opulent glamour Glamorous patterns are glitzy, grown-up and luxurious. They are superbly dramatic and capable of bringing wow-factor to any home. Characterized by monochrome colours and bold lines, opulent, glamorous patterns are not defined by any particular design styles. Florals, geometrics, abstracts or figurative patterns may all be involved Ð it is more to do with colour, texture, scale and how they are used than what they actually consist of. The colour range for this style is strictly sophisticated. Primaries are generally too harsh, pastels too soft; instead, black, ivory, grey, turquoise, crimson, aubergine, taupe and chocolate take centre stage, alongside gold, silver, pewter, bronze and other metallics or pearlescents. A subtle, or even not-so-subtle shimmer, shine or lustre is highly desirable. As important as colour is texture. The lush pile of velvet, the soft density of flock, the high gloss of glazed ceramic or the sheen of satin, all have the luxurious feel that is essential here. Just as colours are heightened and textures conspicuous, the scale of glamorous patterns is larger than life. Forget petit repeats, daintiness or subtle intricacy Ð this is all-out, look-at-me, bold scale. - The patterns themselves tend to be open rather than dense, however, with a relatively pale background, which provides a visual ïbreatherÍ and means that they are striking rather than overwhelming. Style-wise, flowers, leaves and plants feature heavily, but do not include naturalist reproductions. As well as their scale being altered for dramatic effect, outlines are simplified, more so than with other types of pattern, so that colours can be limited and used in large blocks. Florals frequently tend towards an abstract or geometric look; geometrics, meanwhile, often have an opulent, Art Deco-inspired appearance. A room with all four walls covered in glamorous wallpaper can look amazing (best kept to large spaces, however), as can an entire set of furniture upholstered in complementary patterned fabrics, and you may wish to consider installing multicoloured floorings such as tiles, vinyl or carpet. For greater complexity, the ultimate achievement is to layer glamorous pattern upon pattern Ð curtains with upholstery with cushions with wallpaper, perhaps. Choose with confidence and the results will be stunning.
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