Florals—they’re bright, dainty, beautiful—and notoriously difficult to work with.
Floral patterns can be tough to incorporate into your home simply because they have so much going on. There are so many options to choose from, too. You might want extra-large, tropical florals or tiny, delicate petals.
No matter what you envision, here’s what to know when working with a floral pattern:
+ Consider How You Want the Room to Feel
Florals can bring a slew of different vibes to your space. Do you want your room to feel chic? Cozy? Feminine? Modern?
You can achieve these and other vibes with the help of a floral pattern. However, you have to be conscious of your end goal.
For instance, a cozy living room tends to come with a neutral or warm color palette. Don’t select a brightly colored floral to go in the midst of your comfy couches, thick fabrics and natural accents.
+ Start Small
On that note, start by dipping your toe into the floral waters. In other words, pick up accents, then work from there.
Consider that same cozy living room we mentioned. You could grab a few accent pillows for your neutral sofas. A warm-hued floral on a dark background shade, such as navy, would fit right in.
In the throw pillow example, you could go a step further and use the colors from the pattern to inform your accessories purchases.
+ Try the Walls
SOURCE: PEXELS
Your floral pattern doesn’t just have to come through the fabric. Floral wallpapers can make a bold statement, too. Despite popular belief, they’re still very much in style.
Choose a more modern, clean floral pattern, or select wallpaper in a popular hue or unexpected shade. These will freshen up your floral decor and add serious interest to your space — a design win-win.
+ Switch On the Best Lighting
Not all lightbulbs will illuminate your florals properly.
Natural light always looks best. So, throwback curtains and open the blinds during the day.
When nighttime rolls around, you can layer overhead and table lamps to get just the right glow. Some spaces need specific task lighting, though. For example, LEDs work best to illuminate your office, as they boost productivity with their brightness. You might want equally as punchy lights in your kitchen, where you slice and dice ingredients.
Otherwise, choose a softer glow to make your florals feel even more romantic and cozy.
+ Try a Unique Floral
A floral doesn’t have to be the traditional flowery pattern in your mind. When you play with scale, you can get a totally fresh take.
For instance, you might find artwork that zooms in on a single flower. You can find textiles with the same pattern, like a rug. You can easily draw colors and inspiration from these pieces because they exude the flowery vibe you want, too.
+ Add Other Patterns, Too
Florals don’t have to play on their own. You can mix and layer patterns to create even more visual interest in your space.
If your flower print is the most important, use its color palette to choose other patterns. A simple stripe or dot in one of the same shades would bring out the floral even more.
Go With the Flo(ral)
A bit of floral can go a long way in your home’s interior design. With the above tips, you now know how to incorporate flowery patterns anywhere in your abode. So, get started—and get creative, the possibilities are limitless.
AUTHOR: KACEY BRADLEY
Kacey Bradley is the blogger behind The Drifter Collective, an eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Along with writing for her blog, she has written for sites like U.S. News, SUCCESS, Guides for Brides, Hotel Online and more!
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