Damask Room Ideas

Damask Accessories

• For a less dramatic effect, use small amounts of damask to tie a room together. Cover drawers on a nightstand or side table with damask contact or wallpaper. Fabric also works well as long as the piece isn't located in the bathroom or kitchen, where humidity can peel the fabric from the furniture. Pencil holders, file boxes, lamp shades, accent pillows and even vases add a touch of damask without overwhelming a room with it. This works if you want a more neutral, clean look with a few places to bring in color and texture.

Larger Areas

• Damask often appears in room decor covering larger areas. If you want a room truly decorated around a damask theme, a large area rug, damask wallpaper, damask-inspired wall decals and damask bedspreads and upholstery can act as a focal point in the room. Break up the large amount of pattern with a coordinating solid color in smaller accent pieces, the walls, floor or furniture pieces. Using nothing but damask may make the room look too busy and unbalanced.

Colors and Damask

• Since damask is traditionally a type of fabric, it comes in a wide variety of colors. Vintage and traditional designs may come in multiple warm colors with plenty of small detail in the pattern. Contemporary versions tend to be more graphic and blocky in one color set against a white or bold-colored background. Common hues like black, hot pink, aqua and bold yellow add a modern touch to the graphic pattern and typically create a dramatic effect. The size of the motif itself varies, ranging from small repeating images on an entire wall to oversize decals for a more cosmopolitan look.

Creating the Look

• Damask is traditionally a fabric, so going with a vintage style means featuring sofas and armchairs, throw pillows, seat cushions and blankets in the pattern. Vintage damask wallpaper can be used as well. Contemporary wallpaper may have a more mod style of damask, and decals let you decide where you want to place each and every motif, so you can use them on walls, furniture and other surfaces for a custom look. For a permanent look, perhaps in a hard-to-find color, stencils allow you the same freedom as decals, but they take more time and a bit more skill to apply, but you also have control over the paint texture.