Hexagonal Interiors – A Six Sided Love Affair

A Six Sided Love Affair

When decorating and styling this house, I’m pretty ashamed to say that I had zero plan. I’ll admit to having absolutely no forethought on how the rooms would work together, how the house would flow or the concept of using similar elements in different rooms. I was juggling a job, being a mum to 4 kids and project managing a monster of a renovation. I had also just discovered Instagram, so was drinking it up like a glass of water on a hangover limiting any spare time to an absolute minimum.

Decisions were made whilst daydreaming in surgery or between mopping up baked beans and wrestling the slippery eels into bed. Paint choices were far too hastily made and furniture was ordered whilst being used as a human climbing frame. Looking back, it was all somewhat frantic, I cant help but feel shocked that it all seemed to turn out alright. So, I pondered, what’s my element? What’s the thing that binds it all together, the egg to my batter, the paste to my wallpaper? (You get my drift).

Then I found it… the humble hexagon, everywhere I look these 6 sided little buggers pop up. Planned? Heck no, the kids were lucky if I planned a meal. But my love of hexagonal interiors is clearly evident throughout the Peach Palace.

Why Hexagons?

Excuse me while I get all sensible, but there may just be a reason for my love. Hexagons are nature’s perfect shape, its one of the most stable structures in nature and they naturally pop up everywhere. The most familiar naturally occurring in honeycomb, but it appears in snowflakes, crystals, leaf structures, the eyes of a dragonfly and on the shell of a turtle. The hexagon represents order, stability and efficiency and if any of you were a fly on the wall during the frantic hour before the school run round here, you would see why it’s so very ironic that I am drawn to them!

If you’re into a bit of Feng Shui then you might like to know that the hexagon represents higher wisdom, celestial power and spirituality, none of which I feel like I possess. Maybe that’s the reason I’m surrounding myself with these, in the vain attempt to actually gain some. Hexagon tiles anyone?

I like to think that they’re my bag entirely because they represent my family. Cue a simultaneous ‘aaaaaaaaaah, sweet’. Six sides, one for each bin lid, and a couple remaining for their weary parents. All sides perfectly joined and completely balanced. Hashtag what a joke.

Regardless of the reason why I love them, they happen to look pretty dang gorgeous. From the subtle, to the in your face six sided slap, let me show you how I’ve used hexagonal interiors in my gaff…

Hexagonal Interiors Inside the Peach Palace

Let’s start with my hexagon tiles. Those of you that have been following me from the beginning might remember Ned. Ned was my tiler. Do not fret, he is still with us on this earth. The ‘was’ is because I doubt Ned will ever want to tile for us again. The reason? You guessed it, the hexagon tiles. Our choice of tile sent him into tessellating turmoil and I am quite certain there is a small Katie shaped doll adorned with pins somewhere in Ned’s bottom drawer. The sweating, the tuts, the huffs and truck load of digestives used for bribery were all worth it. Ned laid the marrakech design cement tiles to perfection, grouting himself into hero status in my book. There is a blog post on my tile addiction here if you fancy a read.

Hexagonal Interiors – Tiling

So this is where it all began and the shape just seeped its way into almost every room in the house:

Anybody would think that I liked to look at myself judging by the amount of mirrors here. I absolutely don’t, I am generally soiled from some kind of child secretion and I am always less glamorous than I imagine myself to be, but if I was to check out my reflection, I would be happy to do it in these beauties.

Mirror from Fern & Grey

Mirror from Graham & Green

Mirror from Homesense

Hexagonal Interiors – Lighting

Lighting is one of the elements that I have enjoyed picking most throughout this project. Our local Heals has an incredible seconds department. Each one of these incredible Tom Dixon lights has been bagged from this department.

Mini Etch Tom Dixon pendants

Etch wall light by Tom Dixon

Hexagonal Interiors – Accessories

I’ve also taken no prisoners with the accessories. This tray is a bargain at £24 from Next and the firepit is from Von Haus. OK, OK, strictly speaking the pit is a pentagon, I’m sure the geometric gods will forgive me. (Won’t they?!).

Tray from Next

Fire pit from VonHaus

My favourite ways that hexagons have been used in interiors elsewhere:

Beautiful hexagonal tiles with matching handle detail @studio125mpls

Alternative to tiles in a coffee shop in london. Credit: Beautifully captured by @thelovelydrawer

Hexagonal floor tiles courtesy of Walls and Floors

Seating area at 9 3/4 bookstore in Colombia. credit: Plasma Nodo

Modular hexagonal wall hangings by Frederic Malphettes Credit Compagnie

Hexagonal Architecture

Why stop inside when hexagonal symmetry can be used outside?

Here are some of my favourite examples of the use of this shape in architecture:

By Danish designers Kristoffer Tejlgaards and Benny Jepsen, this plywood dome was constructed for the Roskilde Country Music Festival Credit @ktejigaard

The Stunning Melbourne Recital Centre Credit MRC

Orquoideorama / Plan B Architects + JPRCR Architect C
The Botanical Gardens Medellin Colombia Credit Plan B

And lastly my favourite… This honeycomb house is the home of Estar Moveis, a Brazilian furniture an accessories brand. It’s worth a click here to check out the interior of this incredible store, I love the concept of humanizing a showroom, making it feel as if it were your own. I’m not sure I would ever leave!

Architects: SuperLimão Studio Location: São Paulo, Brazil Year: 2013 Photo courtesy: Maira Acayaba

Hexagonal Interiors – My top picks

You don’t have to look far to find some hexagonal interiors inspiration. Here are my favourite picks to update your home with some six sided loveliness. The B&O speakers have totally got my vote but as usual, champagne taste on Lambrini budget!

Click on image for link to source.

So there you go, maybe I did have a focus, maybe it was all part of the master-plan. Whatever, book me into the nearest rehab, Im a Hex Addict!

If you like this, you might like my post on wallpapers.