Interior trend: Peacock motifs

IT'S subtle and elegant, but its colors can't simply be splashed about haphazardly. We're talking about the peacock. Because bringing its 'strut' into our interiors can bring an exuberant touch, it doesn't take much for the pretty array to turn into kitsch. So, when we think of the peacock in terms of interiors, subtle touches are key to avoid committing a decorative faux pas.

The peacock got a moment in the spotlight in Paris when the Samaritaine reopened to the public on June 23, as an imposing fresco depicting the feathers of the bird, an emblem of the department store, right beneath the glass roof. The restoration of the mosaic, originally dating from 1907, has attracted a lot of attention as it took four years of work to do justice to the masterpiece of the Art Nouveau department store. But the majestic, exotic and regal peacock can also be used in our own interiors with its tones of blue, green and bronzy gold.

Deep and velvety for furniture

In terms of a graphic motif, peacock is perfect for the wall. At Anthropologie the feathers have been given clean and contemporary lines while it gets a stylized, beveled approach for wallpaper at Spoonflower, perfect for a living room or office, or in a more dramatic pattern showing more figurative birds perching against a gold background. For a black and white aesthetic Moodntone has created a wall decoration that has appealing gridwork. The peacock can be used to transform a space with poetry and lightness, or more dramatically, in an entrance for a theatrical welcome.

Light and airy in a bouquet of flowers

Furniture also gets adorned with the beautiful feather patterns. The evanescence of the feathers combines with rich, velvety materials for a unique effect. At Made.com, the Margot armchair uses blue-green or pink velvet, with copper work for the feet. As a decorative echo or just a small touch, it can be affixed to a door as a handle or to a set of drawers as a ceramic knob.