Floral prints have been admired and used extensively in decorating for many centuries and in many different cultures around the globe. Colour consultant Samantha Bacon thinks that the greens, blues and whites found in an English country garden can work wonders when used inside a home.
Trends that have been fashionable in country-style decorating recently include the floral designs seen on pottery and tiles of the Moroccan and Tuscan styles, as well as the delicate floral patterns used in French-provincial style. The very word chintz instantly conjures up the beautiful textiles used to decorate an English country home. Bold floral prints reminiscent of an English country garden are one of the classics of country-style decorating and one of the most successful colours in this genre is a delicate blue. Garden designers enjoy working with a palette of blue, white and green to produce a very sophisticated space. It’s no less successful when transferred inside to either a living room or bedroom, as the palette is calming and serene. Floral patterns also make for a relaxed atmosphere
and are perfect for a country-style home.
Whoever coined the old adage ‘blue and green should never be seen without a colour in between’ clearly never appreciated the beauty to be found in a cottage garden where these colours co-exist perfectly. A soft green wall is a lovely backdrop in a living area or bedroom for soft furnishings in creams, whites and blues. Th e optimum blue to use, particularly with green, is a mid blue that contains neither too much red nor too much green. Textiles in natural fabrics, such as cotton or linen, work particularly well in this scheme as they add to the delicate organic nature of the look.
The Linen Classics range of textiles by Warwick Fabrics is perfectly suited to this look. Chantilly in Delft, Parisienne in Wedgewood, Fleurie in Sky and Genevieve in Ink are a fabulous collection of mid blue floral fabrics. Combine these with the soft neutrals of Stow Linen and Cotswold Damask. Periwinkle and Nova Scotia are good examples of mid blue tones from Porter’s Paints. Pair these with White Sand and Plantation, also by Porter’s to achieve an attractive and soft country-style palette.
