Think about the most cheerful pattern you can imagine – what are you thinking of? Jaunty dots of different sizes? Bright, flowing florals? Or maybe checked fabrics mixing colours?
Stripes are something that spring to *my* mind when I think of cheerful. While I love a good polka dot (and admire iconic Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama for her commitment to them) and won’t say no to flowery prints, especially on bedding, stripes are my first choice when it comes to interiors.
They’re versatile, for one. Whether you pick a classic Breton design, choose elegantly thin, monochrome lines, or go all out with bold splashes of colour, they work well together and will always look classy. Yes, even in bright shades such as yellow or pink – the key is what you pair them with.
And it seems more and more people are jumping onto my little bandwagon, as stripes are set to be one of the key trends for the coming year.
Want to be ahead of the curve? You’re at the right address – I’ve collated a mini lookbook for your bedroom, with a range of colours and styles for every taste, across flooring, furniture, and accessories.
Oh, and one more thing before we start: in 2022, stripes don’t have to be rigidly straight. Sounds mysterious? You’ll see.
Classic stripes
Who can say no to vertical stripes in muted shades of blue? I can’t – effortlessly chic, they’re a great basis for all interior styles, from more traditional looks to uber-contemporary rooms. Torchon Stripe wallpaper in Blueberry, £152 per 10m roll, Inchyra. Understated doesn’t have to mean boring. Not only will feel Kersaint Cobb‘s Pampas Nordic Stripe carpet feel nice underfoot, its small stripes are the ideal foundation for your scheme. Shown here in Faroe, it is priced from £28.50 per sq m. Want to do your own thing and go a bit bolder? What’s stopping you? Take a brush and simply create your own ideal stripes, right there on your wall – this way, your design will be personalised to you. Pair a deeper colour with a light shade in the same tone for a calming result. Shown here is Annie Sloan‘s wall paint in a soft Pointe Silk Pink, paired with the deeper Piranesi Pink, both £49.95 for 2.5 litres.
Furniture and accessories
Who said stripes have to come in two colours? This Flower Bomb wallpaper from Curious Egg takes a traditional Georgian design and adds a clever modern spin on it by showing stylised, flower-filled bombs – guaranteed to offer a talking point. Shown here in Sage, it is priced £129 per roll. If I’m honest with myself, I could fill my bedroom with lamps, if only I had the space. This one – Pooky‘s Lottie, £126 – comes in a traditional urn shape, but the cobalt blue vertical pattern makes it look modern. Add a stylish shade for extra impact, or keep it to a solid colour to pare it back a bit. Bold and beautiful, KDLoves‘ Alice headboard packs a design punch. Shown here upholstered in Bethie Tricks Pink Waves fabric, make it into a focal point that makes your bed the star of a room. Don’t be afraid to choose punchy colours, even for patterns – you can always balance them by keeping the rest of the room a bit more toned down. Priced from £1400, the headboard is shown here with the Toby side table, £975; Simon lamp base in Teal, £195; Bethie Tricks Isla lampshade, from £270; Wool and velvet throw in Fuchsia and Marmalade, £295; and the wool and velvet throw in Teal and Calico, £295, all from KDLoves. Don’t limit your patterns to accessories. The Barcelona bedtime table, £249, from Atkin & Thyme not only adds plenty of storage to your bedroom, but also brings in a stylish note. Its two drawers feature different stripes fronts, with the handles lining up to form a circle for a sophisticated look. Remember what I said about lamps? Case in point: these are high on my wishlist, too. The May pendants, £329 each from Original BTC, are simple and elegant – ideal for a Scandinavian-inspired scheme.
The non-straight stripes
I know what you’re thinking: those are not stripes. But why not? It doesn’t say ‘stripes have to be straight’ anywhere (and I looked the word up in multiple dictionaries). For its Magic Hours collection of light-reflecting wallpaper, Velux paired up with interior duo Poodle & Blonde. They created a hand-drawn design of organic lines in a range of colourways – shown here is Golden Hour, £115 per roll, which was inspired by the time of day when the sun bathes everything in warming hues of orange and caramel.
Featured image: Say goodbye to gloomy days – a bright, striped throw brings instant cheer into your home. Darjeeling Rainbow throw, £65, Weaver Green.
