Spring Awakens: Revitalising Your Art Deco Drawing Room with Peacock Greens
As the days lengthen and the first whispers of spring are carried on the breeze, it’s the perfect moment to consider how your home can reflect the season’s fresh energy. For those of us with an appreciation for the enduring elegance of Art Deco, a full overhaul isn’t the answer. Instead, a thoughtful seasonal refresh allows you to maintain your room’s character while infusing it with new life. This spring, we’re taking inspiration from the Art Deco palette’s love of deep, jewel tones and focusing on the rich, verdant greens of the peacock’s plumage. Think sophistication meets spring vitality, with designs that can be put away when the leaves turn once more.
The Verdant Alcove: Wallpaper and Blinds United
One of the most impactful ways to introduce seasonal colour without committing permanently is through an accent wall or alcove. For your Art Deco drawing room, consider transforming an architectural recess with our vibrant Mixed Greens Smoothie and White Pinstripes Dad Edit wallpaper. Its designer describes it as bringing “fresh, botanical color and energy, inspired by healthy greens, spring gardens, and vintage kitchen style.” The fine pinstripes and rich green tones resonate with Art Deco’s linear aesthetic while offering a clear spring connection.
To dress a standard alcove (approximately 1.2m wide by 2.4m high), you’ll typically need 2-3 rolls of wallpaper, allowing for pattern matching. This particular design has a subtle repeat that is easy to align. Before hanging, ensure your wall is clean, dry, and smooth; a coat of primer will help with adhesion and a professional finish. This project can take a dedicated afternoon for an experienced DIYer, or a day for a novice. Aim to start 4-6 weeks before spring fully arrives, giving you time to prepare the wall and apply the paper without rush.
For a truly cohesive look that highlights the impact of surface pattern, extend this design to your window treatments within the same alcove. Roman blinds crafted from the matching Mixed Greens Smoothie and White Pinstripes Dad Edit fabric create a harmonious balance. For a window measuring 1m wide by 1.2m drop, you would need approximately 1.5m of fabric. Hang your Roman blind so it finishes around 15cm below the window sill, creating a neat frame. When spring fades, these blinds can be unhooked and stored, folded neatly in a breathable fabric bag, perhaps in an airing cupboard or a dust-free box.
Layering Greens: Curtains and Cushions
Moving beyond the alcove, introduce softer layers of green with carefully chosen fabrics. For substantial drapes that draw inspiration from the natural world, our Grass Cuttings Green Pinstripe with White Pinstripes Dad Edit fabric is an excellent choice. The designer notes its “natural, spring-inspired look, inspired by garden trimmings, fresh lawns, and quiet outdoor spaces.” This subtle pinstripe provides texture and depth without overwhelming the room. For a pair of floor-length curtains to frame a 2-metre wide window with a 3-metre drop, expect to use between 12-14 metres of fabric, depending on pattern repeat and heading style. Hang your curtain pole approximately 15cm above the window frame, extending it 20cm beyond each side to allow the curtains to draw back fully and maximise light.
On your existing sofa or armchairs, introduce playful yet sophisticated touches with seasonal cushions. Our Grass Green and White One Inch Check French Provincial Spring Checkerboard fabric offers a charming contrast. Described as “one inch wide grass green and white checks,” it brings a crisp, country-inspired freshness that brightens any seating area. Combine these with smaller accent cushions or piped edges in the rich, deep tone of Lichen Green Solid Trim Color French Provincial Spring fabric, which is simply “the color of lichen in a dark green shade for Spring.” On a standard three-seater sofa, a pleasing arrangement might involve two 50cm x 50cm checked cushions flanking a single 40cm x 60cm solid green cushion, or vice-versa. Each 50cm x 50cm cushion cover requires approximately 0.6 metres of fabric.
DIY Project: Spring Cushion Covers
Updating your cushion covers is a simple, high-impact DIY project. Starting 6 weeks before spring gives you ample time to complete a set over a weekend.
- Gather Materials: Choose your fabric, such as the Grass Green and White One Inch Check fabric for a fresh look, along with a zipper (or envelope back), thread, scissors, and your cushion inserts.
- Measure and Cut: Measure your existing cushion inserts (e.g., 50cm x 50cm). Cut two pieces of fabric for each cushion, adding 1.5cm seam allowance on all sides. For a 50cm x 50cm insert, your fabric pieces should be 53cm x 53cm.
- Sew the Zipper/Opening: If using a zipper, sew it into one edge of your two fabric pieces. For an envelope back, hem the edges of the overlapping sections.
- Sew the Sides: With right sides together, pin and stitch the remaining three sides of your cushion cover, taking a 1.5cm seam allowance. Trim the corners to reduce bulk.
- Finish and Insert: Turn the cover right side out, push out the corners neatly, and insert your cushion pad.
Each cushion cover should take approximately 1.5-2 hours to make. When the season changes, remove the covers, wash them gently, and store them flat or folded in a clearly labelled fabric storage bag (e.g., a cotton drawstring bag) in a dry, cool place like a wardrobe shelf or an airing cupboard, ready for next year.
Finishing Touches and What to Avoid
To complete your spring Art Deco drawing room, consider the following details. Paint adjacent walls in a soft, elegant off-white, such as Farrow & Ball’s ‘All White’ or ‘Wimborne White’, which provide a crisp backdrop without competing with the greens. Select hardware and lighting fixtures in aged brass or brushed nickel to complement the Art Deco style and the rich green tones – think a new lamp base or updated door handles. Accessorise sparingly with gold-framed mirrors or a vintage vase holding fresh, spring branches.
What to Avoid:
- Clashing Patterns: While Art Deco embraces pattern, too many competing motifs can look cluttered. Choose one strong pattern for wallpaper and balance it with stripes, checks, and solids in coordinating tones.
- Over-the-Top Gilding: Art Deco isn’t just about gold. While metallic accents are welcome, avoid excessive glitter or cheap-looking gold finishes. Opt for subtle, aged brass or brushed metals.
- Ignoring Permanent Fixtures: Ensure your seasonal updates complement, rather than clash with, your room’s year-round furniture and architectural details. The greens we’ve chosen work well with traditional dark woods or lighter contemporary pieces.
- Excessive Seasonal Clutter: The goal is a refresh, not a seasonal theme park. Stick to a few impactful changes rather than a multitude of small, unrelated decorations that will just need to be stored later.
By focusing on these specific, elegant changes, your Art Deco drawing room will be beautifully prepared to welcome spring, maintaining its inherent grandeur while celebrating the season’s fresh, peacock-inspired palette.
