Trend Focus: Time To Earn Your Stripes

The benefits of using stripes in interior design

The answer to the question “what are stripes?” may seem obvious, but when it comes to interior design, they’re not mere strips or lines of alternating colours – they’re much, much more!

What are some of the different types of stripes to choose from

Stripes have been popular choices for a very long time. From classical vertical stripes of equal thickness to zebra prints, or lines of different widths made famous by designers such as Paul Smith, stripes are popular in clothing, cars, and home furnishings. Because of their popularity, stripes are a pattern we feel comfortable with. They’re eye-catching but not unexpected, and what’s more, they bring a feeling of order and control to a home’s decor. 

Vertical and horizontal stripes

Well considered use of vertical stripes on your walls will also make a space feel larger by making the ceiling appear higher. This makes them the perfect addition to smaller spaces in the home. Moreover, horizontal stripes will make a room feel more open and wider, again creating a delicate illusion of space. 

Walls aren’t the only place however where you can enjoy stripes as part of your interior design – you can enjoy them on your furniture, accessories, and around your windows with Roman blinds, roller blinds and curtains. You can even be daring and choose slats for vertical blinds in alternating colours to nurture a more 3D approach to stripy furnishings.

1. Find colours that compliment your decor

Colour selection is very important for making the most of the stripes in your interior design. One of the easiest – yet most stylish – ways to use especially broad stripes is to select furnishings using soft, pretty colours. Fantastic examples include dusty pinks, powder blues and soft greens.

2. Add depth to your space using stripes

Selective use of stripes is easy; however, you can use stripes more openly in a space to add a delicate depth to your decor. To achieve the best results, look to use stripes of different scales where you may use narrower stripes on the walls or around the window, and thicker alternatives further toward the middle of the room on sofas and cushions.

3. Cross the lines

If you’re concerned about mastering the scale of stripes, you can match stripes in an elegant and sophisticated way with checked patterns including tartans, plaids, and ginghams. If you’re wanting to investigate this partnership more, you might find some interesting hints and tips in our Trend Focus: Check Patterns blog.

4. Florals and stripes in interior design

As we’ve established, stripes are an excellent choice for homes across the world, however there is a style of pattern that really harmonises with them – floral patterns. With stripes, decorators can enjoy order and structure, but by adding floral shapes, they can introduce a contrast that will help both designs maximise their impact on your space. Learn more about floral patterns in our Trend Focus: Fabulous Floral Interior Design blog! 

5. Don’t be afraid to dare

In most instances, stripes feature two alternating colours, but they are not limited to these constraints. In fact, some of the most exciting fabrics available make extensive use of multicoloured stripes. What’s more, there is nothing to say stripes must even be straight! At Blinds Direct we have an excellent selection of wavy stripes which are perfect for curtains, Roman blinds, and cushions alike.