Throw is "Sheherazade" from Etamine's Ravel Collection by Zimmer + Rohde
Often, when we hear the word “floral,” our minds immediately go to the very ornate flowered patterns typified by formal styles predominant in 17th and 18th century Europe, when florals first emerged as a major trend in interior design. And although similar designs are still produced and applied worldwide, florals continue to evolve and are available in a wide range of styles to suit just about any taste.
Here, ChesapeakeHome looks at the roots and characteristics of just a few major approaches to florals as they are implemented in modern interiors.
BOTANICAL PRINTS AND ARTS & CRAFTS FLORALS
While arts and crafts florals came into prominence in the late 19th century, they are still popularly used to complement traditional interiors today. A favorite of homeowners who like neutral or earthy color palettes, these florals tend to be (but are not always) conveyed in darker, natural tones.
The Arts & Crafts Movement first emerged as artist/designers like William Morris revolted against the mass production of the Industrial Revolution and “insisted that pattern designs, floral and otherwise, should emphasize flat, graphic content and movement rather than attempting to fool the eye of the beholder into thinking they were seeing, walking, or sitting on real flowers,” explains Anita Jones, textile curator for the Baltimore Museum of Art. And although the Arts and Crafts representations of botanicals are more two dimensional and stylized, the movement itself put art and textiles back into the hands of artisans rather than machines, so the term “arts and crafts” more widely refers to all things handmade.
Handmade textiles, wallcoverings, and furnishings alike are celebrated by DC’s J. Lambeth & Co. in the Washington Design Center. The showroom features textile and wallpaper lines from Nicholas Herbert, an English company specializing in vat dyeing fabrics, which is a process done by hand and rarely used anymore. “We have these beautiful lines and collections from those who hand screen and hand print their fabrics,” says Becky LaRoche of J. Lambeth. “One of our wallpaper lines, Adelphi, comes from the only hand block company in America. Another wallpaper line, Charles Rupert, is still produced on the original 18th century printing machine in England.”
EASTERN & ART NOUVEAU FLORALS
From simple to elaborate, traditional to modern, Asian aesthetic influences on Western design are evident in floral patterns used for a variety of applications including throw pillows, bedding, tile mosaics, and upholstery. Les Indiennes patterns, for instance, are interpretations of traditional Indian motifs that typically portray a stylized plant or flower motifs. In the 18th century, these patterns reflected Europe’s growing awareness of Eastern culture, explains Kim Huebner, a US marketing professional for French textile and wallpaper design house Pierre Frey. “The flowers represented in these patterns do not exist in real life. [They] embody the spirit of exoticism and fascination that people at the time felt toward the Far East.” Batik prints and chinoiserie patterns are good examples wherein the floral forms are flat and there is a purposeful lack of depth and shadow. They are characterized by uses of bold color and more geometric shapes.
The allure of these designs persisted in Europe, eventually giving rise to the Art Nouveau movement at the turn of the 20th century. “Art Nouveau brought sinuous shapes into the design of furniture, architecture, and textiles,” says Jones. “Bright colors, simplistic shapes, and generally more geometric florals characterize Art Deco or Moderne textiles.” Art Nouveau is a movement noted for its organic forms and natural motifs, sharply contrasted by its refined and formalized techniques and continuing the trend of a lack of perspective and depth, resulting in floral patterns that are highly stylized and very flatly construed.
"Orient 305" mosaic tile arrangement from SICIS' OrienTale Collection
ABSTRACT & MOD FLORALS
What design experts are seeing as current trends in the world of florals is largely influenced by turn of the 20th century art and design. Susan Obrecht, principal designer and owner of Morgan Truesdell Interiors, says she is seeing a lot of larger repeats in fabrics, abstract prints, and bold colors. “Tone on tone is in right now…and a transitional damask floral is very popular,” notes Obrecht, adding, “I’m also seeing a lot of retro florals that have a 1960s and ‘70s feel with really electric color palettes.”
Louise Priest of Hines & Co., also at the Washington Design Center, is currently seeing major parallels between floral patterns and actual flower arrangements, as designers and florists embrace the trend of using fewer colors and a single kind of flower to make a statement. “The same thing occurs when you take one flower and put it in a small vase rather than having many different kinds of flowers in a bouquet,” she says. “Some fabrics take that concept and repeat it in a pattern.”
FOR EVERY HOME, A FLOWER
As with anything in the design world, there will be trends that come and go. But when it comes to choosing floral patterns for the home, the choice is a matter of taste. “Good designers know how to use a classic floral no matter what,” ensures LaRoche. “There are ways of doing classic designs in a modern way.”
Florals have an everlasting quality to them, and what was in vogue 200 years ago still has an influence on the patterns that are created today. “Textile designers working for any company refresh themselves with history and are inspired by elements of both the past and present,” says Priest. “Whether you have a traditional home or a modern one, you can always find a floral that works.”
Annliese Scott is the Assistant Editor for ChesapeakeHome.
Contacts:
Baltimore Museum of Art: artbma.org or 443-573-1700
Hines & Co.: dcdesigncenter.com/listing.cfm or 800-996-9607
J. Lambeth & Co.: jlambeth.com or 202-646-1774
Morgan Truesdell Interiors: morgantruesdell.com or 410-486-6262
Pierre Frey: pierrefrey.com/en or 678-904-2009
Resources:
Adelphi: adelphipaperhangings.com or 518-284-9066
Barclay Butera for Kravet: kravet.com or 800-645-9068
Cabbages & Roses: cabbagesandroses.com
Charles Rupert Designs: charlesrupertdesigns.com or 250-384-1892
Lee Jofa: leejofa.com or 800-453-3563
Lucy Rose Design Collection: lucyrosedesign.com or 212-452-0823
Nicholas Herbert Ltd.: nicholasherbert.com
SICIS: sicis.com or 877-839-8900
Victoria Hagan® Home: victoriahaganhome.com or 212-888-3241
Zimmer + Rohde: zimmer-rohde.com or 212-758-7925
