Trending: Wild, Dark and Dramatic Florals

As we head into the season of dormancy, moody floral patterns are coming into full bloom.

For the launch of their new collection of floral wallpapers this fall, Farrow and Ball created a fantasy straight out of The Secret Garden, draping the façades of select showrooms in Europe and North America in yards and yards of blooms. In Los Angeles, the storefront was painted in the company’s rich teal shade of Vardo and overlaid with tangled white wisteria vines—at last, flowers were freed from the vase, somehow structural and untidy in a singular composition.For several design cycles now, flowers have been staging a comeback, first appearing on the runways of Gucci and Alexander McQueen, and before that, in the wild arrangements of designers like Ariella Chezar, Erin Benzakein and Vancouver Island’s own Clare Monica Day. As is so often the pattern, the realms of furniture and interior design have followed suit with the new (or is it actually very old?) look now unfurling through fall/winter collections from the most exclusive design houses (see Moooi’s latest Signature carpets), to mass market retailers (Anthropologie’s Liberty collection is a bloom-lovers dream).The new florals are abstract, complex and painterly. Flowers have thorns; branch structure is as important as the bloom itself. They are, simply put, dark—more purple-black Queen of the Night tulip than friendly Gerbera daisy or flawless tea rose. In modern spaces, it is a look best used sparingly as it is easily overgrown.

Get the Look: Dark and Dramatic Florals

CB2’s new Midnight Flowers tray ($37) sees white roses, daisies and vines set against an ebony background. Product designer Brett Beldock applied the print to an entire collection for the company, including bed linens, pillow shams and cotton-linen napkins. cb2.comThe Botanical Scented card collection ($9.95 each) by Clap Clap includes a fragrance chip in the scent of the featured species, such as magnolia or lavender. oldfaithfulshop.comIn Full Flower ($60) is a beautifully photographed take on the new-old, untamed floral movement. indigo.caMarimekko’s latest fabrics move away from strong pattern repetition seen in their trademark Unikko print and into wilder sprays of flowers and foliage. From left, Kasvu and Lintukoto, both by Maija Louekari. marimekko.comThe Queen Anne high-top sneaker ($65) is a collaboration between Keds and Rifle Paper Co., an early adopter of the trend. riflepaperco.comWest Elm’s new Grand Floral area rug (from $999) is a major departure from the company’s well-known Moroccan-style and natural fibre pieces. westelm.com

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