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WHILE CHECKERBOARD PATTERNS

have been around for centuries — think Greek and Roman empires, the halls of Versailles,
the aisle of St. George’s Chapel and underfoot in the corridors of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art — the iconic motif is back in the spotlight again in home décor and fashion, from Gucci and Stine Goya to Dolce & Gabbana. From surprising color combinations to psychedelic takes on the trend, these new variations spotlight designers re-imagining this classic pattern in a fresh way.

While warm neutrals have been the go-to for checkerboard patterns, appearing now are warm rust tones like this double-breasted sequined checked jacket worn by Wilfredo Emanuel from Dolce & Gabbana’s new futuristic collection built around new proportions and geometries, with silhouettes created with technical fabrics, graffiti prints and all-over logo detailing; $5,595; us.dolcegabbana.com.

Taking their inspiration from the Italian-American locations and institutions of Williamsburg, NY, the Giglio (and Salerno and Vespucci) hand-tufted rug designs from Pieces pays homage to the colorful and fantastical aesthetic of modern Italian design of the 1960’s and ‘70s. Crafted from New Zealand wool yarns, which are hand-dyed and tufted onto a 100% cotton woven backing, all rugs are made to order; $1080; pieceshome.com.

It’s hard to mention checkerboard without a shout out to MacKenzie-Childs, who has been using the print as its brand signature since the 1980s. This 5’ x 5’ Train Table recalls the opulence of an era when travel by rail was the height of style with a top of vinyl tile sealed with lacquer and trimmed with a cherry molding, border and apron. The four handmade, hand-glazed and hand-painted ceramic legs are decorated with floral transfers, gold lustre embellishments and brass buttons, the perfect piece to travel back to the grandeur of a bygone era; $8,995; mackenzie-childs.com.