Spring is the perfect season to welcome one of 2014’s hottest decor trends into your home. Out with the strong geometric patterns that have been firm favourites with so many designers over the last few years and in with flower power. Floral patterns in all shapes, sizes and styles are blooming and we are delighted. But this is not your grandma’s floral fantasy of years gone by, this is a fresh and fabulous approach to floral decor. Here is our advice on how to incorporate flower power into your home:

Go big

Using only small-scale floral designs can make a space look cluttered and busy, mix your pattern sizes and try using smaller floral designs on the bigger pieces. Also be careful of too much repetition i.e. using the same floral pattern on too many items in a single room, as it can look contrived and overdone.

1. Mix floral pattern sizes and styles for an interesting layered look.

Go bold

For a modern bold look, use bright colours instead of the soft muted floral tones of the past. By incorporating blocks of solid colour into the decor scheme, you can tie in various patterns and ground the space. Combining colours of the opposite side of the colour wheel such as red and green or blue and yellow (as shown above) will create a bold effect and real drama. But for the colour-shy perhaps tone these combinations down by using a lighter shade or tone of one of the colours or using one colour as an accent colour only.

Go simple

If bold colours scare you then using only one colour with white is advisable. This allows you to easily incorporate a mix of patterns such as geometrics, stripes and florals. The overall effect is quite elegant and sophisticated as demonstrated in the below image.

2. The strong geometry of shutters complements floral design beautifully.

Go carefully

While mixing patterns and colours can make a space interesting and unique, be warned to not mix too many design styles. Choose the right style of floral design to incorporate into your space i.e. country floral fabrics may not work in a modern minimalist apartment and Asian-inspired floral prints will not look good in a coastal home and art deco prints would be out of place in a traditionally decorated room.

3. Be sure to build on your chosen decor style when adding floral patterns and elements into a space.

Go vintage

Add vintage floral elements and patterns to create a sense of nostalgia. Successfully mixing old and new takes skill; you cannot simply collect various items from various eras and expect them to work together. Using too many old pieces and patterns can make a room look dated and more like a museum than an inviting comfortable home.

Go have fun

Bringing floral design into your home this spring does not need to break the budget and should be fun. There are simple ways to give your home flower power. here are our top five:

1. Choose one or two quirky floral-inspired accessories to add to your space
2. Change cushions, throws, a light fitting etc. to incorporate floral design into your existing decor and colour scheme
3. Create a feature wall with floral wallpaper or artwork
4. Always have fresh flowers in your home
5. Install practical beautiful window finishes such as shutters or blinds to allow maximum natural light into your room in order to show off your florals

5. Shutters open and close easily to allow in natural light and all the scents and sounds of spring.

 Image credits:

1. AMERICAN shutters, http://bit.ly/1DPRGa7, http://bit.ly/1CzEfcF, http://etsy.me/1xtqJaD, http://etsy.me/1vql3e6
2. http://bit.ly/YEOSM3
3. http://bit.ly/1rE62pc, http://bit.ly/1opmeoZ
4. AMERICAN shutters, http://bit.ly/1uVS40p, http://bit.ly/1ywq5ug, http://bit.ly/1rmVjA8
5. AMERICAN shutters, http://bit.ly/1ploKNb