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Tartan and florals? Living room help needed

3 months ago

Hi, I’ve had some new curtains fitted but wanted some advice on whether this clashes too much with the tartan and general decor? Or maybe I’m staring at it too long and I would really appreciate the advice from those who can look at this afresh.

I previously had plain grey curtains but on a night they zapped all light from the room and just looked like a big block of grey.

Any ideas of other things to add to the living room to make it look more connected?

Featured Answer

Jonathan

3 months ago

I think it’s good to mix patterns but the curtain pattern is so different from the tartan you need to add more in. As other comments say- try to get a few cushions in the curtain fabric.

If may be my screen but in my opinion the warm contemporary neutral background of the curtains makes the wall colour look a little blue and perhaps this is what is throwing you off. A stone beige paint colour could be the solution

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Comments (20)

Chris Morgan-Jones
3 months ago
I’ll caveat this by saying that I manage the building work on our projects and my wife looks after the staging. I like the tartan so I would have carried that over to the cushions and curtains and then added a reindeer rug and some proper antlers on the wall. I’m sure someone with more of an interior design focus than me will chip in, but I wonder if simplifying rather than adding will make it more cohesive.
Ives
3 months ago
I think it works well to mix patterns/fabrics, especially if they are from similar colour palettes. Otherwise things can get too matchy matchy.
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Hello CG, you can buy some of these and try them on site. From the pictures you posted I get the feeling you have 2 colors with similar saturation both fighting for attention. It's a little too much. I would keep the green but go softer on the red (i.e rust). You can also let yourself be inspired by the grey/silver/bordeaux floral and stripe pillows to create a brand new color scheme using these colors instead. For example, a very soft gray on the walls, gray carpet, grey/bordeaux combo in the curtains and for the sofa accents, pillows similar to these 2. It's decision time. Go for what speaks to you, but do it with elegance :-)
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Ives
3 months ago
You could also get a couple of cushions covers in the same fabric as curtains, maybe to cover the plain dark grey ones. It would weave the pattern in.
Isla Cherry
3 months ago
I would add some cozy sheepskins on the sofas and the room needs some colour in some guise. Brighter cushions or an orange throw would lift it. Its very monchromatic.
Sonia
3 months ago
Looks lovely together. Have a look at country hotels to help you add to the room, but I think it looks great as it is. They mix tartan with florals very well. You could add some colour with cushions, lovely cosy velvet or tartan maybe? Curtains are a tad short, but all looks good otherwise.
Jo Taylor
Original Author
3 months ago
Hi everyone, thank you so much for your comments and advice - super helpful! Chris, Isla & Ives I agree - the couch currently is a pillow back and has some tartan there but would be good to blend the pillow covers with the curtain fabric. The walls may need a repaint - Jonathan I agree, they do look blue in some lights and a warmer grey in others, I don’t love when the light reflects the more blue of the grey and I’d like to change that . Sonia -I think that’s a great idea on velvet and I agree the curtains are short. Annoyingly, the standard length of curtain are either the length they are now or dragging along the floor, otherwise I need to get made to measure which is more than I can afford.. I wish there was an in between size. Thanks again and any more suggestions are always very gratefully appreciated x
PRO
HouseReno
3 months ago
I think it is fun to mix and match. You could always find pillow covers to match if that is your concern instead of new curtains.
PRO
Upholstered.Solutions
3 months ago
Like Isla I would add a colour to break the grey palette as it appears too flat. This can be in the wall, cushions, throws, tugs?& accented accessories.
Jo Taylor
Original Author
3 months ago
Thank you I love love love the first pic!!
PRO
Upholstered.Solutions
3 months ago
…there is no hard rule about mixing florals with tartan. It is how you apply the colours and textures together.
Jo Taylor
Original Author
3 months ago
Thanks so much - I wonder if it’s due to being too grey that it’s not having the same effect
PRO
Upholstered.Solutions
3 months ago
Personally, that would be my opinion. If it were me, I would add earthy elements to the palette. I would have kept the flooring wooden, to complement the fireplace with a large rug.
How about replacing the kindling bucket for a rustic larger basket?
Add a couple of different patterned cushions, one in a different colour?
It’s the little tweaks that can make all the difference. 😊
Jo Taylor
Original Author
3 months ago
Completely agree, would have loved to have gone wooden flooring but lost the battle with the other half :)) I’ll certainly look at the options to swop out the kindling for a larger piece. The larger sofa is pillow back which has been quite restricting as the back pillows which are silver and tartan have to stay - I’ll take the front ones out and have a look at how best to add those to the front section
Nikki Larsen
3 months ago
Hello Jo. I’d love to see an accent colour in here. If your other half is amenable, blush pink ( which is grown up and not ‘Barbie) could pull it all together and warm it up. Cushions, a throw, a candle, some coffee table books with hints of pink.
Nikki Larsen
3 months ago
Like this 👇🏻
Nikki Larsen
3 months ago
You could even paint the wall with a pink/grey like Farrow and Ball ‘ Peignoir’
163 hrd
3 months ago
Remember to vary the scale of the prints when you mix patterns. The scale of print on the curtains and tartan footstool seems quite similar to me.
Jo Taylor
Original Author
3 months ago
I have made a slight update to cushions to get rid of the bold grey furry and swooped out with cream , temporary until I can purchase the right cushion
Jo Taylor
Original Author
3 months ago
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