Living Large: Plus-Size Printsfeatured
When it comes to statement-making patterns, the bigger the better. I’ve clad an entire dining room and upstairs sitting room in Gaston y Daniela’s Paraiso – a vibrant, tropical fiesta touting a 54″ x 57″ repeat.
That means the entire width of the bolt boasts a different motif…there is essentially no repeat.
A client’s foyer settee in Josef Frank’s Brazil
Josef Frank fabrics are also known to dabble in the no-repeat repeat. We dressed a client’s foyer settee in Brazil, which, much the same as Paraiso, doesn’t repeat over the course of a cut yard.
Upholsterers often shudder when you present such plus-size fabrics, but if you find the right vendor, magic happens. Plus you can create a truly custom piece because you can choose which portion of the pattern to highlight. For instance, our “Brazil” client fell in love with the lovely fern-like motif on the fabric, but wasn’t so hot for some of the citrus fruits.
Schumacher’s Citrus Garden
Speaking of citrus, another classic large-scale print is Schumacher’s Citrus Garden, which works beautifully both on draperies and upholstered items. Unsurprisingly, this is actually an archival Josef Frank print that Schumacher brought back to life.
Schumacher’s Exotic Butterfly
Come to think of it, so is Exotic Butterfly, which is one of my favorites at the moment. This was apparently one of Frank’s never-before-seen designs and we recently convinced a client to upholster it on a custom-made entryway bench. What better way to make a first impression? I can’t wait for the bench to arrive…I’ll post pics as soon as it does.
If you’re keen to hop on the plus-size bandwagon, here are a few others I love:
GP&J Baker’s Imperial Pheasant
Rainforest in White Linen
Rainforest in Black Linen
Clarence House’s Congo Blues
Clarence House’s Congo Blues via The Glam Pad
Manuel Canovas’ Parfums d’Ete
About the author
Mariel
A lifestyle magazine writer by trade, Mariel swapped her laptop for a hardhat after spending four years (and counting) renovating turn-of-the-century homes in Westchester, NY.
