I love florals on clothing, but I have always found them a bit too kitschy in interiors. Floral seating tends to be a feature of cottagecore spaces - my least favorite interior design style. I've been a hater from the beginning, finding the aesthetic saccharine and contrived. However, Judi Dench's living room has made even me recant.
An archival image of the actress's living room in 1967 is full of 1960s design inspiration. Judi perches on a white armchair, made interesting by a large-scale botanical floral print. She has paired the seating with a Persian-style rug. In the background, polished wooden furniture grounds the whimsical look.
Lately, I've been noticing the floral print trend growing in popularity, appearing on cushions, seating, and curtains. As per my previous statements, I couldn't imagine how I could style the look in my home before seeing the picture, but now, I'm following Judi's lead.
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Stoffer Home is one of my favorite Wayfair destinations, thanks to their beautiful hand-upholstered furniture pieces like this block-print ottoman. The silhouette is contemporary yet finished with a ruffle to nail the skirted furniture trend.
Intertwined with berries and little daisy flowers, this nostalgic pleated throw pillow is such a great Amazon find. I'll be adding it to my bed with some pretty linens inspired by the scalloped decor trend.
This ruffled throw pillow is the perfect accent piece for style-forward shoppers. I love the combo of green and pink, and it's delicate, ditsy floral that was designed in-house at The Six Bells and then crafted in India.
What does this mean?
First, I am pattern-clashing my florals. As seen through Judi's combination of a Persian-style rug with her floral chair, the pattern looks most interesting when paired with other prints. The mixture keeps the florals from looking too sweet. To expertly pair prints, I recommend pairing a large-scale print with a smaller scale to make it interesting, not overwhelming.
Second, Judi's living room idea inspires an approach of pairing florals with dark wood. Though the modern cottagecore look often depicts floral patterns together with light wood, I believe this combination to be too sweet. The dark wood helps to elevate the romantic pattern to feel more inspiring and adult.
Finally, Judi Dench's large-scale white floral shows that there are lots of ways to tap into the floral trend, without relying on ditsy little flowers. Instead, you can select a floral that fits with your personal style. It's an inspiration to pay attention to interior design trends, but only integrate them in a way that meshes with your personality.
First impressions aren't always correct. Sometimes, to understand a new trend, all you have to do is look back at the past to understand its roots. Often, that will change your opinion.
