We look at 10 ways to create definition in a decorating scheme with a clever border in wallpaper, paint, tiles or fabric trim
FEATURE SARA EMSLIE PHOTOGRAPHS (SUSIE ATKINSON) © MILO BROWN
Borders are back on the agenda, with interior designers, decorators and homeowners all enjoying their creative versatility. Experiment with wallpaper, paint, tiles or trims and add a playful and stylish edge to a room scheme. Borders work well in creating maximum impact with little effort due to the design being naturally confined to a linear shape of limited size. Opt for a classic feel and run a border towards the top of a room, or alternatively look for intriguing ways to experiment with the scale and size of a room by adding a border further down, or even as a vertical, or as a frame to add ‘panel’ style interest to a plain wall or cabinet door. Play with colour and pattern and use borders to create notes of interest in a room, emphasise intriguing period features, or to add a welcome layer of visual interest to an otherwise simply decorated room. The possibilities are endless.
1 A border can take the place of a dado rail in a modern space and also marry together two colours from opposite ends of the colour spectrum, or to provide a degree of separation between two similar shades of the same colour. Play with colour combinations as well as the width of the connecting stripe and lavish with a little bit of a decadent shade to add drama without committing to the colour for an entire room. Use masking tape for a clean, sharp and straight finish.
2 Adding a border of fabric to all sorts of home furnishings can enliven a look simply and affordably as only a small amount of meterage of fabric or a remnant is needed. A border on curtains, blinds, rugs, and even loose-covered sofas, quilts and headboards, can be incorporated as a visual mechanism to suggest a sense of space or add a finishing touch with a frill or pleated finish. And, of course, fabric borders are ideal for bringing together a room scheme that incorporates several different designs and colourways.
Fabric and wallpaper designer Vanessa Arbuthnott advises: “A fabric border is the perfect opportunity to add another colour into a room. A way to link upholstery, a headboard or a bed quilt to curtains or blinds, tying the colours together and giving a sense of cohesion.”
3 Be inventive and use existing types of wall dividers to create a bor
