How to make floral patterns modern

last updated 13 May 2022

Dainty flowers have had their day - here's how to decorate with pretty petals with a cool, modern edge.

room with floral designed wall floral designed armchair and grey flooring

1. Three's a charm

When you're picking floral fabrics, don't just choose one pattern. Juxtapose the colour, scale and style of the flowers for maximum effect, like the white background of the painterly blue flowers on this armchair compared to the black base of the fuchsia wisteria blooms

living room with red sofa floral cushion blue floral chair and plant

2. Rich shades

Keeping the same colour palette running a room filled with mixed patterns really pulls it together and creates unity. This multicoloured modern living room remains welcoming by the rich berry colours such as the red and purple sofa, the blue floral chair and the dark base colours which the flower patterns sit on.

floral designed chaise lounge with floral cushions and blue wall with flowers design

3. Big blooms

The larger the space, the bigger your flowers should be. If you have a whole wall to play with, opt for enormous blooms like the huge faded roses on this wall panel and this modern chaise lounges's larger-than-life painterly pansies.

bedroom with white and grey wall and floral bed with floral cushion

4. Time travel

If you have a house full of traditional flowers there's no need to despair - they can be updated in an instant with a hit of modern fabric. The realistic petals on this blue and white bedding contrast beautifully with the sketched roses on this velvet headboard.

blue and floral wall floral cushion and floral painting on board

5. Quick fix

Non-permanent features like screens, artworks and cushions are an easy way to incorporate a theme into your home in no time at all – the interior design equivalent of buying a bunch of flowers.

blue wall with floral painting blue floral designed chair and floral cushion

6. Colour match

Complement your existing scheme with a floral print that beautifully blends in. The cloud-like blue and white pattern that dresses this living room sets the scene for the navy flowers that bloom across this modern lounge chair.

7. Go big

And then of course there's the old fashioned way. If you're going for a real bunch of flowers be bold and mix sprawling foliage with pretty petals in punchy colours to lift up a room in a instant.

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