Design Motifs and Their Meaning

You may like peacocks, pineapples and ikats but do you know what these design motifs symbolize? Before you rush out and buy a design motif it might be a good idea to understand it’s symbolism.

For instance, you like stripes and chevrons in particular and are thinking about a pink and white chevron rug in your daughter’s room. Think again. The chevron design motif symbolizes masculine dominance and rank. They are often used in the military and on coats of arms. Chic Chevron is one of the designs in the Libby Langdon Collection, but the colors-orange fire, sailor blue, silver gray and totally teal-speak mainly masculine.

Chic Chevron design motif by Libby Langdon Collection for Casart Coverings — Chic Chevron-Libby Langdon Collection for Casart Coverings

Ikat design motifs come from a Malaysian dyeing process and suggest something ancient and handmade with Eastern influences. I think most of us recognize the pineapple as the symbol of hospitality, especially in the South. You will find it carved on headboards, bed posts and newel posts as well as featured on guest hand towels, note cards, etc.

Another popular design is the Fleur-de-Lis or the flower of the lily. It was adopted by the French monarchy in the 12th century and represents French royalty and national pride. It is seen on their national flag. For us in New Orleans, it symbolizes our rich French history, pride and resilience, and our Saints football team.

The peacock replaces its feathers every year and has come to symbolize renewal and immortality in Christian art. The feathers have been used during Easter to symbolize eternal life. Peacock feathers reached the height of popularity during the Art Nouveau period.

You have to be careful how you combine your metaphors though At Casart, we went all out and combined the peacock and the Fleur-de-Lis in our French Peacock Damask.

Casart coverings_French Peacock Damask, as seen on Slipcovers for your walls, casarrblog — Casart coverings’ French Peacock Damask

Here’s a close up of the design.

Casart French Peacock Damask design motif in Down-Anise temporary wallpaper on casartblog — Casart French Peacock Damask / Down-Anise

We think these two motifs work well together, but you have the option of just the feather in our Quill pattern in various colors if you want something simpler.

Casart coverings Peacock Quill Design temporary wallpaper_casartblog — Casart’s Peacock Pattern-Quill

Casart temporary wall coverings Quill pattern_shades of blue, as seen on Slipcovers for your walls, casartblog — Quill-shades of blue

Casart coverings Peacock Quill room view, on Slipcovers for your walls, casartblog — Casart Quill Pattern in Indigo / White

We still managed to include the entire peacock in the accent pillow! But wait, we also can offer just the Quill pillow or the French Peacock Damask pillow.