Give Your Room a New Angle with Stripes on the Bias

Even the most meticulous decorators know that sometimes things have to go a little sideways before they get interesting. Case in point: using stripes on the bias to give a room a whole new angle. Here, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite examples of how not to play it straight.

Candy Striper

Diagonal stripes turn a sofa into a jubilant focal point in the living room of Benjamin Reynaert, creative director at Interior Define. Their generous scale and lively colors create a mood of vintage fun—think carnival tents, barber poles, candy canes—that standard vertical lines could never accomplish.

Va-Va Velvet

When he couldn’t find the fabric he wanted, designer Miles Redd devised his own velvet stripe by piecing together strips of peacock, tobacco and celadon to create a side chair deserving of center stage.

Worth Repeating

Designer John Stefanidis created a jolt of visual interest when he turned a bohemian-chic stripe on the diagonal and used it on both upholstery and walls. Bonus points for shaking things up by running the pattern in opposite directions.

Power of Pattern

In this serene setting by interior decorator Charlotte Barnes, a tilted animal-inspired stripe on an antique stool turns the volume up a notch—and adds a hint of sexy drama to natural materials.

Op-Artful

This tented entryway by Miles Redd makes a wild opening statement with a relatively straightforward chevron, cleverly deployed. Redd worked all the angles, rotating each ceiling panel by 45 degrees for an on-the-bias extravaganza that illustrates how zig-zagging stripes are equally suited to the off-kilter technique.

Against the Grain

It’s the accents that pop in this room, thanks to the clever way that designer Anouska Hempel played with scale and angles on the pillows, bolsters and poles. Stripes of different widths stand out against straight cabana-striped seats.

A Different Direction

In what could have been a prim, neat-as- a-pin-striped bedroom, designer Sarah Bartholomew injected a sense of energy and a bit of added personality by turning the fabric on the bed and bolster askew.

Details, Details

In a subtle bid for attention, designer Markham Roberts trimmed roman shades in the same stripe he used on the banquette, albeit on a bias. It’s a bespoke touch that’s noticeable without overwhelming the palette—or the view.

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THIS STORY ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN THE SUMMER 2022 ISSUE OF FREDERIC. 

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