This "Dated" '80s Design Trend Is So Back, According to 2 Designers
If you love pattern, then you probably already know about peel-and-stick wallpaper, a totally removable version of the old-school paste the wall (or paste the paper) coverings. But you might not know about a way you can double down on pattern using peel-and-stick wallpaper as one half of a retro-inspired pairing. That’s right— I’m talking about matching your curtains to your wallpaper for a bit of extra design drama.
Maybe you remember this maximalist design move from your grandparents’ ‘70s or ‘80s decor or, if you’re like me, from the Daisy Jones and the Six TV show sets. What you might not realize, though, is that this trend’s totally coming back in style for 2024, and that it’s pretty easy to DIY the look in your own space. In fact, at Apartment Therapy’s Small/Cool NYC event, two designers tried this trend to great success, and I’m breaking the pairings down for you here, in case you want to get a little matchy matchy-meets-modern in your home with your walls and drapery.
A tree print trio makes this reading room extra cozy.
In Apartment Therapy’s Executive Home Director, Danielle Blundell’s, “Wild Instincts” reading room, she used the OMG woodland pattern by Whitney English from Spoonflower on the walls and the drapery — and she even tripled down on the pattern by using the same print for the bedding in the room. “You can never have too much of a good print,” Blundell says. Think maximalism refined, and a traditional woodland print’s a great choice for a room that you want to feel extra cozy and secluded, like a book nook.
A plaid pairing adds depth to this sitting room.
This preppy-meets-posh sitting room titled “Make it Fashion” by designer DuVäl Reynolds features matching dark blue plaid wallpaper and curtain panels. Reynold’s drapery adorns a faux window he made out of mirrors — another great idea to steal for small spaces, where natural light may be lacking. On the whole, though, this room feels super-cohesive and pulled-together because of the use of the matching plaids. The midnight blue Clare paint color Goodnight Moon, which is used to create the look of paneling on the walls, also helps to break the matching plaids up.
Reynolds suggests that plaid on plaid (or stripe on stripe, or floral on floral — or any pattern you choose) is a great idea for any fashion lover. When decorating a room, “Take inspiration from your favorite house — fashion house, that is” with tweeds, houndstooths, plaids, and more, as his trend description for Small/Cool NYC suggests. This kind of a mix is sure to add warmth, visual interest, and texture to any room.
Which pattern will you choose to double down on for 2024?
