Mouthing Off

Photo courtesy of Designers Guild / Osborne & Little.

Florals for spring are nothing new, but this season fashion designers such as Dolce & Gabbana, Suno and Derek Lam unveiled them in dark, bold colors like burgundy, burnt orange, navy and magenta. To apply the look indoors, Dutch interior designer Barbara Groen recommends juxtaposing various prints as she did earlier this year for her project “Flower Power 101.” Here, Groen’s tips for creating the supermodern look at home, along with a slideshow of floral accents.

1. Focus. Pick one room or area of the house and try to stick to a certain style of patterns: big flowers or mini flowers, bright colors or soft colors.

2. Repeat colors. For example, if the pattern is pink, try to put something pink in the room, or let the same pink come back in another pattern.

3. Try wallpaper as art. You can cover a big board in a special pattern, then hang it on your wall or put it on a side table or fireplace.

SLIDESHOW: FLORAL STYLE FINDS

Related: How to Work Neon at Home
Ikat: Modern Designs for a Traditional Pattern

Photo courtesy of Tortoise General Store.

F&W's October issue looks at the wisdom of aging, from barrel-aged cocktails to shopping finds that age gracefully. Since 1875, Kaikado in Japan has been creating metal tea tins that are meant to subtly change color and texture over time, developing a patina. Finally, the tins are available in the US. Brass transforms within a year; tin, three to five years and copper, just two to three months. From $140; tortoisegeneralstore.com.

Laguiole Pocketknife Photo Courtesy of Sid Mashburn

Once relegated to highlighters and ’80s flashbacks, neon is having a sophisticated moment. Fluorescent pinks, greens and yellows are turning up on everything from nail polish to home decor. Paris-based housewares line Adónde makes neon look elegant by contrasting the Day-Glo shades with more natural materials. The company's eco-friendly Octa wastepaper baskets are inspired by geometric shapes like the polyhedron and made of recycled cardboard.

“Maybe the reason that neon is so popular now is for the same reason that we love using it—people like more natural colors, but they need a little twist to it, a touch of modernity,” says Adónde cofounder Laurent Serin. “We are kind of obsessed with neon pink,” adds cofounder Javier Gutierrez Carcache. Their favorite color also turns up on three-piece vases made of alder wood and French stoneware. Here, a variety of neon-accented items so you can experiment with the trend at home.
 
SHOPPING GUIDE

Laguiole has recreated its famous pocketknife in a neon-yellow hue (above). sidmashburn.com

Courtesy of La Tête au Cube.

Fluo porcelain salt and pepper shakers are handmade in Limoges, France, and come in bright yellow, orange and green. lateteaucube.com

Courtesy of Shop Ten 25

 Gray linen pillows have just a thin border of Bold Orchid or Limeade piping. shopten25.com

Courtesy of Leif

This elegant acrylic tart server comes in 14 different colors, including Bright Fuchsia and Valencia, a vibrant red. leifshop.com