What does your furniture say about you? Five fun prints to enliven a room

There's something alluring about a really beautiful pattern. In life, predictably repetitious behaviour is undeniably comforting. Whether it's a relationship that has an element of timeworn routine or a daily job ritual, some measure of order and rhythm is generally a good thing.

The same is true in home decor. The patterns we use to decorate our living and dining rooms – whether it's a simple herringbone print or ornate damask – create a sense of rhythm and balance.

For a long time, decorative prints seemed to follow a similar pattern, falling into somewhat safe, predictable styles. Ginghams and pretty florals and muted beige or off-white stripes. Now, designers are breaking the mould with bold, unconventional motifs, for people who'd like their prints to suggest a slightly more anarchic way of life.

Here, five fun prints to enliven a room.

In the living room

Dutch designer Marcel Wanders is known for taking a witty, whimsical twist on a traditional aesthetic. His Eyes of the Stranger chair is no exception. A sleek, classically modern seat is upholstered in a vibrant pattern of colourful stripes layered with an array of peering peepers. From $3,630. Through klausn.com.

On the couch

Ceil Diskin’s accent pillows are a cross between a Rorschach test and a psychedelic, 1970s throw back. The New York-based, classically trained artist was partially inspired by Morocco for the print’s vivid colours and frenetic energy. $120 (U.S.). Through ceildiskin.com.

In the bedroom

Both the floral form and the intricate, knot-like print of John Robshaw’s headboard is inspired by the delicate but imposing beauty of India’s empirical Mughal architecture. The frame was hand-crafted in North Carolina, the textile was made in the subcontinent. From $1,610 (U.S.). Through johnrobshaw.com.

On the floor

Berlin-based Elisa Strozyk is a textile artist but her main medium isn’t wool or cotton. Her tapestries are made of small triangular modules of dyed wood. The tessellated surface allows the normally rigid material to easily fold up. The pattern is an intriguing mix of repetitious and total chaos. Price upon request. Through elisastrozyk.de.

On the desk

Paperweights might not be terribly fashionable in our ever digital, paperless era. But whether or not this one from Jonathan Adler fulfills its intended use, at least the swirling, kaleidoscopic pattern, encased in a crystal block, will make a fine piece of desktop art. $35 (U.S.). Through jonathanadler.com.