Most know Breegan Jane as an interior designer who brings modern approachable luxury to spaces by infusing them with striking metallics and elegant neutrals. It’s true, my love for whites, creams, blacks and grays is undying. There’s just so much you can do with them across the palette of your entire home. For a creative, versatility is everything. But, having a penchant for neutrals doesn’t mean I have a distaste for color. In fact, it’s quite the opposite! This year is seeing an emergence of dopamine decor in a huge way, and when I designed my fabrics and wallpapers line with Clarke & Clarke Interiors, I knew I wanted to have fun with patterns and print. We created several textiles featuring animal print, and I’m pretty obsessed with the beauty of it all! If you’ve ever wanted to incorporate animal print in your interior design without sacrificing sophistication, I have a few tips to help you begin!
Is It, or Isn’t It?
Listen, animal print in interior design can be quite the polarizing topic. I find that people who love it, reeeeally love it, and they believe there’s never enough. Then there are the people who find animal print to be a little kitschy and loud. They avoid it at all costs. Perhaps I’m the perfect candidate to speak on the subject, since I lean towards neutrals, and my goal is always to create a refined space with an effortless style. The thing is, you can do all of those things with animal print if you know how to wield its power appropriately. Let’s take it one step at a time.
Start Small
If you’re feeling a bit shy about using animal print decor, remember that you don’t have to go overboard all at once. Sometimes it’s better to begin with small doses. So, if your space is filled with solids, consider accent pieces. One of the best parts about my collaboration with the Sanderson brand is that it has fabrics that can be used any way you please! Choose a print you like and use it on a few throw pillows, big or small, that will live on your couch. The largest pieces in the room will still be solid, and you’ll give the space a bit of pizazz with an animal print accent. Sometimes you just need to stick a toe into the pool instead of diving headfirst, and that’s okay.
Animal Print in Neutrals
If you truly can’t give up your devotion to neutrals, you’re in luck! My line features animal print in creams, grays, blacks and browns! So you can easily mix in a few patterns in your already curated space for a fresh and upgraded look! I love Manda for this exact reason. Named after an island off the Lamu archipelago of Kenya, it’s a zebra pattern in a textured jacquard. Manda comes in three colorways and all of them are neutrals!
The Same, But Different
You know that feeling when you walk into a professionally styled space and it just takes your breath away because it’s so “perfect”? That’s what hiring a designer can do for a home. I like giving you little nuggets of wisdom here on my blog so that you can achieve some of that yourself, too! One of the ways to get that perfectly styled look with animal print is to mix different prints that are all in the same or complementing color families.
The prints don’t all have to be animal prints, either. Mixing these patterns draws the eye to the total design instead of each piece individually. The result is pure sophistication with a cohesive feel. It looks harder to do than it is. For example, Pokot in the Caribbean colorway works exceptionally well with Serengeti in Midnight. Pokot also plays well with other colorways in the same print! The combinations are endless, and they are SO much fun to play with.
Weigh the Scale
This tip works well for just about any type of print and pattern play. For the very best results, blend prints that have varied sizes of patterns. If you select a fabric or wallpaper with a more complex print like Kisumu, mix it with Duma, a fabric featuring embroidered cheetahs. It’s a repeating pattern set against a solid background, but there is ample negative space between each cheetah. When you place it beside Kisumu or Pokot, both prints can shine without competing with one another. Use this trick when you hang a stunning print at your windows and you want to place an upholstered chair in front of it. Your space will appear to be expertly styled with the benefit of a customized design catered specifically to your singular tastes.
My fabrics and wallpapers are designed to be used together for an endless amount of looks and combinations to suit anyone’s preferences. I’m even having fun using them in amazing ways in my own new beach home! If you’re looking for inspiration, check out the Clarke & Clarke site or my own website for ideas. Feel free to contact me for a consultation as well. I’d be happy to put together custom combinations from my collection to make your space sing! Happy designing!
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