7 gorgeous ways to style stripes in your home

Whilst stripes are definitely on trend right now, if we’re honest, they never really went out of style. According to our Lead Colour Consultant Sam Bramley, “the interior world runs parallel to the fashion industry and at the moment the runways are hot with stripes. Bigger, brighter and bolder, pushing them to the foreground”. Totally timeless, stripes bring an understated elegance and a feeling of calm into a room. Therefore, it makes sense that whilst for many of us our lives may feel more chaotic than ever, we can still retain some sense of order in our home. Creating a structured backdrop to layer on prints and patterns, stripes can even encourage a sense of play.

The humble repeat line has a character all of its own and can be a fantastic way of adding energy to a room, from small details to big.

Sam Bramley

According to Sam, “If you liken it to a capsule wardrobe for clothes, stripes are a must for your walls and furnishings. It’s a design staple within the interior vision. The humble repeat line has a character all of its own and can be a fantastic way of adding energy to room, from small details to big. Stripes have a happy medium of enhancing a space and contrasting beautifully with other patterns.” So, be it traditional ticking stripes or contemporary wavy designs, take a look at these 7 ways to style stripes in your home.

Striped wallpaper

Wallpaper is one of the most effective ways to incorporate stripes into your home as it draws the eye upwards and makes a space appear taller and more grand. For bold and energetic style, why not try Painted Stripe 01 in a hallway or bathroom? Alternatively, ZigZag 01’s intriguingly playful design is just the ticket in an eclectic decor living room whilst Diamond 01 would create a restful and soothing bedroom.

Shop striped wallpaper

Striped headboards 

These examples of horizontally striped and vertically striped rooms show the different visual effects it can create. A complimentary green and pink colour palette, combined with matching horizontally striped headboard makes a small room feel roomier and restful. On the right, a dreamy blue and pink colour palette makes you feel like you’re sleeping on Cloud 9, whilst vertically placed stripes draw the eye skywards.

Take a look at our easy DIY on how to reupholster a headboard to create your own.

Striped tableware 

And finally, striped tableware is less about visual trickery and more that we just love it. From tablecloths to table runners, napkins to glassware—when it comes to tableware there isn’t a stripe we didn’t like. This John Lewis striped cotton table runner will create some modern farmhouse style in the heart of your home whilst these striped napkins by Oliver Bonas will bring a little fun to dinner time.

Striped tiles 

Stripes in your kitchen or bathroom will instill a feeling of fun into these spaces, as it’s not necessarily somewhere you’d expect to find them. Stripes have that wonderful visual trick of redirecting the eye, so when used correctly, they really can make a space appear bigger. Perfect for a pokey kitchen or bathroom. We love Bert & May’s collection of stripes for quality and variety. As a rule of thumb, use horizontal or diagonal stripes if you want to make a room appear wider and vertical stripes if you want to make it appear taller.

Striped rugs 

Whilst a strategically placed rug will create ‘zoning’ in a room and (you guessed it) make it appear bigger, a striped rug will do this even better. Place one in your living room and you can guarantee it will never go out of style. A simple and effective way to inject a splash of colour and texture into an otherwise neutral space. Whether you go for a time-tested cotton rug design or a boho-style kilim o r jute rug, there’s a stripe to suit every home…

Striped lamps

It feels as though there has never been more choice when it comes to lamps and lampshades. And this Hum London’s Yellow Striped Hand Painted lamp shade is bound to shine some sunny yellow fun into a traditionally decorated home.

Striped upholstery 

Whether it’s a pair of armchairs or a pair of curtains, striped upholstery will create a feeling of balance and ordered style in your home without it feeling as daunting as going wall-to-wall might. Matching striped armchairs will create a focal point in a living room whilst a pair, or vertically striped curtains will add a feeling of height and grandeur to any space. From florals to polka dots, and animal print to yet more stripes—if you’re worrying what to pair them with, it’s less about the pattern and more about the colourway. The key is to make sure that your colour palette fits and the patterns will slot right in.

Not sure which patterns to pair your stripes with? Get some inspiration with our shopping guide to wiggly decor.