Prints charming

Designing her own home gave Marita Simmons the perfect opportunity to showcase her favourite hero patterns – from scrolling ferns to vibrant chinoiserie

- RACHEL LEEDHAM

HOW DID YOU COME TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT? This is my own family home in Minneapolis. Although built in the 1950s, it has the feel of an older Connecticut colonial farmhouse. We lived here for five years before doing any work, which proved invaluable; our ideas evolved enormously over that time.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE? Timeless and classic, but with a twist. I always like to include something unexpected — a modern touch or a playful detail. It surprises the eye and prevents a room from feeling one-dimensional.