I’m bored of adding pattern with cushions – here’s what I’m doing instead

Child's bedroom with patterned wallpaper, dark chest of drawers, blue curtains and colourful wall hangings and prints — (Image credit: @tessfwa.home)

When we think about adding those finishing touches to a room, our minds tend to go to the usual suspects: cushions, curtains, maybe a lampshade or two. And while I’m certainly not about to suggest we abandon a good patterned cushion (I wouldn’t dream of it!), there are so many other, often overlooked, ways to bring pattern into a room.

One of my favourite things to do is have a quick scroll through an interior designer’s Instagram page (something I do far too regularly) and look at the less obvious ways they’ve introduced colour, pattern and texture. Sometimes the most effective way to use pattern is to put it somewhere you wouldn’t normally think to look.

1. The trusty upholstered stool

Green and white striped fabric pouffe on wooden floor — Harlequin fabric made by Katy Takla

We have two upholstered stools in our house and they’re some of the hardest-working pieces of furniture we own. There’s one by the front door for putting shoes on and another in the bedroom which is primarily a very expensive dumping ground for my other half’s gym wear.

2. Draft excluders and door stops

Pink and red zig-zag patterned draught excluder on wooden floor beside green-grey door — Harlequin fabric made by Katy Takla

I appreciate that a draft excluder is not the first thing that springs to mind when you think about decorating with pattern but hear me out…

They may be small, but I honestly think adding pattern in any form is worth considering, particularly when it’s something you use every day. We have two draft excluders downstairs where there’s often a bit of a chill in the air, and I love that they’re such an easy win. They introduce pattern and texture in a complementary colour but they’re also genuinely useful when winter rolls around. That’s something I always look for when decorating: can the pretty thing also earn its keep?

A patterned door stop works in exactly the same way. It’s tiny, but it’s another opportunity to introduce a fabric, colour or print without having to commit to an entire piece of furniture.

3. Wall hangings

Colourful patterned wall hanging in ceiling area above staircase with blue banisters, beside gallery wall

I love seeing textiles used in unexpected ways and putting them on a wall is one of my favourite ways to add pattern. Large-scale artwork can be expensive, whereas a beautiful textile can often create just as much impact for less. It also brings something that a framed print can’t always offer: texture.

Take the beautiful wall hanging in the cover image from Tess, aka @tessfwa.home, as the perfect example. It immediately draws your eye and adds pattern without making the room feel overloaded. Shout out to this excellent wallpaper choice too!

Clearly a fan of a wall hanging (I can see why!), Tess also introduced pattern and texture to her previous landing in one fell swoop. I love that unexpected pop of red against the blue stairs.

And you don’t necessarily need to go out and buy something specifically labelled a “wall hanging”. Vintage flatweave rugs, scarves, tapestries and even beautiful pieces of fabric can all work beautifully.

4. Furniture

Who says sofas, ottomans and chairs have to be plain? Often with an investment piece it can be tempting to play it safe and opt for a neutral but there are other options. Patterned furniture can be a little harder to find off the shelf, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Going bespoke means you can be more considered about the piece you introduce and if you’re going to make a statement, you may as well make it a good one.

Having my ottoman made in a bespoke fabric is honestly one of my favourite investment purchases (there's not a day that passes where someone on Instagram doesn’t ask where it’s from). I often refer to it as the hero piece in our room and choosing a fabric I absolutely love has made it feel much more special than an off-the shelf number ever could.

So why not commission a piece of furniture in a standout fabric? Take the new Amelia trundle storage ottoman from The House Upstairs as an example. This new design is practical, but there’s nothing boring about it. Can we also take a moment for all the delicious use of pattern in this room.

Wood panelled living room with large stone fireplace, patterned rug on floor and upholstered patterned ottoman as coffee table

If going totally bespoke takes up too much headspace, there are plenty of brands that are getting in on the action when it comes to patterned sofas now. I’m still lusting after a patterned sofa myself and stumbled on a gorgeous vintage-inspired floral number from Sofas & Stuff that is pretty much perfection.

The trick with a big, patterned piece is not to make everything else compete with it. Mix it with some quieter, plain fabrics (OK, and maybe a beloved stripe) and let the hero piece do the talking.

5. The fireplace fender

Possibly my favourite, and certainly one of the most overlooked, ways to introduce pattern is a club fender – the upholstered seating that sits around the base of a fireplace.

I’ve been scouring eBay for YEARS to no avail, but I find them so chic and timeless and will happily wait for the right one to appear. It’s all just a matter of time...

I romanticise the idea of perching on one, with a glass of wine in hand while hosting friends, although realistically we all know it would probably become reserved for her MAGesty – Maggie, our ginger cat who rules the roost around here.

The image that lives rent-free in my mind when it comes to fireplace fenders is this contemporary version by interior designer Georgie Wykeham. It’s a brilliant alternative to the traditional brass versions you often see, with a painted bobbin frame paired with the most perfect pink and white fabric.

Neutral living room with fireplace, built in storage and red and white striped upholstered fireplace fender surround

If you’re wanting the ease of buying online, the Gaia Chindi Fender from Graham & Green is a great contender. Patterned enough to create impact but subtle enough that it will go with many other patterns in a space.

Neutral living room with fireplace with marble surround and mantle, surrounded by upholstered fender and topped with mirror and candles

Rather than introducing yet another cushion or curtain, the fender brings pattern in at a completely different level.

Look beyond the obvious

I’m certainly not suggesting that cushions and curtains are off the table. They’re classics for a reason but if you feel as though you’ve exhausted the obvious places to introduce pattern, look down, look up and look at the things you might normally overlook.

A stool. A draft excluder. A piece of fabric on the wall. A sofa. Even the furniture around your fireplace. Pattern doesn’t have to be everywhere to make an impact. Sometimes unexpected hits of it are enough to make an otherwise ordinary room feel much more interesting.

And, perhaps most importantly, you don’t need to match everything. In fact, please don’t. The best patterned rooms, in my opinion, are the ones where you can’t quite work out how everything goes together – it just does. That’s the fun of it.

Grace H is the founder of @gracelovescolour, an instagram account with over 90,000 followers. It's where she showcases her interiors journey, with a focus on bold colour pairings, vintage pieces and sourcing affordable style.

Grace’s love of interiors began at 11, decorating a garden shed with vintage net curtains and charity shop finds. Today, that same playful spirit runs through her colourful, joy-filled home in Manchester, where she’s renovated a Victorian semi from scratch.