The interiors edit: From classic Breton to bold and bright, here’s how to add stripes to your home

Napoleon and Josephine decorated the walls and ceilings of the Chateau de Malmaison with stripes way before it was considered fashionable to plaster your home with them, proving their enduring appeal to the tastemaker. Italian architect Gio Ponti’s post-war Villa Planchart, designed for Armando and Anala Planchart in 1956, is a riot of colour and pattern with yellow and white diagonally striped ceilings, just one of the design surprises of the villa which is considered to be one of the postwar era’s most exuberant works of domestic architecture, described by the owner as ‘being alive’. And countless designers from Paul Smith to Jean-Paul Gaultier have made the stripe the core of their collections. It’s no surprise then that they have filtered their way from wardrobes to homes, where they remain the pattern du jour, covering everything from cushions to chairs, candles and bowls.

Homeware designer and stripe queen Alice Palmer proved they can be gloriously mismatched when she combined various different stripes — from walls to window treatments — that all blend seamlessly in her living room. According to designer Helen Callier, “We’re all craving a bit more visual impact and stripes are an easy way to punch up an upholstered piece, soft accessories and wall coverings”.

These days, just about any stripe goes from big and bold to earthy tones and traditional ticking — the great thing about them is that they are timeless and tend to cut through pattern, which is good news for those who find decorating overwhelming. There’s a certain order to them that tends to ground a room. If you’re worried about it looking haphazard, stick to one stripe with two colours which will help achieve a coherent look.

Depending on the stripe, they can also say a lot about a space and a person: horizontal and diagonal stripes break formality, a simple wide stripe feels playful but safe, a ticking stripe has a more traditional look and a classic blue or red and white says French chic. Plus, there are plenty of aesthetic advantages to using them too, since their linearity helps trick the eye so vertical stripes make a room appear taller, whereas horizontal stripes can make a room seem wider. They also work with just about any age group and style, equally at home in a nursery, period home, castle or cottage.

There’s something about the coming of summer that makes us want to lean into the chic sophistication of the French stripe: that combination of blue, red and white in linens and crisp cottons, on ceramics and squishy armchairs. It’s a look that makes a soft but stylish visual statement. H&M’s summer collection takes its cues from the ocean. As well as water-inspired details there are classic blue and white striped cushions, throws and vases.

When Irish shop LNH Edit opened in 2020, it brought a fresh and playful edge to our homes with an eye on quality and ethics. Their tableware collection in particular includes bright and breezy striped table linen, colourful plates and quirky accessories, including handwoven napkin rings with a touch of tropical whimsy.

Zara has always been a good bet for tableware and textile updates, and among the latest collection is gorgeous striped cutlery, bedlinen and cushions. Stripes are also in at M&S across cups, plates, throws, lamps and planters. There’s nothing quite like a striped deck chair to slide you into summer, and Oriana B is going old school with its red and white traditional deck chair with adjustable seat heights. Throw in one of their striped outdoor stools and red and white cushions for added chic.

Like the Breton stripe, the French grain sack stripe, used by French farmers for centuries to identify their family’s sacks of grain at market, has been a perennial favourite among homeowners who are after a laid-back, chic French look. You’ll find cushions, armchairs, tablecoths and towels with a classic grain sack stripe at Irish retailers Nook Home and Grove Home. Forever classic, whatever the stripe.