! Haven’t done anything with it yet, but thinking either pillows for our Guest Bedroom or a Roman Shade window covering.

I’ve also been saving wallpaper I purchased years ago from The Cross in Yaletown. It was leftover from a job they did, and at only $25ish for the roll I had to buy it! I love the shade of gray, how the pattern is stenciled on, and the birds! The birds are fabulous.

The plan for this wallpaper is to frame two tall, vertical strips and hang them like art in our office.
Like this:

Other inspiring uses of pattern:
Farrow & Ball Wallpaper
I love the following Sarah Richardson designs and her use of pattern here.

























