Spice up your décor with checks

If you have no checks in your house, then you could be missing out on a lot of excitement with visual patterns. 

Whether using the big buffalo checks or the smaller size gingham plaids, checks are a great way to uplift your décor to the next level.

Using checks will add a bold statement to a room that makes them difficult to ignore.

Here are a few inspiring ways you can sneak in checks and create a cosy ambience:

Sofa

Replace the upholstery of a three-seater sofa with a checked fabric or alternatively re-do the two single seaters with the checked fabric.  Having all three sofas in checks could be overwhelming, especially if the room space is small. Where space permits and where there is good lighting, a three piece sofa in checks will do just fine. In many instances, the bigger the plaid, the bolder the statement.

Alternatively, antique armchairs will look great with a similar treatment. Find ways of bringing out the colour on the plaid by using the main colour on the checks to decorate the rest of the room. 

Scatter cushions and throws should be in solid contrasting colours that complement the checks to help the colour pop out.

Valances

Covering a curtain box with a checked fabric is a quick way to revamp a kitchen space. Use red checks in the kitchen to stimulate both moods and appetite and create a sense of warmth in the house. 

Find other matching accessories such as curtains, aprons and accent with decorative items, including recipe books, crockery or an earthenware pot.

In a children’s room, a triangular zigzag fabric over the curtain box will provide shape and visual interest in a child’s room. Simply place a blue checked pelmet box over a plain blue curtain or pink checks valance over a pink curtain and use these colours as the focal point to decorate the rest of the room.

Floor

Bored of the usual one-colour floor? Try out a checked black and white tiled floor or go for a gentler shade like yellow and white or plaids in neutrals.

A checked floor makes a big bold formal statement; so toning down of the colour of the furniture and furnishings will help ease the feel of the room. 

If using neutrals on the floor such as a black and white plaid, then use warmer colours like peach on the wall to create a more inviting welcoming feel.

 Walls

Though not for the faint-hearted, try out buffalo checks on the walls. Using a wallpaper will be easier than measuring out each plaid and trying to replicate it. 

It is always good to experiment first by trying out a small portion on the wall such as centre vertical or horizontal to see how it appears at different times of the day and against the other pieces of furniture before covering an entire wall.

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