Achieving a seamless fusion of patterns and colour within your home requires a thoughtful design approach, where each element complements the others to form a harmonious composition. When integrating patterns, vary their scale by blending our large and small-scale designs to add visual interest without overwhelming the space. Introduce diversity and depth by combining different types of patterns, such as our botanical florals, archival chintzes, and whimsical pieces. Consistency in colour tones across various patterns is essential for creating a sense of cohesion throughout the room. Before making significant commitments, take the time to test patterns and colours with our samples, observing how they interact with your specific lighting and space.
In Greg's Georgian property a captivating display of pattern and colour takes centre stage, showcasing a harmonious blend of design elements throughout the space.
Over the past few years Greg @manwithahammer has been creating the perfect Warner House schemes throughout his home ‘Admirals House’ and most recently he worked on the main living room and kitchen/dining room. For Greg as a DIY-er having plenty of time to spend in the rooms allows him to see the space in all seasons and lighting conditions. This gives him an advantage when starting to plan the space.
“I start with the wallcoverings first... they cover the biggest surface, so I need to be sure I like them, so I put samples up in the room and live with them for as long as possible. I usually don’t make any major decisions then until the wallpaper is actually up... I’m not clever enough to pull a scheme together from mood boards alone (well, I do, but don’t fully trust myself to make a decision on that basis!). Once the wallpaper is up, I’ve then far more confidence in my fabric choices – being colour blind probably doesn’t help the process, but Warner’s brilliant samples help massively to visualise as best I can!”
Connected by 10ft double doors, these separate spaces form an open, broken-plan area. The south-facing living room contrasts with the north-facing kitchen at the rear of the house. Greg wanted the two rooms to flow together and work in harmony but didn’t want to decorate them exactly as one space.
“I was conscious that the north light is cool, and the rear needed warming up a bit. I’d never used the same wallpaper in 2 different colour ways before but the Lilou print in charcoal for the front room and blush colourway for the kitchen achieved this delicate balance. I wanted something warm and inviting, but without quite so much drama as I have in some of my other rooms, that feature bolder scale prints from Warner House. Whilst I adore them, this is a room I’ll be in very often, that needs to work for such a wide variety of occasions, whether it’s cooking, working, relaxing, a house party, or a romantic supper for 2. My starting point was the paper and after that, it was a case of just working out all the other bits that complement the space – tricky when there’s so many lovely pieces to pick from!”
“The mixture of fabrics and upholstery pieces brings some additional pops of colour and interest, contrasting beautifully against the small-scale pattern of the wallpaper, which almost becomes more like a texture than a defined print. I wanted things to hang together well, whilst not looking overly ‘matching’... so picked some different fabrics, and then different styles of chairs/sofa so they looked like they’d perhaps been pieces that had been gathered and collected over the years and help the space feel immediately lived in and welcoming.”
@manwithahammer finds it challenging to pinpoint his favourite aspects of the transformation in his new home. A freshly decorated space not only brings a visual refresh but also serves as a canvas for the creation of new memories, providing new and inviting places for meaningful experiences to unfold.
“Gosh it’s very hard to choose... the wallpaper is so successful and versatile... the chair, upholstered with ‘AH’ for Admirals House is so unique and special and has proven a real talking point... the ottoman is just beautiful and eye catching and the sofa huge and luxurious... but if for no other reason than the memories made making them, the window seats that my very talented Ma and I made (well, more Ma than I, though I did build the actual seats themselves haha), with the matching blinds above are very dear to me indeed.”
Greg unveils his forthcoming DIY and interior projects, offering a glimpse into the creative ventures he has planned for the upcoming year and how he plans to continue creating a Warner Home.
“The next things I’m working on here at Admirals House, is actually moving onto the lower ground space. These would have been, I believe, the old working servants’ quarters and they have their own entrance and exit. It’s quite a big space at around 2,000 sqft but needs a huge amount of work. The plan in the longer term, is to offer this to people that might like to come and spend a few nights at Admirals as a holiday apartment. I’m wanting to offer it to the people that have been following my journey here at Admirals and given Warner House is the backdrop to so many of the spaces ‘upstairs’ I think it would only feel right to include some of the wonderful prints and patterns down there too!
My folks have also very excitingly relocated down here too, having bought a stunning Edwardian villa that needs a lot of love. My Ma is a very keen amateur seamstress, and I know would love to get her hands on some of Warners beautiful fabrics so they may be making an appearance there too!”
Having already transformed numerous beautiful rooms and with many more awaiting his skilled touch at Admirals House, you can stay updated on the progress of his renovation project by following @manwithahammer on Instagram.
Feeling inspired by Greg's remarkable journey? Explore the impact of patterns for yourself by perusing our extensive collection of wallpapers, fabrics, furniture, and soft furnishings.
Should you require assistance in bringing your design vision to life or encounter difficulty finding the perfect fit, our dedicated customer service team is ready to help. Feel free to reach out to them via email at [email protected].
