My faux pas, as well as providing Mr VKH with an embarrassing little anecdote for the boys (as if I wasn't uncool enough already), actually got me thinking about gingham and the fact that, for me, it always conjures up images of Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz and jars of homemade jam eaten with scones and clotted cream during a picnic in a soft focus meadow - you know the sort of thing.
Surely there are more modern ways to bring gingham in to one's home, I thought. And, sure enough, there are. I have found some gorgeous images that just go to show it is not just for summer. Or 8-year-old girls.
By using a palette of grey-blue, white and black and accessorised with lots of dark wood and natural materials, this scheme would suit a cottage or a townhouse.
In this bedroom, designed by Tommy Smythe, a similar colour palette works as a complementary backdrop to this beautiful sleigh bed with the gingham throw adding pattern:
Both these schemes have a slightly masculine feel so for something a bit more feminine but with a more Scandi minimalist feel, try this:
This range of bedlinen was designed by Bedeck for the V&A Spring/Summer '12 line.
So you see, gingham is not the reserve of the country house or confined to a few short months of the year. Used in moderation and by sticking to a tonal palette, it can actually be quite stylish. Don't be PSYched out by it, do it Gingham Style this winter!