The Pattern Princes

Whether it’s time to revamp a room or complete a remodel, use patterns and prints to add character and signature style to your interior.

It’s a new year,

which means it’s time to refresh your cottage. Dress up your home in patterns, prints and textures with tips from John Loecke and Jason Oliver Nixon’s new book, Prints Charming. Otherwise known as the

Madcap Cottage gents, John and Jason are here to help you pick the perfect theme for any room in your house and add personalized décor to give your cottage a fresh, homey feel.

The delightful duo, known for their blend of bright vivacious palettes and classically rooted interiors say that pattern is not only what can take your rooms from vanilla to a rainbow of flavors; it’s what can infuse your space with the timeless charm of cottage style. “All white walls and neutral furnishings and accessories lack a history or provenance,” they write. “Pattern is gutsy. Interior design is about bringing fantasy and story line to life: With a little vision and inspiration, you can easily create an alternative reality in which to—quite literally—live.”

So if you’re stuck living in a beige world, where do you start? Here, they break it down into the big ideas.

THINK THEME

To create a lively storyline in a room, start by picking a pattern or print to function as a theme. The possibilities for patterns are truly endless. “Use painted furniture to carry a pattern story from fabrics and wallpapers onto three-dimensional pieces, such as mirrors and accessories,” the designers write. Not only does this expand your options for creativity, but it also gives you the opportunity to add personalized décor to the room. For example, if your curtain pattern has brightly colored tropical birds, choose a complementary pillow pattern of tropical flowers, and a sisal rug that resembles sand. Then add travel pieces to complete the look and embellish the room with your favorite mementos.