Pattern Play

For quite some time now, many of us have had a love affair with graphic prints. Perhaps we can blame it on the David Hicks revival, but the clear, strong prints were, at the time, a breath of fresh air. Today, I think we are starting to see some interesting trends develop in the way of prints and pattern.

Exoticism is once again creating a stir as evidenced by the popularity of ikats and suzanis over the last few years. Both are great, and I hope that this might lead to people rediscovering paisley and other prints with deep historical roots. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about The Gallery at The Carlyle, above, which was designed by Renzo Mongiardino. This "Turkish tea room" is exotic, albeit in a Manhattan kind of way!

Boldly mixing pattern (or perhaps mixing bold patterns!) is another trend that can be difficult to execute. The safe bet would be to add one bold piece to the mix like a wild pillow or a patchwork chair. However, look at the way designer Alidad deftly mixed various prints from his collection for Pierre Frey. No one print stands out so the overall look is a cohesive one, but achieving this does take a certain amount of skill!


"Christina" fabric by Clarence House


"Red Mermaid" Needlework pillow, inspired by an antique Cretan fabric


"Taika" salad plates by iittala, available at Vivre. The pattern was inspired by Nordic folklore.


A patchwork chaise from J. Roaman, East Hampton. The shop has garnered a lot of press for its colorful and inventive furniture.


Early 20th c. quilt from Suzanna Hamilton Antiques & Art


An elegant window display with a mix of prints and patterns designed by Alidad for Pierre Frey