10 Easy Pieces: Designers’ Favorite Prints and Patterns

Are you brave enough to strike out and use patterned fabric in your interiors, or do you need a little extra hand-holding? Falling in the latter category, we asked 10 designers for their go-to prints.

Above: With many island projects in his portfolio, including his own two Harbour Island cottages in the Bahamas, Manhattan interior designer (and trained architect) Tom Scheerer favors the “scale and lively loose line that animates the atmosphere” of Katsugi by Schumacher. “It mixes well with other small-scale ‘ethnic’ prints but can also make a statement on its own as a wall covering. I think of it as tropical, or at least very summery, and use it often in sunrooms and in the Caribbean,” he says.

Above: New York City designer John Derian opts for prints from Tissus Tartares because “the collection has a nice range and all of the prints are beautiful.” He recently covered a pair of Tulip Chairs from the John Derian Collection in Jar Ptista, “a floral that’s modern and masculine at the same time.” In the US, Jar Ptista is available to order by the yard through Derian’s own John Derian Furniture.

Above: London designer Harriet Anstruther is obsessed with old Toile de Nantes, and her favorite source is French antique textile specialist Katharine Pole. “The 18th-century fabrics that you can find are often small pieces for framing or occasional use as they are very fragile. But the impact they have, especially in a modern interior, is priceless. Katharine has an exceptional eye and is a trusted source.” See Anstruther’s own kitchen in Steal This Look: A Glamorous London Kitchen from a Designer with ‘Shitloads of Talent’.

Above: Daniel Sachs of New York City firm Sachs Lindores favors Piedmont Embroidery in Tomato from the Guy Goodfellow Collection. “The texture has a very handmade, handwoven feel. It looks great as a drapery border or on a pillow.”

Above: Rita Konig, European editor of T Magazine and tastemaker on both sides of the Atlantic, singles out Pommes des Pin by Le Menach, a pattern that evokes memories of her childhood drawing room designed by her mother, famed interior designer Nina Campbell. “I found an old, very faded piece of it the other day and had cushions made for our little house in Wales. I love how the fabric can work in a humble shepherd’s cottage and also be used in much grander surroundings.” Pommes des Pin is available through Pierre Frey. 

Above: Wallpaper interiors editor turned London designer Charles Mellersh advocates “Marthe Armitage’s crisp and graphic botanical-inspired designs because they are beautifully handcrafted and yet modern in feel.” Her wallpapers, printed in fanciful patterns featuring flora and fauna and bucolic country scenes, are available from Hamilton Weston, as are several fabrics on request. See an example of Mellersh’s work in The Designer Is In: An Optimist at Home in Notting Hill.

Above: Sisters Jayne and Joan Michaels of the New York City firm 2Michaels often turn to Classic Cloth Limoges by Dessin Fournir. “The fabric is handwoven and embroidered, while the pattern is subtle and softly exotic.” Tour a 2 Michaels project in The Designer Is In: A Midcentury Dream on the Upper West Side.

Above: New York City designer Rebecca Robertson’s choice of the moment is Domesticate’s Mudcloth, printed on linen-cotton canvas from design-your-own-fabric company Spoonflower. “This would look fantastic on a traditional piece of furniture like a bergére chair. It is dramatic and timeless, and accompanied by the agreeable price of $27 a yard.” See an example of Robertson’s work in A Whimsical Family Loft in Brooklyn: Whale Wallpaper Included.

Above: Amy Kehoe of Los Angeles design firm Nickey Kehoe says everyone in her studio is drawn to Jennifer Shorto’s collection. “These textiles have a refined ethnicity that evokes a sense of tradition. Her collection allows us to infuse a vintage reference into our projects without actually using old fabric–sometimes you just need clean and comfortable.”

Above: Based in San Mateo, California, and New York City, designer Katie Leede’s favorite is Isis in Bluebyrd Plum from her own line of fabrics at Katie Leede and Company. “The design is strong and bold, yet the color palette is soft and feminine–perfect for master bedroom curtains or upholstery.”

Above: From his own Zak + Fox collection, New York City textile designer Zak Profera recommends Khotan. “I’m constantly tinkering with so many patterns for my own collection that it’s sometimes hard to separate what I love in the moment versus what I think will become a classic. Khotan uses ten colors to achieve its signature antiqued look, and it’s definitely sticking around for a while.”

See Pattern Language: A Textiles Enthusiast at Home in Ann Arbor for tips on designing rooms around fabrics. In Remodeling 101: White Tile Pattern Glossary, we explore ways of making patterns with white tiles only. And in Steal This Look: Reclaimed Style for a Dining Patio in Toronto, pattern mixing goes outside.