Live Breathe Decor

I had an email from a reader last week asking if I had any pictures of rooms using colour and a harlequin design. I love getting requests like this because I have an enormous collection of magazines and clippings collected over many years and I often forget what’s even in my many boxes and folders and files! So, when I got this email it immediately put into my mind a house that featured in Traditional Home magazine a few years ago (along with UK Homes & Gardens, this has been my long-term foreign favourite. Domino and House Beautiful came later).

From memory I think the house used to be home to a circus group, and the new owners wanted to keep that spirit alive in their renovation and redecoration. That meant lots and lots of bright colour and pattern. I loved it and kept it because I love the sense of fun that this beautiful, grand house has, and although I probably wouldn’t live with it myself, I think the use of colour is great.

There’s a bit of harlequin pattern (above)! It’s basically just the diamond-shaped pattern worn by clowns in a traditional circus. I remember reading that the family who lives in this house eschews formal dinner parties in favour of popcorn and corndogs (which in my mind are what we Australians call dagwood dogs) – I think that is so fun!

I had a little hunt around for more harlequin-themed ideas. You can buy a chest similar to this one (above) new on ebay.

Love this classic black and white harlequin- patterned bathroom!

Dream stairway!

Isn’t this beautiful (above)? The grey and white-tiled floor looks like a harlequin pattern from this angle, though of course if you moved a little to the right it might just be square tiles laid in a chequered pattern! The French doors and shades of grey are a dream..

This is a slightly different take on harlequin, using triangles instead of diamonds, but the effect is similar (above).

I think I saw this framed artwork on etsy. You could do this with a scarf or blanket too, or make it yourself with diamonds cut out of coloured paper! So easy and doesn’t it look great framed in white (below).

Not exactly fun and colourful, butI loove this panelled timber wall with the large-scale harlequin pattern!

Have a great Monday xx