Summertime, and florals are back in focus - but if you think that means rose-tinted 1950s domesticity and a trip to granny’s, think again. Enchanted by the fresh, spriggy, twiggy fabrics now in fashion, we are more than ready to welcome florals into our homes, but these days we want our horticultural motifs spare and sophisticated. There are two main strains worth cultivating: chinoiserie-inspired oriental blossoms, and exquisitely detailed florals based on scientific drawings.

The botanical bug has crept up on us. A modest little exhibition of 17th-century plant illustrations in the Royal Library (Amazing Rare Things, The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, SW1, until September 28; www.royal-collection.org.uk) has been a surprise word-of-mouth hit. The delicate paintings have struck a chord: what draughtsmanship, we exclaimed, what colour - and how great would that look as wallpaper.

Then, last month, Jen Rowland burst into bloom. This textile designer, who has been working on her first collection for five years, presented a range of silk-screen-printed designs inspired by Victorian botanical paintings at the trade show Pulse. She bagged the best-newcomer award and was immediately commissioned to produce cushions, tea towels and lamp shades for Liberty. Still rather overwhelmed, Rowland has concerns about the pitfalls of floral prints. “I do love nature, but sometimes it’s too pretty and obvious. And too girlie.” Fair point. Yet her motifs (see the cushions, right) have enough graphic verve to allay these fears.

In fact, something the new florals have in common is that they are oddly unisex. In particular, the chinoiserie branch promises to be that most elusive of interior-design creatures: male-friendly pattern. Cole & Son’s Tamarisk wallpapers (£60 per roll; www.cole-and-son.com ) are a case in point. The Sun and Chrysanthemum, and Matsu Pines designs, in particular, display a clever balance of delicate line and vibrant colour: grown-up graphics, unlikely to scare the menfolk.

At the top of the chinoiserie tree are the spectacular room settings created by Kamini Ezralow, of the interior-design firm Intarya. Ezralow, who tends to work on penthouses and palaces, says she is including “contemporary chinoiserie” in a large number of projects.

“In the bedroom, I might suggest a chinoiserie-patterned silk on, say, a deep-navy background. The husbands love it because it’s not overly feminine. You have to be mindful in a master bedroom to inject a little masculinity, so it’s his retreat space as well.” Ezralow commissions artists at Fromental to produce hand-painted silk wall coverings (£195-£250 per square metre; www. fromental.co.uk ).

There are many options for more modest budgets, too. Neisha Crosland’s floral silk-wallpaper panels include the subtle Willow Pattern (£148 per panel; www. neishacrosland.com ). And Malabar’s Tao collection of embroidered curtain silks includes Koto, a sumptuous example of contemporary chinoiserie (£65 per metre; www.malabar.co.uk ).

Florals are creeping in throughout the house, from bathrooms to kitchens. Adam Calkin’s hand-printed Chelsworth tiles form chinoiserie panels of flowers, birds and butterflies (from £115 for a four-tile panel; www.firedearthshop. com ). Neil Lerner Kitchens has cabinet and cupboard doors in opaque glass, etched with wild-flower designs (£450 per square metre; www.neillerner.com ).

So it’s easy to score stylish florals this summer, but they should be handled with care by the amateur gardener. As a rule of thumb, when buying patterned soft furnishings, go for something sleek and streamlined in shape, to balance the busy flowery adornment.

If your sofas are chrysanthemum-scattered, pick a neutral carpet; if your rug is rose-strewn, choose plain painted walls. And, if you’re not yet a seasoned floralist, ease into the habit with a few accessories, such as Allegra Hicks’s place mats with simple blossom graphics (£24; www.allegrahicks.com ) or one of Hannah Nunn’s subdued, neutral-coloured lamps (see right; from £52; www.hannahnunn.co.uk ).

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