Nothing says Spring like tulips and daffodils! In fact, I feel a visceral tug when I see freshly potted daffodils at the grocery store.
This started me thinking about the role flowers play in home design. Flowers are in fact one of the most often used motifs in pattern and design. But for extreme modernists, "floral pattern" may be considered a dirty word.
Floral wallpapers and fabrics are often relegated to bedrooms and powder rooms. But I'd like to propose there is more to the humble flower than decorating a lady's bedroom.
Critics might say florals are fussy, girly, soft, and saccarine. I beg to differ. An unexpected floral type design like below in a manly country estate sets just the right tone. Sometimes florals are the courageous choice.
Florals can be mighty, whimsical, commanding, intriguing, elegant, and bold. Depending on scale and size, they can easily be considered modern in design. I've been working on patterns for a screened porch so florals are on my mind.. My mother always chose pretty florals for the porch. To me, gingham and floral patterns say "summertime".
Some fun florals to consider are Josef Frank's whimsical garden patterns and an elegant floral like this one below by Manuel Canovas
Depending on scale and color, floral patterns can be quite masculine.
A chocolate brown ground below and an over arching peony are good examples.
I've always had a thing for Designer Guild's color and patterns. In that vein, I think I've landed on my new classic tulip design for the screened porch but in chartreuse. Unless of course I go with the scatter floral and gingham below right? Decisions. Decisions.
