Better Homes And Gardens Red Floral Quilt

floral design

Charlie Colmer/Mark Scott/Simon Brown/Retna UK/

From pretty and romantic to classic or contemporary, floral designs vary as much as the blooms themselves, but all have an evocative charm.

Classic and traditional

Floral patterns with their origins in historic prints range from exquisite handpainted oriental designs – often incorporating peonies, butterflies or birds – to flowers combined with other elements such as pots and vases, or elegant larger-scale trailing designs. Traditional florals imbue a room with an old country-house feel, which has an associated romantic appeal.

Charlie Colmer

Balance them with simply styled furnishings to prevent the look from becoming overpowering. For example, a bold print on walls could be offset by plain wooden furniture so the room retains a calm air, or key colours in the pattern can be picked out and echoed with accessories to create a harmonious, ordered feel.

Recommended interiors websites:

• Bennison

• Colefax and Fowler

• Kaffe Fassett

• Sanderson

Small-scale patterns

From Liberty's signature Tana Lawn prints with their pretty, detailed motifs to 1950s designs in upbeat colour ways, which have a nostalgic charm, small-scale patterns bring warmth and cheer to a room. Although more often associated with dress and fashion fabrics, they have a similar appeal when used decoratively in the home. Flowers in bud or sprigged designs offer a fresh, romantic quality: popular on a wide variety of accessories, from needlepoint rugs and cushions to porcelain tea sets, they are ideal for bringing a softer, feminine touch to a space.

Retna UK

Traditionally, small designs would have been relegated to trim or line curtains and blinds. Using them centre stage in a decorating scheme works well in smaller rooms and they're perfect for cottage-style interiors where full-blown florals could be overbearing.

Recommended interiors websites:

• Cath Kidston

• Laura Ashley

• Greengate

• Liberty

Faded florals

Full-blown blooms strewn or trailing across textiles have long been popular in country decorating. Those with a faded or aged tea-stained appearance are easiest to use as they have a soft elegance, which blends easily with other furnishings and makes them less dominant in a room. Large-scale florals in this style work well on wallpaper and curtains as they still have a calm, quiet presence. Several companies reproduce beautiful faded designs – such as Daisy Chain by Bennison shown overleaf – many derived from historic prints.

Charlie Colmer/Simon Brown/

Cabbages & Roses has created a distinct identity with its range of patterns that replicate sun- and time-worn motifs. These can be combined to great effect with other designs, particularly checks, stripes or simple geometrics.

Recommended interiors websites:

• Bennison

• Cabbages & Roses

• Kate Forman

• Sarah Hardaker

• Peony & Sage

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