Decorating
10 Ways to Give Your Home a Taste of Gingham
Take a fresh look at this country classic to see how it can bring charm and cheerfulness to your living space
You might have gingham pegged as an old-fashioned fabric fit only for country cottages where doilies and potpourri are still de rigueur. But given the right setting, size of pattern and choice of colour, these charming checks will win your heart and enhance your home. Whether it’s a bold, café-style tablecloth or a barely there beige cushion, gingham is endlessly versatile, classic but contemporary, cosy and comforting – all at the same time. Can you resist the lure of this magnetic material?
Make a statement
For a more stimulating sleep space, cherry red accents and a gingham quilt feel fun and festive. Keep your eyes peeled for vintage bedding at garage sales and secondhand markets, or buy fabric online and make your own simple bedspread.
For a more stimulating sleep space, cherry red accents and a gingham quilt feel fun and festive. Keep your eyes peeled for vintage bedding at garage sales and secondhand markets, or buy fabric online and make your own simple bedspread.
Give a nod to nostalgia
Gingham’s a classic choice for children’s bedrooms, recalling the romance of the past while still feeling up to date.
Pale, duck-egg blue checks make a fab foil for contrasting prints in tonal colours, and look crisp against white bedlinen as well. Add an unexpected bright accessory for colour-pop cool.
Gingham’s a classic choice for children’s bedrooms, recalling the romance of the past while still feeling up to date.
Pale, duck-egg blue checks make a fab foil for contrasting prints in tonal colours, and look crisp against white bedlinen as well. Add an unexpected bright accessory for colour-pop cool.
Treat it as a neutral
Use gingham as a neutral to add depth and dimension to your living space. If you favour simple decor, you may appreciate these fuss-free checks, which lend themselves to upholstery as well as cushions.
Use gingham as a neutral to add depth and dimension to your living space. If you favour simple decor, you may appreciate these fuss-free checks, which lend themselves to upholstery as well as cushions.
Complement refined dining
Convinced gingham is for rustic interiors only? Think again. Pale upholstered chairs are an elegant choice in this dramatic dining room.
Larger checks make a statement – the scale of the pattern holds its own against bold accessories and even an elaborate wall mural.
Convinced gingham is for rustic interiors only? Think again. Pale upholstered chairs are an elegant choice in this dramatic dining room.
Larger checks make a statement – the scale of the pattern holds its own against bold accessories and even an elaborate wall mural.
Refresh your sleep space
Pale gingham needn’t be twee when layered with similar light colours and airy prints.
This chic country bedroom features small hints of the classic pattern paired with blue-grey floral wallpaper and neutral carpets for a tonal effect that’s soft and fresh.
Browse more country-style bedrooms
Pale gingham needn’t be twee when layered with similar light colours and airy prints.
This chic country bedroom features small hints of the classic pattern paired with blue-grey floral wallpaper and neutral carpets for a tonal effect that’s soft and fresh.
Browse more country-style bedrooms
Update a classic
Give modern country style a go with a classic gingham tablecloth in an unexpected zingy colour. This cute kitchen uses lively lime green fabrics on the blinds and table to lift plain cabinetry and play off the rainbow-coloured crockery collection.
Give modern country style a go with a classic gingham tablecloth in an unexpected zingy colour. This cute kitchen uses lively lime green fabrics on the blinds and table to lift plain cabinetry and play off the rainbow-coloured crockery collection.
Try a retro refit
Craving a kitsch kitchen? Up the fun factor with a gingham-print laminate table. You can find original mid-century gems in secondhand shops or make your own with a trusty roll of easy-to-find gingham contact plastic. Really retro.
Craving a kitsch kitchen? Up the fun factor with a gingham-print laminate table. You can find original mid-century gems in secondhand shops or make your own with a trusty roll of easy-to-find gingham contact plastic. Really retro.
Do gender neutral décor
When you’re preparing for a new arrival but don’t know the sex of the baby (or don’t want to decorate accordingly), choosing gender-neutral decor can be a challenge.
Luckily, gingham combines effortlessly with other playful prints for a fun, layered look that will work for you and your baby.
Decorating a gender-neutral nursery
When you’re preparing for a new arrival but don’t know the sex of the baby (or don’t want to decorate accordingly), choosing gender-neutral decor can be a challenge.
Luckily, gingham combines effortlessly with other playful prints for a fun, layered look that will work for you and your baby.
Decorating a gender-neutral nursery
Be berry inspired
If your neutral kitchen needs a little lift, gingham curtains will work their warming magic on your cook space. These floor-length raspberry drapes complement the cream kitchen and provide a neat colour match to the showpiece red Aga.
TELL US
How have you used gingham in your home? Share your ideas or photos in the Comments below.
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Read more about decorating trends
If your neutral kitchen needs a little lift, gingham curtains will work their warming magic on your cook space. These floor-length raspberry drapes complement the cream kitchen and provide a neat colour match to the showpiece red Aga.
TELL US
How have you used gingham in your home? Share your ideas or photos in the Comments below.
MORE
Read more about decorating trends
Explore gingham’s graphic quality for striking decor with a classic twist. Here, royal blue walls and a chartreuse bedhead provide bold block colour, while white bedding and a matching bedside table stop the scheme from becoming too busy.
Decorating with tertiary colours