A Guide to Gingham: Nurseries and Bedrooms

Cute and nostalgic, gingham conjures up childhood memories of summer school uniform and pretty picnics, but this quaint, timeless print is now back on the scene and in the homes of many!  Making a comeback in interior design, this classic chequerboard pattern has been given a modern facelift and can often be seen layered with clashing patterns and bold colours to make a real style statement.

Although common in grown up spaces, gingham is equally suitable for children’s bedrooms and nurseries. Naturally you can take your decoration down gingham’s natural twee, old school Cath Kidston vibe if that’s your style, but in this post we’ve shared some easy techniques for achieving a modern version of this charming trend.

Wallpaper

When you think of gingham, you’re probably picturing something made of fabric, but one of the easiest ways to give this style a modern twist is to go bold with your wallpaper.  

Choosing a print with small lines will make your walls look overly busy and could even make the space look confined, so instead choose a pattern with thick lines in a soft shade just like Kahlia from A Mother’s Bond has done.

As you can see, the neutral tones of this wallpaper helps to bring a relaxing feel to the room. To achieve a boho aesthetic similar to Kahlia’s, pair with our colourful pastel furniture in our playful blueberry and cherry palettes.

For toddlers and kids, our Natty Bedside Bed and Avalon Double Bed will look great against a neutral gingham wallpaper. For nurseries, our Turin Cot Bed and Neat Compact Cot will look great.

For a more neutral look, pair with mid wood furniture like our Almond or Beech colourways, or crisp white for a clean, contrasted look.

Headboards

As well as your bedding, headboards provide a great way to introduce pattern into your child’s bedroom if you have a divan bed. There aren’t many options for gingham or plaid headboards online, so we’d suggest choosing a suitable fabric and then upholstering a headboard yourself.

Choose something with a unique shape to add interest and if the rest of the room is dressed in subtle colours, why not add a pop of something bright and bold like burnt orange or mustard yellow.

If you have a wooden bed, use bedding to introduce gingham, as that will look absolutely adorable! The timeless design of our Casa Single Bed will suit the gingham trend of now, and the evolving future style of your little one.

Soft Furnishings & Décor

If you want your nursery or bedroom to be timeless, with minimal effort required when you feel like a refresh, tilize soft furnishings and décor to bring your gingham theme together rather than making more permanent changes:

Create a feature wall with photo frames in different sizes; use a mix of prints and fill a couple with different gingham fabrics for a contemporary look. For families that rent or want something for ‘the now’ use command strips to hold up your patterns and prints.  

Hang gingham curtains or blinds and either opt for clashing tie backs or have a go at embellishing your blinds with contrasting pompom edging.

With gingham being such a hot commodity right now, it is everywhere in fashion and homeware. Another way you can bring gingham into the home is with the addition of a gingham rug. You could either use it in its traditional form, or hang it on the wall as a beautiful piece of tapestry.