All together now

This post is about a little bit of this and a little bit more of this as opposed to that. I’m not talking about lay-it-on-thick maximalism, but rather about extending elements through spaces to achieve a more cohesive look. The trend is to take one aspect – a pattern, a shade, a texture – and repeat it here and there.

I can’t think of anything less exciting than wall-to-wall and room-to-room repetition. This is definitely one trend where less is more. It’s about building a unified look. Creating the impression that the home has been planned holistically rather than on an ad-hoc basis as décor budget becomes available.Eliminating the schizophrenic effect of each room being diametrically different.

contemporary living room design by los angeles interior designerEmily Ruddo

Repeating elements cleverly gives an impression of bespoke-ness. (I just made up that version of the word – can you tell?) Showing off a dining room lampshade that matches the sitting room curtains makes it look as though they were specially made just the for home. However, adding matchy-matchy cushions, wall hangings and place mats makes it look as though you ran out of ideas.

eclectic family room design by san francisco interior designerNiche Interiors

Some decorators up the visual interest factor by playing with a yin / yang concept – black on white and then white on black, for instance, in the same basic fabric design. Where the contrast is very marked, though, this implementation of the trend is more suited to separate rooms rather than opposite ends of an open-plan space.

contemporary living room design by toronto interior designerShirley Meisels

As an aside, notice how the light streaming in through the window and brightly-coloured furnishings pep up the dark chocolate walls above. Despite the dark shade of the paint, the space is anything but poky.

Getting back on track, this designer took the trend one step further and added cohesive upholstery in a smaller scale in the TV lounge.

And, being a perfectionist (and possibly also a touch CDO) she repeated the formal lounge drapes in the dining room.

contemporary dining room design by toronto interior designerShirley Meisels

Are you starting to get the picture? The look is “elegant togetherness” and, somehow, I don’t think the fact that all my rooms have the same budget-buy cream curtaining really counts. I’m OK with that (schizophrenia alert!) but then I know that both my personal style and personality can best be described as eclectic.

If, however, you’re after a more refined look, this trend is the one for you to follow.