Pattern drenching is the interior design sibling to color drenching. Instead of saturating surfaces with a single color, pattern takes the place of paint. The godmother of color drenching is Martha Stewart. In 2006 she
Pattern drenching is the interior design sibling to color drenching. Instead of saturating surfaces with a single color, pattern takes the place of paint. The godmother of color drenching is Martha Stewart. In 2006 she chose pink to drench the interior of the guest cottage at her Skylands estate, and grounded her immersive color with Oriental rugs. Oriental and Persian rugs often play a supporting role in this “everything old is new again” trend, and pattern drenching even pops up in a bedroom in the new Wes Anderson movie The Phoenecian Scheme.
But before we share examples of “Pattern plus Persians”, let’s define the term. The “rules” differ between design experts, but for us, pattern drenching describes a single pattern repeated across multiple surfaces like ceiling, walls and upholstery to create a cozy immersive cocoon. Interiors drenched in multiple patterns is “maximalist” – a lovely style, but not one known for its calming qualities. Pamela Jaccarino, founding editor of Luxe magazine sums up pattern drenching as “a tonic for the design soul”. We couldn’t agree more.
Also known as pattern-on-pattern, contemporary interior designers who use this look include Amy Studebaker Design whose Instagram reveals her delightful pattern drenched tiny bedroom. Designer Meghan Jay described to Good Housekeeping magazine that a pattern drenched room is “like you’re stepping into a cozy cocoon . . . the space feels dynamic and alive, yet still soothing,” which helps explain why bedrooms are a key destination for pattern drenching.
Three iconic bedrooms all relied on the same historic Pierre Frey Braquenié fabric to drench surfaces. Based on an 18th century “Indienne” design, the pattern known as La Valette was rediscovered in 2009 at Chateau de Montgeoffroy. Interior designer Natalia Miyar used it in 2022 to drench a dormer bedroom at The Twenty Two hotel in London. She calmed the immersive drench with an Oriental rug. When Pierre Frey reproduced La Valette, the owners of Chateau de Montgeoffroy used it to drench one of the chateau’s bedrooms and anchored the look with an Oriental rug. French couturier Hubert de Givenchy used La Valette to drench a bedroom in his Paris home, but he sedated the exuberant pattern with a monochrome woven rug.
The underlying message for this trend is to view rugs as a soothing tonic for “party hard” patterns like La Valette. Or if you choose a smaller pattern drench as designer Louise Roe did for her “Mary Poppins” dormer bedroom, the rug becomes more of a stimulating apéritif. Rugs we recommend to pair with the look include our vintage Persian Isfahan which is similar to the inaugural rug (now changed to a different Oriental) that featured in Natalia Miyar’s dormer hotel bedroom. Our vintage Mamluk has a vibrant pattern, but is color-free for those who prefer a neutral base. If you go for a contemporary small scale pattern, then let the rug be the “party hard” element of the room and choose our fabulous Fuchsia pink and blue vintage Persian Tabriz. And if you’re more inspired by Givenchy, the open field of our hand knotted Moroccan-inspired undyed wool rug is the elegant calming rug you need.