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15 Jul 22

Trend report: Big Checks

Antipodream Thistle Check Duvet Cover Duvet covers SOCIETY OF WANDERERS 2 888x copy

Over here at Pattern Lovers HQ I am loving the new print on the block. The Big Check is sashaying its way into the fashion pages of interior style mags, filling up the shelves on the high street and will soon be swaggering into my home I’m sure when I can get round to/justify a cheeky little decor update. Now while we all love to fantasise about new trends, this one actually has a lot going for it. Big checks are a really useful tool, helping to break up a fight between fussy florals  or give a lack lustre room some punch. Big checks have oomph. While there is nothing new or exciting about the classic check (of which we are seeing everywhere too), these big scale checks and chequerboard prints are bold and unashamed and thats why we will be friends.

 

Take this fabulous Thistle Check Duvet Cover and co ordinating bedlinen from tastemakers Society of Wanderers at Antipodream. Fabulous! See what I mean by muscling in fabulously with the patterned wallpaper and stripped flat sheet. Pattern mashing heaven right there, along with the colour clash that’s going on it’s all rather thrilling. Getting in on this pattern trend is easy because my tip is, you don’t need too much of it. Have it as the main event, as in bedlinen or a sofa, or save it for an accent- on a lampshade or cushion. Scroll down to the end of this post for my edit of the best of the big checks to update your home.

Featured image at top: home of Featured image at top: home of @buchanan.studio Photographed by @david.fernandez.studio for @tmagazine

Instagram is a great place to get some big check inspiration. Historically interiors have always been adorned by chequerboard floors and I love their dramatic effect in small rooms like hallways or bathrooms. This candy colour schemed bathroom by the oh-so-talented designers at Buchanan Studio is a riot of checks. Head on over to their page @buchanan.studio  for the full reveal. Obviously you have to have quite a lot of conviction to do wall to wall chequerboard but the effect is visually dazzling. While the classic black and white is very high contrast and dramatic, picking tonal colours will give a more subtle effect. Still super cool though.

 

Checkerboard knight woven dhurrie by 8 Holland street x Vanderhurd

A big check or chequerboard pattern is strong enough to hold its own in a room and be the star of the show like this huge chequerboard rug by designers 8hollandstreet x Vanderhurd . I love the way it has a feeling of fun and frivolity about it so even in the most seriously contemplated and curated interior design spaces- it can punch through with some much needed jollity. I cant help thinking of clowns trousers when I think of big checks and I love interiors that don’t take themselves too seriously so that works for me.

The home of @Mullercanseveren

The classic chequerboard floor is a great place to introduce this big bold geometric and is a wonderful pattern addition to any maximalist interior.

SHOP THE LOOK

1. Lavender Fizz Full Ruffle Cushion Cover, £49, Antipodream | 2. Checkmate placemats, £102. Balu London | 3. Piero Footstool, Punch, £855, Ceruado | 4. Checkboard shaggy rug, £169, Urban Outfitters | 5. Joy of Print Checkerboard lampshade in Pomegranate, from £84, Rosie de Ruig | 6. Velvet checkmate studio chair, contact Buchanan Studio for further info.

7. Pile rug, £79.99, H&M | 8. Ella Chair Upholstered in Chubby Check by Kit Kemp, £845, Gabriella James | 9. Check print ceramic jug, £29, Monsoon | 10. Carlotta ottoman, £1.555, Ceraudo | 11. Checked cotton cushion cover, £12.99, H&M | 12. Royal Check Charger/Plate, £80, Mackenzie Childs at Amara | 13. Patterned porcelain mug, £2.99, H&M.

Featured image at top: home of @buchanan.studio Photographed by @david.fernandez.studio for @tmagazine

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February. Rain. More rain. And then just for varie February. Rain. More rain. And then just for variety… rain. The dog and I relished the excuse to stay tucked up at home. But inside? Big plans and some serious plotting around the kitchen table. February has that quiet, held-breath quality. Everything looks still, yet beneath the surface it’s all quietly preparing to burst into life. I’m more than ready for that spring light to unleash some very exciting plans! Who else is ready?!

FEBRUARY ROUND UP
	1.	Just how much rain?! Honestly. Biblical.
	2.	Creating shape and big ideas with @teamyo_weight_training .
	3.	Major shoot energy for my AW 2026 collection. So proud of this one.
	4.	Celebrating the fabulous new scents at @vyraoworld . Heaven in a bottle.
	5.	Catch-ups with these sirens @micboehm77  @yasminsewell Creative refuel.
	6.	Photoshoot at the house. @jadefarmiloemua claims best mug, obviously.
	7.	Lucy ready for hair and make-up. Born for backstage life.
	8.	I finally caved and bought an air fryer. Brilliant but why do Ugly.
	9.	Watching the pond like it’s Netflix. What will spawn this spring? 🐸
	10.	My lovely Dad staying with us and recuperating after a nasty illness. Tender days.
	11.	Healing sunlight breaking through when we needed it most.
	12.	Three generations, sofa-bound, watching the rugby. Proper joy.
	13.	14. The wonderful Wes Anderson exhibition at the @designmuseum . Go. Get inspired.
	15. February has its own special bleakness. I’m ready for sunshine on that sea.
	16.	Lucy fully committed to hibernation season. Respect.
	17.	An elegant mess. Story of my life.
	18.	Lucy taking the minutes at a very exciting team meeting. Promotion pending.
	19.	First signs of spring 🌼 Always right on time.
AD Still smiling after revealing my latest colourf AD Still smiling after revealing my latest colourful homewares collection with @Dunelmuk. Bringing a collection like this to life takes months of dreaming, designing and attention to detail, so sharing it with everyone felt incredibly special. Expect joyful colour, layered pattern and all the maximalist touches you know I love. The whole collection is now available to shop in store, online and on the Dunelm app. I could not be prouder. 💛
January. A grateful round up. Rolling into 2026 an January. A grateful round up.
Rolling into 2026 and chasing colour in all its forms, from piercing blue winter suns to raspberry red Moroccan sunrises. I knew I’d be ready for you, 2026. And we have started beautifully.

1. A quiet promise to myself to make 2026 as colourful as possible
2. New Year’s Eve… exactly as it began
3. And then how it went. A proper sweaty dance at @alphabetbrighton 
4. Hosting a bonfire at home with friends to burn away 2025. @jothornephotography 
5. Watching embers glow beneath a full moon. Emotional in the best way
6. Snow, low sun and the most perfect winter palette
7. Still walking it out! Bracing the cold with @sophieabbottartist @edwinaboase 
8. A much needed colour hit, hosting my interiors retreat with @elfennmarrakech 
9. Me and partner in crime @em_lappin  at @lallamarrakech 
10. The joyful jolt of colour only the Marrakech souks can deliver
11. Discovering the new @ritaalaoui_artist art installation at El Fenn
12. New moon meditation with the wonderful @alexadecastilho 
13. Gently shaping a new vision for 2026
14. Harnessing that wild horse energy for my vision board webinar
15. Proud moments unveiling my latest collection to the press at @dunelmuk 
16. Catch ups with my lovely TV chums @hardcastletowers @francescarowanplowden @jackkinsey @ritamillat 
17. Feeling genuinely excited about this collection and all the squeals it is delivering
18. Finally ticking off my 360 health scan at @nekohealth 
19. Becoming mildly obsessed with pastel, colour drenched interiors
20. It looks busy, but January has mostly been this. Rest. Reflection. Happy wintering.
Not going to lie, this might be one of my proudest Not going to lie, this might be one of my proudest makeovers ever…
My Dad and Mary’s modern French villa was all beige tiles, white walls and zero personality. So I did what I do best: turned it into a technicolour dreamscape inspired by the countryside views outside those gorgeous bifold doors.

Inspired by early  autumn leaves, emerald green fields, and piercing blue skies we set about making the inside of their home feel as joyful as the outside … now imagine all that bottled up into wallpaper, fabrics, cushions and colour-drenched furniture.

If you’ve ever thought bold colour overwhelming or that pattern was too much for open-plan spaces… this one’s for you. Because colour and pattern sings in nature, and it can work just as well in your home decor.

All wallpapers, rug and cushion fabrics are from my collection with @harlequinfw. Painting by @sophieabbottartist 

Full sourcing list, extra styling tips and a deeper dive into the design story are up now on A Life In Colour: head to my Substack via the link in bio to read more!
End of January check-in… and yes, the struggle to End of January check-in… and yes, the struggle to stay joyful is very real right now. Dark mornings, grey skies, energy running low.

That’s exactly why our homes matter so much at this time of year. They are our sanctuary. The place that should lift your mood, calm your nervous system and make you feel held when the outside world feels a bit, how can I put this...relentless. And this isn’t just a feeling or a design philosophy. It’s backed up by science. Research shows that colour, light, beauty and nature in our homes have a direct impact on mood, wellbeing and happiness. Small, intentional changes really can shift how you feel day to day.

I’d love to know… what brings you the most joy in your home right now? A colour, a room, a plant, a view, a ritual? Share it in the comments 💛

And if you’re ready to go deeper, my big January Sale ends this week.

If you want to truly understand colour psychology and learn how to curate a home that feels joyful, confident and completely you, comment ULTIMATE and I’ll send you the link to my online design school and your opportunity to make the biggest saving of the year.
These are the ingredients to making your home feel These are the ingredients to making your home feel as good as it looks. 

• Confident colour that creates the mood
• Beautiful pattern that delights the eye
• Layered texture that brings it all alive
• Personality in every corner, so it feels like home

Magic happens when you stop playing it safe and start designing a home that truly reflects you. A home that feels joyful, expressive and alive. But designing a home can feel overwhelming. Where do you start? How do you combine colours without it feeling chaotic? How do you clash patterns so it looks considered? How to express your unique personality without merely copying other people’s style?

That is exactly why I created my online design school. After more than 25 years as an interior designer, I have distilled my design process into clear, easy-to-follow courses that take you step by step through combining colours, balancing patterns and adding texture, so you can decorate with confidence and creativity.

And right now, my January Sale is on. You can save a huge 60% on my transformational courses, designed to completely change how you approach your home and how it makes you feel. If you are ready to embrace your creativity and deepen your passion for interior design  comment ULTIMATE and I will send you all the details.
Think Maximalism is ‘too much’, too messy, or only Think Maximalism is ‘too much’, too messy, or only for other people? 

I’m here to tell you: maximalism isn’t chaotic. It’s just misunderstood.

Once you understand how colour and pattern work together, decorating like a maximalist stops feeling intimidating and starts feeling instinctive. Your home starts feeling like you.

If you want to design your home with confidence, my Ultimate Interiors Bundle is exactly what you need. It includes three self-paced online courses that take you inside my design process, teaching you how to use colour and pattern so you can make bold choices that actually work, again and again. 

Right now, the Ultimate Interiors Bundle is a massive 60% off. Buy now, enjoy the saving, and start whenever you are ready to create a home that is completely yours.

Comment ULTIMATE and I’ll DM you the link to find out more.
Welcome to my witchy era! Who else wants to harnes Welcome to my witchy era! Who else wants to harness the Year of the Horse and use this dynamic energy to manifest your best year yet! 

A vision board is like a compass that will lead your goal settings and intentions with total clarity. To prepare i like to take lots of long walks and meditate on what it is so want more of in my life while gratefully letting go of what no longer serves me. 

Join me Wednesday for a live webinar on how to I create a Vision board that will ignite your passion and motivation to live a bold, creative and colourful life! Comment VB26 for the link.
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