Top Tips For Decorating With Tartan and Checks


Tartan is one of the most recognisable fabrics in the  world - and certainly one of the most enduringly popular for both fashion and home interiors. If it’s a stylish home décor aesthetic that you’re looking for that will also stand the test of time, then tartan could be the answer to all your decorating dreams.

The pattern itself is characterised by a series of interlocking stripes that run in the warp and the weft of the cloth (that’s the horizontal and vertical weaves of the fabric) - and it has its origins deeply rooted in history, stretching back hundreds of years. Scotland’s earliest known tartan can be dated back to the third or fourth century AD.

Although tartan designs have been found all over the world, it has particular cultural significance in Scotland and by the 17th and 18th centuries, tartan clothing was hugely characteristic of Highland dress, with commercial weavers taking up production of the cloth on a large scale.

Tartan was so synonymous with the Highland gael that in 1746, after the Battle of Culloden and the climax of the Jacobite Rising, the British government prohibited the wearing of the cloth throughout the Highlands to help suppress the Scottish rebellion!

Since then, of course, tartan checks have gone on to become a staple of both our daily wardrobes and home interiors. It’s a particularly smart option for both fashionistas and interior stylists and a look that never seems to go out of style.

When it comes to decorating, if you’re keen to have a show stopping look in your home, then full length made to measure curtains in a tartan fabric can help to create that wow factor.

Tartan curtains will always be a dramatic addition to any room, but they can also help create a cosy and welcoming feel, especially if you bring in cushions and  throws in coordinating patterns, and colours and textures. 

Don’t be afraid to go bold with your tartan décor -but make sure you hold the look together by keeping to a colour palette by picking out colours from your check fabric and choosing accent colours from the main design for cushions and accessories.

You can also create a beautiful design aesthetic if you mix tartan in with other patterns. Play around with combining tartans with florals and other geometrics and textures to create layers of interest.

Do you need any more help or advice relating to curtains and home interiors? Get in touch with the team at McAlister Textiles today to see what we can do together.


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