Stripes in Interior Design

I have a confession to make… I’m having a love affair.

It’s been going on as long as I can remember - and it started by the seaside.

Looking back on my childhood growing up in a coastal town in Wales, I can piece together so many different things that influenced my developing designer’s mind. Of course, they weren’t obvious at the time, but of all of them, my favourite is The Stripe.

The Timeless Elegance of Stripes

In the mid 19th century, French artist Eugène Boudin would use the image of a striped swimsuit to represent enjoyable, leisurely time spent at the seaside. This imagery has firmly stuck through the years - and when I think of my own happy times at the beach, I can vividly recall the blue and white stripes on the deck chairs and the colourful sticks of stripey rock candy.

I can wax lyrical about how stripes have inspired my design choices - and in that sense, my career! - for as long as someone will listen. (Where to start…)They’re a timeless classic. They can be the star of the show or the supporting act. Bold colours or tonal, complementary tones. A finishing touch or a great starting point for the design of a space. Stripes can be translated into any style, and I love using them to play with the spatial perspective of a room - they can widen or lengthen when used on walls and flooring.

Like most things, stripes have changed through time. Once deemed “the devil’s cloth” - when textiles were used to symbolise the divide between criminals and the innocent - they are now often seen as a symbol of luxury. The glow-up is real for the humble stripe!

When I think of the stripe’s adoption into fashion, my mind will always immediately go to the timeless style of Jackie Kennedy and her iconic striped Breton top - the style that influenced a nation! Since then, the Summer Stripe has continued its relationship with nautical themes by becoming a pivotal element of “Riviera chic” on the runway.

The Adaptive Power of Stripes

And as stripes have evolved, so have I - from my fond memories playing round a striped deck chair, I’m now integrating that same deck chair stripe into beach house projects for that high-living Hamptons-esque feeling that clients love.

In country house projects, a classic ticking stripe design can be paired with larger, bold floral prints to create an elegant space with an exciting graphic statement.

Or for a more contemporary feel, all a room needs sometimes is simpler furnishings with a stripe centrepiece on the walls. I love how minimalism and maximalism is achievable with the same one pattern - its adaptability shines through once you start to consider the desires of the client and the feel of the space.

All of this leads me to truly believe that as a century old design staple, the Stripe is the perfect counterpart to an Emma Wood Interiors space: designed to last and they look damn good!

Explore our portfolio and contact us today to transform your space with timeless stripes.