French Ticking is never really out of style. Why? Well, for one thing, it is extremely versatile. Here are some of the reasons.
- It plays nicely with a variety of other fabrics. It is at home as the star of the show or in a supporting role next to florals and toiles.
- It can be used as a staple fabric for both indoor and outdoor decor.
- It can be traditional or used as a backdrop to bolder transitional or modern prints.
- It can be muted in color, like the awning in this classic french restaurant scene above, or saturated boldly as a focal point.
Lately, though, French ticking has been “ticking up” even more in popularity. This article will examine a brief synopsis of the heritage of ticking stripes, some thoughts on why it is trending, and some great ways it can be used for interior and exterior design today.
A Brief History of Ticking
To appreciate ticking and the influences that defined it, a brief history helps to put it all in context. This definition from House and Garden is a good starting point:
The iteration that has become popularised originated in Nimes, France. Most usually, the basic consisted of a repeating blue or red central stripe flanked by two thinner stripes on a pale background, and was made either of pure cotton or a cotton-linen blend.
Fiona McKensie Johnston House and Garden UK
Ticking has enjoyed a long history in Europe from it’s French heritage. But in America, it was Sister Parish who took it to a new level during the great depression. It was durable and inexpensive. She opened her design business in 1933 and she is credited with being the first to use it throughout the house instead of the staple mattress ticking of the bedroom. She also used it as an element of her style of pairing contrasting prints. Her cousin was the infamous Dorothy Draper and together their influences in the world of interior design continue to be felt today. Sister Parish’s influence can be seen in the work of Ralph Lauren and Martha Stewart and Dorothy Parker in the work of Kelly Wearstler and Jonathan Adler. Sister Parish was known for her work featured in the White House during the Kennedy Administration and many homes in New York’s high society yet it had a “lived in quality” that endures today.
Ticking and It’s Natural Beginnings
One of the reasons ticking may be so timeless? True ticking is a natural fiber. Made from pure cotton or cotton linen blends, ticking , is a natural fit for those looking for fabrics that are Biophilic and feed our need to be surrounded by nature in our homes. Newer ticking prints can be printed on linen, cotton, and performance fabrics for outdoor use.
How to Use Ticking Stripes
Ticking can have a calming effect and what could be more classic than this bedroom nook in soft gray and gold?
Ticking prints can be found everywhere today. What is more, with design techniques available to fabric designers today , printed fabrics that add texture and depth are available in a wide variety of fabrics. I personally prefer those cotton and linen blends that are natural and help retain the appeal of this design. Below are two examples that I designed for my new French Country Collection.
Below is another great example of how ticking stripe patterns can be paired with floral and geometric prints. I really love this room. It has a California Casual feel also trending today. While farmhouse seems to be declining, this style shares some of those elements for an updated fresh look.
Soft blue and gold dominate and are paired with warm woods and white walls. Ticking stripe prints can be used on the traditional cotton and linen blends for home goods including upholstery use but can also be used in some non traditional ways. Technology has created much innovation in the world of outdoor performance fabrics and those options have opened up a whole new variety of ticking and striped fabrics that can adorn your patio or poolside too.
Ticking on The Terrace
If you have read my blog you may know that outdoor spaces are near and dear to my heart. Crafting an outdoor space, whether grand or humble, is a great place for ticking stripes too!
Here are a few resources I curated across the web that either utilize stripes or feature products that would blend well with them. Adding even a couple of pillows can give your outdoor space some color and style. You might find some inspiration that can be used to create an outdoor room that will call you to spend more time outside in nature.
To sum it up, ticking perfectly epitomizes the philosophy made famous by Sister Parish:
“innovation is often the ability to reach into the past and bring back what is good, what is beautiful, what is useful, what is lasting.”
Sister Parish
I work as a pattern designer, specializing in products that are biophilic and keep us in touch with nature. Much of the blog is focused on how to bring that into our homes and daily life.
If you enjoyed this article and would like to see more and stay in touch join our mailing list below!