THE SPRING FASHION RUNWAYS were full of bright colors and bold patterns. If your goal is to be as “extra” as possible, this is the season to do so.
These fashion trends influence more than just wardrobe choices and closet updates. According to interior designer Penny Francis, owner of Eclectic Home (8211 Oak St., 504-866-6654; www.eclectichome.net), interiors follow fashion. “Fashion comes first,” Francis says, “but the next season, you start to see those trends incorporated into interiors.”
Patricia Cordaro Daigle, owner of Fairfax Fabric Company (3613 Magazine St., 504-309-9503; www.fairfaxfabriccompany.com), agrees and points as an example to the velvet trend first seen on runways for fall/winter 2017.
“Velvet has been huge in home decor for the last few years,” Cordaro Daigle says. “Velvet has great texture, so it’s an easy way to add depth or a pop of color.” She cites palm frond and banana leaf motifs as another example. They were a hit on runways in spring 2017, and now they’re popular choices for upholstery and wallpaper.
While retailers offer fashionable choices in a range of prices for clothing, making it affordable to refresh your wardrobe with the season’s trends, most people likely wouldn’t redecorate their homes every season. Francis cautions clients against going overboard when decorating with trends.
“Too much of one style or trend won’t have lasting appeal,” she says. “You don’t want to keep reinventing. So, our advice is to sprinkle in the things you love.”
Francis and Cordaro Daigle offer some tips on how to incorporate spring fashion trends into home decor without blowing the budget.
Bold color
Francis loves the color revival happening in both fashion and interiors.
“We are seeing the all-white schemes fading away in favor of homes showing more of a curated look built on personality as opposed to what a spread in a magazine looks like,” she says.
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Paint can be an inexpensive option to freshen a room, but if you aren’t ready to cover the walls in a bold hue, Cordaro Daigle suggests using throw pillows to add in color. “It’s always good to start with pillows because you can change them seasonally and they aren’t a huge financial commitment,” she says.
An often-overlooked option is right under the table. Cordaro Daigle suggests adding a punch of color on the seats of dining chairs or barstools. “Since chairs and barstools are tucked under the table most of the time,” she says, “they can be an easy place to incorporate an unexpected pop without overwhelming a room.”
Reupholstering tired seats can add new life to furniture you already own and is more budget-friendly than buying something new.
Scarf and tie prints got an update for Spring 2019, and the more modern take is headlining spring home decor as well.
Mix and match
The idea of scarf and tie prints may conjure the smell of moth balls, but that association is a thing of the past. Runway shows from couture houses Balenciaga, Etro and Chloe presented an updated bohemian style that mixes and matches these prints.
Floral patterns, which flooded the spring 2018 runways, are back again this year in bigger and bolder colors, and they are nothing like your granny’s chintz curtains. If you find a print or floral that you love, Francis suggests finding a way to pair it with what you already have.
“Using a floral or print on an ottoman or accent chair is a great way to incorporate it because it’s a lot more inexpensive than reupholstering a sofa,” she says.
Anything goes when it comes to mixing and matching prints, Cordaro Daigle says.
“You just want to make sure the prints don’t compete with each other for balance,” she says. “They need to play an equal role in the scheme.” For example, Daigle pairs a large geometric print with a smaller cheetah-inspired polka-dot pattern in the same gold and silver tones.
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Polka dots
All of the major fashion houses sent polka dots down the runway, including Burberry, Celine and Dolce & Gabbana. Cordaro Daigle shares the fashion industry’s obsession with dots, but Francis doesn’t view the pattern as a trend.
“Polka dots are timeless,” she says. “That’s one thing that never goes out of style. They actually work as a neutral, sort of like an animal print, and they can be great complements to stripes or florals.”
The ’70s vibe was on display on spring fashion runways. It plays out in home decor in an influx of natural fabrics and materials, such as this “Vicky” rattan chair in high gloss black, available at Eclectic Home.
Seventies vibes
The runways also were full of macrame and other style nods to the ’70s. In interior design, this trend translates to lots of rattan and other natural materials. If you’re drawn to these looks, Francis suggests juxtaposing these raw textures with refined ones.
“Pairing a woven accent chair with something softer like a velvet sofa will keep a room from feeling too cold,” she says.
Feathers
Colorful ostrich, marabou and emu feathers were all over the runway for Marc Jacobs, Saint Laurent and Valentino, among others. Francis says feathers and fringe are trending in interiors as well.
“That luxurious look is back,” she says. “But a little goes a long way.” She advises using them sparingly as accents or trim.
Cordaro Daigle suggests a few unexpected ways to incorporate feathers in home decor.
“I would use feathers in lighting,” she says. “I just saw a really cool drum light covered in colorful feathers.”
Tie-dye
The kaleidoscopic pattern may be associated with art teachers and hippies, but it made a big showing on runways from some of the biggest fashion houses like Dior, Prada and Stella McCartney.
“Tie-dye is actually a timeless trend that can be a really fun splurge,” Cordaro Daigle says. Her shop features a number of tie-dye patterned fabrics. Many are in single colors, so the design isn’t too over the top.
