How to Use Geometric Pattern Fabrics in your Interior Design

How to Use Geometric Fabric Patterns in your Interior Design

In the world of interior design, geometrics never really go out of style, but they do experience routine periods at the very forefront of popularity. Whether it’s the Great Gatsby effect that pulls us toward the Art Deco arches and motifs – gold leaf, repetition, and understated elegance – or an appreciation of the calm and order a repeated zigzag, diamond, or hexagon brings to the family home, most of us will, at some point, begin to dabble in geometric fabrics.

Then again, incorporating geometrics into your home isn’t always the simplest task. Many of these prints are characterised by bold and highly repetitive patterns that can quite easily overwhelm a space, and make it feel too rigid, too structured, and as though it has been very intentionally designed around a particular print. All our fabrics bring their own personalities to a space, and it’s important to consider the impact they will have on what’s already there. 

Here are our tips for pursuing your love of geometry through textile.

Think About the Micro Level and the Macro Level

When you walk in a room, your eyes inevitably go to the biggest features first. This can be the fireplace or feature wall – or, when we’re talking specifically about textile, it’s likely to be the sofa or bed, and the curtains. From the doorway, these larger pieces tend to dominate any impression guests get from the room, which means that making the room’s aesthetic clear through these pieces is key.

Then again, we don’t just observe rooms from the doorway. We walk around, we sit or lie down, and, ultimately, get to appreciate things up close and personal. The smaller features are where you can learn to tie the room’s design together – to create a much greater sense of depth by offering new patterns and prints that become much more apparent as you sink into a sofa or turn down the bed. This is an important consideration when it comes to choosing upholstery fabrics.

For geometric fabrics, this is a particularly useful thing to keep in mind, because it makes it easier for you to loosen the reins a little and combine various patterns together. If you’re open to this, then you needn’t panic over choosing a larger print for your curtains, since you’ll be able to temper it with a few smaller, more delicate prints for your pillows. They won’t be competing, since they’ll fulfil very different roles in the home.

Repeat Patterns, Change Colours

If there is a particular motif or pattern that you feel captures your aesthetic perfectly, but you are afraid that any more will feel too ‘heavy-handed’, then you might find that exploring the same pattern in a complementary colour scheme offers a little more freedom than restricting yourself to one single textile.

Remember that geometric and floral textiles make for good bedfellows

If you’ve got your mind set on geometric patterns, then there’s a strong chance that browsing floral prints is not high on the list of priorities. They are often seen as polar opposites, where the organic curves and arrangements of a botanical pattern is totally at-odds with the regimented lines and inorganic shapes of a chevron or diamond print.

In some respects, this holds true, but there are plenty of geometrics that will find the perfect complement in a floral pattern.

For the best results, try to vary the size of the two patterns. A big, bold geometric pattern will generally look best against a more intricate floral, and vice versa, although throwing caution to the wind is ideal for a more bohemian look.

Mix and match different shapes

Embracing the geometric print gives you the creative license to explore a wide range of shapes – and, to avoid a ‘rigid’ look across your soft furnishings, it’s important not to become too set on one particular shape. Too many squares will risk looking stiff, while a square pattern contrasted against a circular pattern will help you to create a more imaginative and relaxing environment.

Don’t be intimidated by the geometric print

There’s something comforting about a floral print. Big or small, intricate or bold, the fact that florals are such a traditional, evergreen choice for the home means that most of us don’t think twice about incorporating them into our décor.

Geometric patterns tend to look a lot more modern, and, generally, bolder too. For that reason alone, it’s easy to feel as though we need to use them sparingly – as accents, rather than anchors to the room’s décor.

In reality, practicing a ‘firm hand’ when it comes to utilising geometric patterns is key. Plenty of interior designers have created incredible spaces using geometric prints freely, and on even the largest pieces of furniture. All it takes is creativity and self-assurance.

Click here to take a look at our full range of geometric patterned fabrics.