Designers are getting into gingham for spring/summer 2026 – not just because it’s a warm-weather classic, but because a new wave of furniture and decor is making the familiar pattern feel fresh again, carrying a cottagecore charm wherever it’s painted, woven, or upholstered.
Take Minneapolis-based designer Heather Peterson, who used gingham decor as a throughline across multiple rooms in a sweeping Lake Tahoe retreat, playing with scale to create cohesion. The look meets its alpine surroundings with cozy, heritage-inspired accents – ‘French Country meets Folk,’ as she describes it.
Most of us don’t have the provenance of a wood-clad cabin to work with, but gingham, with its built-in nostalgia, has a way of making even new spaces feel storied. You see it in a recent run of launches – from Shea McGee’s best-selling skirted, secretly swiveling chair for Target to the nostalgic upholstery in Emma Chamberlain’s viral collaboration with West Elm, where the pattern appears on vanity stools, mixes with florals in duvets, and even brings back the telephone bench.
The only thing that plays better than a game on this Italian foosball table is the red gingham chairs with folky fabrics throughout the family room. Here, designer Heather Peterson makes pattern-drenching look lighter than it sounds – very much a summer affair.
Whether you’re after a single, airy moment or ready to try your hand at full-on pattern drenching, these are the best takes on the easygoing design trend we’ve seen so far.
The Round is Homes & Gardens' collection of the must-have pieces shaping styles, trends, and ideas. It brings together thoughtfully curated products that express a single moment – offering readers inspiring ways to style their homes through seasonal themes, emerging looks, and everyday pieces.
