How to introduce playful pattern into your home

Introducing vibrant colours and patterns can seem daunting, but take it step by step and follow these simple rules, says Rebecca Roe.

As one half of the mother-daughter team at Hedgeroe, an interior design studio and shop in Carrickmines, Co Dublin, Rebecca knows all about striking palettes and intricate use of print and pattern. Here, she gives us her guide to introducing colour and pattern into your home.

Consider light. Natural light, bulb wattage and low-slung lighting all have an effect on paint pigment, pulling out lilac and green tones. Do lots of samples, and mix in white paint if you’d prefer it a shade lighter.

Start small and build. Rugs are a wonderful way of adding pattern without having to commit to painting a wall or reupholstering a chair. Our Rhoscolyn rug comes in three colours and it’s perfect for adding instant impact. Once you’re happy with the selection, you can introduce bigger items like fabrics and paint.

Don’t neglect the neutrals. Neutral tones tie everything together. A palette of blues, greens and greys needs an undertone of white to bind it and light hues can calm bright colours. I really like Benjamin Moore’s range of soft, warm-looking whites available from MRCB, like Willow Creek, Wish, and Barren Plain.

Small and dark go hand-in-hand. If you have a small space like a library or snug, dark colours can work very well. I tend to use wallpaper if I’m going very dark, a silk or fabric looks so rich, like Kavet’s luxurious teal wallpaper.

Don’t forget ceilings, doors and cornicing. To really consolidate your colours or pattern, paint the ceiling, doors and cornicing a deeper shade than the wall, this will help unite the palette and will make the room appear larger.

Add with accessories or paint, never both. Colour and pattern are an expression of your personality and this will naturally change over time. If you’re going for a bright wall colour or attention-seeking wallpaper, then group your accessories. In a busy scheme, I take a hero piece like a painting or furniture and give it position of prominence, this gives a focal point and stops a busy room from feeling fractured.

Geometric pattern is a great starting point. Repetitive prints are a great way to introduce pattern without feeling like it’s dominating the space. Abstract fabrics like Latea and Vignatella from William Yeoward are dramatic but do not overwhelm a space.

Do a Coco on it. Furnish and accessorise a room and then edit. Take away things that feel out of place – it’s all about balance. Then build up texture by adding art, cushions, and lampshades. In the words of Coco Chanel, “an interior is a natural projection of the soul”.

Find Hedgeroe Interiors at Unit 1, Carrickmines Manor, The View, Carrickmines, Dublin 18.  Call (01) 294 8932 or visit hedgeroe.com.