These are rooms in which activity and utility naturally combine, so patterns that stimulate the eye and create movement and interest look at home here. Introduce one pattern in one area, and leave other elements plain to avoid a confusion of motifs and focal points. Keep the scale of the design appropriate to the size of the space to be covered, so it doesn’t overtake the room.
1 A BOLD SPLASHBACK, IN STRONGLY GEOMETRIC TILES, MAKES
A REAL STATEMENT IN TEXTILE DESIGNER MOLLY MAHON’S SUSSEX KITCHEN (MOLLYMAHON.COM).
2 ENCAUSTIC TILES ON FLOORS AND WALLS, FROM BERT & MAY’S SPANISH CHURRIANA RANGE, £6 EACH, COULD ALSO BE LIMITED TO A ‘QUIETER’ BORDER OR UPSTAND (BERTANDMAY.COM).
3 A TILED FLOOR IS THE SOLE PATTERN IN THIS KITCHEN, ANCHORED BY
THE SIMILAR TONES IN THE FURNITURE AND OTHER ACCESSORIES.
4 FLAT-WOVEN RUGS MADE FROM ORGANIC COTTON IN SOFT SHADES AND COLOURS PROVIDE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF ENERGY. LUNA RUG, FROM £470, THE CAMPBELL COLLECTION (THECAMPBELLCOLLECTION.CO.UK).
5 A FOLK-ART PATTERN HAS BEEN CARVED INTO A WOODEN BREAD BOARD, FROM A SELECTION OF ONE-OFF RECONDITIONED BOARDS, FROM £26, RE (RE-FOUNDOBJECTS.COM).
6 HEXAGONAL FLOOR TILES WITH A FINE PATTERN MAKE AN EARTHY KITCHEN FLOOR. ALICANTE HEXAGONAL TILE, £54.68/SQ M, MANDARIN STONE (MANDARINSTONE.COM).
7 A SCREEN-PRINTED LINEN BAG FOR BREAD, FROM £25, BY CLAIRE CARTWRIGHT (CLAIRECARTWRIGHTSTUDIO.CO.UK).
8 OVERLAYS OF COLOURED GLAZES CREATE A GEOMETRIC EFFECT ON THIS LITTLE STONEWARE POURING JUG BY LIZ VIDAL, £20 (LIZVIDALCERAMICS.COM).
GRAPHIC PATCHWORK ON AN APPLIQUÉD BEDSPREAD MAKES AN EYE-CATCHING TABLECLOTH IN A ROOM DEVOID OF ANY OTHER PATTERN