Humble Ticking Stripes Make Decor Proud
Simple and unpretentious, ticking dresses down ornate furniture and adds casual elegance to rooms of any style
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating media and immediately discovered a new passion. An Atlanta native, I spent several years as an editor for Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine before making the leap to national publications and websites such as Houzz, Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Accents. I live in Birmingham, Alabama, with my husband and son, who’ve gotten used to coming home and finding the furniture rearranged. When I'm not dragging case goods across the floor, I enjoy good food and wine, college football, music of all kinds, and traveling.
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating... More »
Ticking is the graphic equivalent of a grilled cheese sandwich: humble, comfortable and always satisfying. Like gingham and toile, though, this striped fabric often get pigeonholed into a specific look. Sturdy ticking — woven from linen or cotton and originally used to cover straw and feather ticks — usually pops up in cottage, country and coastal interiors, but the simplicity of its distinctive narrow stripes gives it chameleonlike versatility.
This diverse group of spaces showcases the many personalities that ticking can take.
This diverse group of spaces showcases the many personalities that ticking can take.
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| Red and white striped ticking sometimes looks more country cottage than city chic. Not here — stretched over a curvaceous headboard and backed by a lipstick-red wall, it appears unexpectedly glamorous. The red piping on the headboard elevates the look. |
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by Mandi Smith T
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| Ticking stripes dress down a stately wing chair and help this elegant space lighten up. |
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| Layered on the backs of these shelves, subtle stripes provide just enough color and pattern to add depth without dominating the quiet decor. |
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Ticking takes a pared-down turn in this pristine space. Is it modern? Minimalist? Cottage? All of the above? No matter which way you spin it, the striped pattern adapts to the look.
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Finding a fabric to complement both the traditional lines of this table and the clean architecture of the space might have been a challenge, but ticking stripes rose to it with aplomb.
Instead of an expected damask, plaid or floral pattern, casual stripes give this pair of bergères a fresh, fuss-free face.
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Ticking fabric for a formal, tufted chaise? We know one member of the family who thinks it was a good idea.
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The folksy bird on this ticking-stripe pillow would work as well with a modern interior as with a cottage.
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What's the fastest way to loosen up an antique-style chair with ornate carved detailing? Stripes, of course.
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This cheery rug spreads the ticking idea across the spectrum.
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| Angled to create a grid of squares, ticking stripes take on graphic appeal in this throw pillow. |
Comments
sfnest What a great column! I hadn't appreciated what ticking stripes could do in a variety of settings. I'm now thinking of having at least one ticking striped upholstered chair in the midst of some geometric fabrics . . .
8 months ago · Like
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Madison Modern Home Nice round-up of ideas. Ticking stripes are one of our current fave patterns, especially that Ralph Lauren pillow. We've used it in our designs, too! That whole line of pillows is on sale at our local Home Goods store for $20 each (including the insert). We used the red ticking stripe lumbar pillow on a bench and the frame style square pillow on a bed. 
8 months ago · Like
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junebug1hb The Zanzibar rug is from Dash & Albert http://www.dashandalbert.com/product/view/zanzibar-ticking-woven-cotton-rug--RDA110.
7 months ago · Like
Ideabook published on Sept. 25, 2012.
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