Plaid to the Bone: Ways to Infuse Tartan & Gingham

Nothing embraces the arrival of autumn quite like the classic pattern of plaid. The criss crossed lines and rustic color palettes of buffalo checks, tartans, ginghams and more add nostalgic coziness to our living spaces as the weather turns crisp. But plaids shouldn’t be relegated to just your winter wardrobe! By bringing these iconic fabrics into your home decorating, you can complete the seasonal shift into fall hygge.

For a palatable plaid display that feels pulled-together instead of chaotic, the trick lies in carefully mixing both coordinated and contrasting elements. When selecting your plaid textile choose, consider hues that will play nice with your existing color scheme. Harvest golds, spiced crimsons, mustard yellows and rustic greens are no-brainer plaids, but don’t be afraid to gravitate towards more unexpected shades if they rhyme with the tones already present in your decor.

It is also helpful to keep the plaids you choose within the same color family whether tonal or vibrant. For example, subtle buffalo checks in warm taupes and beiges can make sense alongside a shock of electric throw pillows emblazoned in bolder western plaids that echo those earthier hues. Don’t be afraid to contrast the scale of the patterns themselves – tossing in both large and small-check plaids continues the layered look. As long as the colors relate back to each other, even visually distinctive plaids can mesh delightfully.

Once you have a plaid palette in mind, consider the different textiles you can bring those patterns into. Blankets and bedding are a natural place to start when it comes to adopting plaids for fall. A plaid-printed duvet cover or shams set is an easy way to herald the season upon turning down your beds at night. For a more layered look, try coordinating separate plaid blankets and throws on top of your existing solid colored bed linen as cozy accents. Organize them in a neat display for daytime aesthetics, then spread them out for warm bundling while watching late night Halloween movies!

If you want to take the plaid homage even further, don’t be afraid to trade out some sofa pillows for buffalo-style squares. The trick to nailing throw pillow plaids is once again ensuring you’re drawing out a hue that already exists elsewhere in the room. Deep forest green and bright pumpkin orange pillows might seem perfectly fall, but will likely clash if that color combo isn’t reflected in your rug, paint or furniture. Instead, take cue from the other decorative items surrounding your sofa – maybe there is teal blue glassware on the coffee table you can riff on with minimal sky and navy criss crossed throw pillows. Or lean into the terracotta pottery with some tomato red gingham-prints. Tapping into existing colors with a plaid twist will prevent your scheme from veering into kitsch.

Along those same lines, don’t shy away from propelling plaids into the kitchen or bathroom either! Swapping out some solid colored dish towels or potholders for classic buffalo check alternatives brings that familiar pattern into a high-use spot. Drape gingham valances in front of a window over the sink or perhaps line wicker baskets with red plaid fabric for cozy fall storage. And as nights grow longer and darker earlier, keep the cheery plaid crafting going by complementing resting room hand towels with custom plaid accessories made in matching colors like soap dispensers or candle holders.

The beauty of incorporating plaids for fall is that it doesn’t require starting fully from scratch decorating-wise. With just a few carefully curated additions of throw pillows, blankets, upholstery and kitchen textiles, you can craft an immensely cozy, nostalgic autumn tableau without going into full-on seasonal overhaul. And unless hardy buffalo checks and rugged tartans connote true winter holiday cheer for you, there’s no need to necessarily pack all your plaids away once November winds down. Let some linger into winter for bursts of staying power and enough of those classic patterned accents may end up gracing your interiors season after season!

While buffalo check and classic tartan plaids seem tailored for fall, don’t pack them away completely once Thanksgiving dinner concludes! Many of the same earthy color schemes and nostalgic vibes that make these patterns shine in autumn translate beautifully into Christmas aesthetics as well. Consider draping evergreen and red gingham throws over the back of your sofa or wingback chairs for easy holiday flair. Or wrap coordinating plaid ribbons around pine garlands on your staircase bannister to echo the geometric shapes. You can even opt for a festive plaid tree skirt to encircle the base of your towering fir or spruce. Since time-honored plaids offer versatility between autumn and Christmas, any pieces you invested in for fall can seamlessly segue into merry holiday styling a few weeks later!

As the sparkle of Christmas fades and the calendar prepares to flip over into January, the question arises of what to do with all those festively plaid textile pieces. Fortunately, timeless buffalo checks and heirloom tartans that graced mantles and banisters only weeks prior can also bridge the gap into new beginnings.

Rather than stuffing away all remnants of holiday hominess, consider keeping a few key plaid components out as winter wears on into the early new year. A cozy throw blanket dangling off the arm of the sofa or draped on a chair back creates open-armed welcome for visiting friends after the rigors of the season subside. Evergreen-colored utility kitchen towels humbly herald 2023 with every new mess wiped clean. And scattered plum or navy toss pillows on beds that saw far too many overnight guests over the holidays offer serene style as routine resumes. With an edit rather than overhaul approach, beloved plaids can painlessly pave the way into January by keeping elements of warmth still present in the weeks between winter holidays’ end and spring’s pending return.