I was convinced florals weren't my thing – now they're all over my home
I used to avoid floral prints at all costs, but one bold wallpaper changed everything
Home decorator Ammarah Hasham is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts infusing her rental house with plenty of personality. See the rest of her articles here.
"Keep the flowers. Pass me the stripes." That was me. For years.
Floral handbags? Absolutely not! (They’re still waiting outside my wardrobe). Ten years ago, I’d have admired a room wrapped in roses before returning home relieved it wasn’t mine.
I liked my interiors with a touch of rebellion. Still do. Sharp silhouettes. Bold colours. Clean lines. Everything else was figured out the messy way, one decorating disaster at a time. Patterned blooms, to me, felt a little too... well-behaved.
I’d convinced myself that people who decorated with florals were simply wired differently.
They had matching china.
Their delicate teapots wore tea cosies.
There was always a loaf of sourdough proving on the kitchen counter, and somehow it always rose. Then, I did the unthinkable. At least in my crisp-lined world.
I soft-launched florals into my life. Not with dainty roses or ditsy blooms. This wasn’t your traditional floral. Not the tea cosy type. The way I can best describe is that it felt as though exotic chinoiserie and regal botanicals had a very stylish baby.
The wallpaper that I fell for was Imperial Orange by Graham & Brown. It was floral with attitude. That’s what I wanted.
One botanical project led to another. Then, another. Before I knew it, I felt bold enough to buy a chair, flowers and all.
The wallpaper made me trust my own taste. Normally, I would have done it the other way round. A small piece of furniture first to test the waters before committing to a floral room. But, I guess, inspiration has a mind of its own. When it arrives, it doesn’t ask for directions. And, who was I to argue?
The Graham & Green button-back Suzani chair had been sitting on one of my Pinterest board for years. The only thing standing in its way was me.
A completely unnecessary amount of resistance.I didn’t stop there. One floral chair soon turned into two. Another Graham and Green chair followed. One I was absolutely willing to eat cereal for dinner to bring it home.
The funny thing is, I still wasn't drawn to traditional ditsy florals. Mine had to be oversized, bold and graphic. An entire bedroom got wallpapered in lemons. Well… lemons and pink vines. Lemons aren't technically flower but I’m counting them.
The citrus grove became the happiest room in the house. I turned the colour dial all the way up by pairing bold botanicals with my old faithful: checkerboard. Pattern clashing was at its happiest and so was I.
And then things really escalated… Flower power reached my master bedroom. Minimalists, I think you might want to look away.
It was all about pattern on pattern on pattern. This time I wasn’t experimenting with florals. I was embracing them wholeheartedly and knew exactly how I wanted the place to feel…A joyful cocoon of colour, pattern and florals.
I wrapped the room in oversized floral patterns and repeated the motifs across the bedding, cushions, and accessories. They were no longer an accent. I let them take over the room and if the decorating rulebook thinks it's all a bit much I'd simply ask, "Dear Rulebook, will you be sleeping here?".
That's the beauty of experimenting with your home. Sometimes, you surprise yourself. Sometimes, it introduces you to a version of your style you never knew existed.
Turns out, I really am that rebel who fell for roses. The question is: what have you ruled out that deserves another look?
