PATTERN RETURNS, BRINGING JOY AND WELL-BEING

Pattern Returns, Bringing Joy and Well-Being

(ARA) - After years of subdued dressing for success and bland, monochromatic interior design, fashion runways and the walls of designer showhouses are bursting forth with sophisticated patterns and brighter, bolder colors.

While some still hold onto the erroneous belief that pattern is distracting, quite the opposite is true. It is voids and blank vistas that make our eyes wander aimlessly. Pattern gives them rest. Proof lies in the abundance of pattern and color in nature.

Color and pattern not only make us feel good, they also have a profound effect on our well being. "Color Planning for Business and Industry," (Harper & Brothers, 1993), describes a study, conducted by author and researcher Howard Ketcham, that measures grade-school students' achievement levels within three different environments: one was in need of new paint; one had buff-color walls and a white ceiling, and another used shades of yellow, rose, and blue and green in its hallways and rooms. Students in the colorful school showed far more improvement than the others in a range of skills, including language, math, social studies and music.

"Patterns and combinations of patterns in an interior design can produce a broad variety of physical, emotional, and psychological responses to those who view them," writes Patricia A. Rodemann in "Patterns in Interior Environments," (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999).

Interior designers and homeowners are again discovering that only wallpaper allows us to surround our interiors with both color and pattern. And it is available in such variety that anyone can create a truly individualized space within the context of current home fashion trends.

In color, rich reds reign, according to the Color Marketing Group, an international association of 1,500 design professionals. CMG also sees therapeutic blues, aqua, soft greens, and cheerful yellow among today's emerging top color choices. Brown is today's black. Persimmon and coral are especially complementary to today's terra cotta tiles and granite countertops. In metallics, pewter is the leading edge. The always-smart combination of black and white also returns.

Today's patterns recall classic themes, such as damasks in increasingly large scale; tropical references, including pineapples, which are a sign of welcome; Jacobeans, glorious florals, and an abundance of light-hearted novelty prints.

Dressed in shades of brown, enlivened with a trail of Honeysuckle blossoms in shades of red and yellow, a traditional living room becomes a haven of calm, quiet warmth. The wallpaper is from S.A. Maxwell Co.'s Oak Park collection. Cream color woodwork on the fireplace and crown molding adds gentle contrast, as does green textured wallpaper from Oak Park, used on the ceiling.

Red welcomes all who pass through this entryway. The tropical pineapple pattern from Maxwell's Ellison Bay collection reinforces the invitation. It is paired with a complementary stripe, below the chair rail.

A buttery yellow washes this kitchen in sunshine, whatever the weather. The novelty wallpaper pattern from the Kenilworth collection by S.A. Maxwell includes charming touches of interest, such as bowls of lemons, birdcages, and ceramic tureens decorated with frogs and roosters. Whimsical, yes, but also sophisticated, this pattern is complemented by a coordinating harlequin design from the same collection that frames the open kitchen, separating it slightly from the sitting area in the foreground. A toile pattern fabric on the upholstered chair relates back to the same fabric on the kitchen window shade. And a plaid rag rug containing all of the colors of the wallpaper and fabric completes this cheerful setting.

Now, imagine any of these rooms without pattern and color. The loss would not only strip them of fashion, but also eliminate the intrinsic joy, warmth and comfort that color and pattern supply.

To locate a retailer in your area that carries Oak Park, Kenilworth, Ellison Bay and other collections by S. A. Maxwell Co., call (847) 932-3700 or visit www.samaxwell.com on the Internet.

Courtesy of ARA Content

EDITOR’S NOTE: Jaima Brown is director of design for S.A. Maxwell Co.