Delicate and delightful, butterflies are one trend that certainly won’t flutter by. Sam Wylie-Harris nets the prettiest buys

GRACEFUL, beautiful and naturally attracted to blooms, the butterfly’s endless variety of bold colours and intricate markings offer constant inspiration to designers, and their motif frequently flutters onto fabrics, botanical prints and delicate decor.

‘‘The butterfly motif has been on the design radar for a while and it’s not going anywhere,’’ says Laura Hall, QVC home furnishings buyer.

‘‘With summer very nearly here and the British love of the outdoors as heartfelt as ever, the delicate design of a butterfly’s wing is the perfect way to bring the outdoors indoors. People love using it to infuse some feminine charm into the home, and it’s an imaginative way to play with colour.’’ These winged wonders prove that sometimes, it’s the smallest of details that make a room special, and what could be prettier than dressing walls with a butterfly print, or accessorising the sofa with a dazzling flight of butterflies?

Gracing everything from pillows, pictures, bedding and garden decorations, butterflies are whimsical yet tasteful, and suit elegant interiors as much as girlie bedrooms.

For a simple transformation, decorating just one wall with a striking panel of your favourite butterfly print wallpaper – and placing a console table and lamp in front of it – can be just as impressive as investing in a painting or canvas, and sometimes more affordable.

‘‘We were keen to include butterfly prints in a sophisticated way, so we introduced mirrored butterfly sketches in soft grey tones with subtle outlines, shadows and intricate markings,’’ says Concetta Gallo, senior designer for George Home at Asda.

‘‘The flat, neat composition of the butterflies on the bedding and cushion harks back to a botanical museum composition, where everything from natural history is laid out in an organised manner.’’ Here are some charming finds to set your heart and home aflutter...