Getting Warm & Cozy with Checks & Plaids

Tango Placemate by Burke Decor, Maria Cream and Black Gridded Pouf by Scout & Nimble, Rockhill Pillow by Renwil, Hedren Headboard by One Kings Lane, Chatham 8-light Chandelier by Savoy House, Smoke Tea Light Candle Holder by CB2, Kroy Cane Back Barstool by Arhaus, Grand Palais Arch Mirror by Ballard Designs, Influence in White/Black by Emser Tile, Hoka area rug by Kaleen, Repetition 8 Artwork by McGee & Co   

With the holidays behind us and January quickly approaching, we’re looking to hit the reset button and freshen up our homes this year. Kick-off your New Year with a cozy mix of patterns in chic checks and plaids. Pairing plaid and checkered patterns create a lively interior style that is both trendy and high-spirited. Colored plaids enrich the look and add intensity while neutral plaid patterns provide the simplicity needed to complete the checks and plaids style.

Here are four simple ways to incorporate checks and plaids into your home design this winter.

Cuddle Up with Plaid Patterns

Hoka area rug by Kaleen

Checkered carpets and plaid area rugs are in high style this season. Available in a variety of patterns, prints, and colorways, checks and plaids are easy to mix and match with your design themes. Whether you’re looking to upholstered your living room with a soft plush carpet or just adding an accent rug under your dining room table, plaids and checks will never fail to give your room that extra dash of texture. And, if you’re trying to decide between adding checks or plaids, there are a few things you should take into consideration. Plaid patterns are generally more complex and have an abstract feel to them that’s more contemporary. Checks, on the other hand, are typically symmetrical and lend a simpler style to the room that has a traditional feel. Depending on your design style, one might be more suited to your space than another —and depending on the size of your room, large-scale plaids versus smaller checks can also manipulate the feel of space in the room!

Invest in Stunning Penny Tile Backsplash

Influence in White/Black by Emser Tile

Another easy way to add checks to your space is through tile backsplashes and accent walls. For instance, this retro black and white backsplash behind the sink combines a checkered pattern with a traditional mosaic in the way of penny tiling. The Influence tiling has a clean and striking look to it in the way of a neat checkerboard patterning. Plus, it provides enhanced visual interest in bathrooms and kitchens that can be easily installed as shower flooring or sink backsplashes.

Layer in Simple Light Fixtures

Chatham 8-light Chandelier by Savoy House

Looking for a subtle way to incorporate checks and plaids? Oftentimes these two are thought of as just a print found in textiles, however, this trend plays on the creation of shapes and lines. Play with the structure of your furnishings, such as layering in cane-backed dining chairs, plaid headboards, and palladian-style windows and mirrors. Even using structural light fixtures as points of interest works to establish a common checkered theme, like this 8-light chandelier by Savoy house.

Elevate Your Space with Cozy Natural Accents

Natural Shades by Graber

Lastly, use natural materials and fibers to complement your bold checks or plaids. Leather-backed chairs, hardwood floors, and wool throws work beautifully in their neutral colorways to highlight the busier prints of checks and plaids that you might incorporate through pillows, window shades, and rugs.

Looking for more design inspiration for your home this winter? Check out our latest issue of Design at Home magazine to learn about all the latest trends in flooring and get exclusive interior design advice from our designers.

Visualize Your Flooring Dreams

Want a preview of how new floors will look in your home? Try our room visualizer, My Floor Style. Upload a photo of your room, select your style preferences, and get a virtual look at each different flooring style. With My Floor Style, there are no surprises. Only beautiful new floors.