Get on the right lines at home with geometric shapes and patterns to add interest, texture and even fun. Gabrielle Fagan calculates the perfect decor formula

EVEN if you hated maths at school, it could be time to brush up on your geometry, as decor focuses on shapes and angles. Lines, triangles, hexagons, chevrons and circles are a musthave, as they feature strongly in Autumn collections.

“Geometrics are a popular choice for bringing pattern into the home, with sharp, angular designs such as zigzags and graphic prints currently leading the way as favourites,”

says Kate Tansley, creative director at Multiyork. “Geometric patterns lend themselves perfectly to fabric and can easily turn functional furniture, like a sofa or chair, into a striking statement piece.”

Our love of shape and angle goes back through history, the ancient Greeks and Moroccans both used its principles in their interior design. Today many leading designers use strong geometric shapes, combined with symmetry, to bring a feeling of elegance, order and tranquillity to spaces.

“Art Deco-inspired interiors, with their characteristic geometric lines and patterns, are enjoying a renaissance,” agrees Karen Anderson, editor at online interiors company, Alison At Home.

Mono magic DEVOTEES of neutrals have known all along that colour may be cool for the moment, but clean, sharp monochrome or fashionable smoky grey schemes have timeless appeal and suit any interior.

Katie Watson, interior designer at furniture specialists, Fishpools, says: “The combination of strong design in monochrome shades creates a clean-cut, classic look which is easy on the eye.”

Do your sums: Work the room with patterned walls or flooring. Fired Earth’s Graphix porcelain tiles, suitable for both walls and floors, come in a pale neutral Chip or a darker Grid and have an interesting 3D effect. They are £124.76 a square metre or £5.50 per tile. One piece can make a statement, and a Lucien easy chair can be upholstered in Tessalate Raven fabric with a triangle pattern, from £1,162, Parker Knoll.

Experiment with the look before you commit by adding a few accessories, such as a Conran Modern Pop Colour rug, from £129 (available from August 18), Marks & Spencer, or an Op Art espresso cup set, £9.95, ZiggiZiggi. For metallic magic, a metal tray table, currently reduced from £195 to £125, Alison At Home, could fit the bill.

The Northern Echo:
Barton rectangular footstool, in triangular blue pattern, £378 DFS

Natural pattern SOFT green and yellow shades paired with pattern are a subtle choice, and in tune with our desire to feature the colours of nature and showcase natural materials like wood and stone.

“Less is more is a good rule to follow, even if you’re passionate about these patterns.

Limit your choice to two or three and ensure there are enough neutral accents to balance them out,” says Kate Tansley at Multiyork.

Do your sums: Next is never slow to pick up on a trend, and there’s a retro feel to its scattered geo wallpaper, £15 a roll, and its reversible retro stem two-pack bed set, from £32. Look no further for a statement piece than the Labyrinth chair in green, by Moooi, which has a green and white maze-like pattern, £2,340, available to order from Viaduct.

If that would break the bank, simply cover an existing sofa or chair in a neutral coloured throw and add an Athens Cushion or two, which feature a similar fabric and cost £75 each, In-Spaces.

Opt for Fifties nostalgia – an era of abstract patterns and colour – with a Tray For Ruth, £34, Jasmine Way, decorated in yellow, black and green triangles.

Out of the blue BLUE still reigns supreme in interiors, and whether you choose its palest hues or deep indigos, pair it with pattern and it will surely pack a punch and speak volumes about your decor credentials.

“Create your own take on the Scandi-look by introducing bold, geometric prints in a neutral backdrop, to give your home a clean, modern feel,” says Philip Watkin, designer at sofa specialists, DFS.

Do your sums: A focal point in a room, a chimney breast wall or alcoves, could be transformed with a geometric pattern wallapaper.

The Northern Echo:
Dhurrie paper from the Wabi Sabi range of papers, £34 a roll

Scion’s Dhurrie wallpaper in a rich turquoise, £34 a roll, is bold and beautiful.

Treat the toes and a room to the Raritan wool rug, £510, Calligaris, with its block pattern in grey and blue. Pick up on the trend with a Barton Footstool, in a triangular blue pattern, at a special summer price, £378, DFS. Alternatively, key into the look with a purse-friendly Ferm Living Little Geometry cushion in blue, £22.50, Naken Interiors.