Shore LINES

They can add coastal charm to an interior and blend easily with plains, patterns and florals. Here’s how to restyle your rooms with stripes

Sophisticated and playful in equal measure, stripes are a design trend that never seems to go out of fashion. They have the power to re-shape a room, bring order or crisp definition and are endlessly versatile if you mix them up. The varying widths can have dramatically different effects. Wide stripes present a bold, eye-catching graphic that can be the focus of a room, extending or broadening it depending on which way the lines run. Finer-weight stripes are good for upholstery and interiors, where they work almost like a plain. Both types mix easily with each other – or with florals, checks or other patterns – particularly when you have a dominant colour theme. Whether the designs are regular and sharp or wobbly and hand-painted, stripes can create anything from a crisply tailored look to a relaxed seaside vibe. Here’s how to read between the lines…