Pineapples are a big trend in luxury interiors this season, from wall paper to wall lights, door knobs to candlesticks. And this spiky, quirky trend shows no sign of leaving the building any time soon…
I’m not usually one to notice a trend, interiors or otherwise, but over the past few months pineapples seem to have started popping up everywhere. From furniture to wallpaper and everything in between, the quirky pineapple pattern is a spiky new addition to the plethora of ginghams and florals inside Britain’s homes. In acknowledgement of an emerging passion for this fruit, I’ve looked at the various ways in which you can introduce pineapples into your home.
A repeated pineapple shape actually makes for a wonderfully contemporary pattern and one of the best ways to show this is through wallpaper. My first selection is from a collection of pineapple silhouette wallpaper, available in a larger Pineapple Frond or the scaled down Etched Pineapple. With the detail removed, the result is an intricate and symmetrical pattern; striking without being too busy. The darker colours are perfect for a small space, like a downstairs loo, whereas the paler backgrounds are perfect for a bedroom or bathroom. These sorts of rooms tend to be fairly neutral anyway, so are good places for experimenting with pattern. The pineapple silhouette is also available as a fabric which would be a good choice if the wallpaper is a little too pineapple-y. The movement that you get with fabric, especially with curtains, helps to break up the pattern so it’s not so uniform and therefore not so bold.
My second find is great fun: a golden pineapple table with glass top. A pair of these would make wonderful side tables in a drawing room and would complement a multitude of textures and fabrics. Metallics like gold or silver go particularly well with wood and glass and can be simply styled. This is a great way to bring the pineapple trend inside but in a way that isn’t necessarily permanent. Although you might assume that this table would only work in a contemporary setting, modern furniture often works well in period homes. The unusual design of this table makes for an attractive juxtaposition against traditional furniture and interiors; the iron tripod legs make it sturdy whilst the aluminium leaf decoration and sleek glass top give it its decorative edge. You could also consider one of these in a hallway, as the first thing you and any guests will see.
The pineapple has been a symbol of welcome since it was introduced as the latest edible delicacy from South America in 1492. Giving your guest a pineapple was the height of hospitality and the idea moved into architecture and the building of homes where it has featured ever since. Pineapple finials even feature on the West Front towers of St Paul’s Cathedral in London and the shape has now become synonymous with hospitality. There is perhaps no bigger architectural pineapple than ‘The Pineapple’, a rather aptly named domed building on the Dunmore Estate in Stirlingshire, Scotland, that used to be a fruit and plant filled hothouse.
There are of course slightly lesser ways to incorporate something like a pineapple into your house. One of our favourite items that we have recently discovered is this pineapple double wall light. With a rustic look that is achieved by distressing metal, this wall light perfectly serves both a practical and decorative purpose. The symmetry of the pineapple shape and the double arms is reminiscent of a chandelier style and so this would work in a huge number of rooms. Wall lights are a nice alternative to ceiling lights; a simple set spread around a room makes for wonderful bedroom lighting whether on fabric, wallpaper or paint. Bathrooms also often benefit from wall lights as they tend to be the rooms that have less decoration or fewer accessories.
If tables, fabric or wallpapers are too much, then there is a whole world of pineapple accessories to explore. When in doubt, start small. Pineapples make excellent table lamps because of their shape and a gilt base makes for a very smart finish. Smaller than that would be something like pineapple candlesticks, which are exotic yet wonderfully homely and smaller still…painted ceramic knobs to jazz up cupboards and doors. However you use pineapples in your interiors, they’re sure to be a constant source of interest and entertainment.
For information about any of the above, please contact Letty White-Spunner on letty@janechurchillinteriors.co.uk; 020 7730 8564
Main image: Graham & Green
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