Forget stripes - checkerboards are back for autumn (and these are the editor-approved homeware buys to shop now)

Updated: 05:05 EDT, 22 September 2026 Daily Mail journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission - learn moreForget stripes: there’s a new pattern vying for a starring role in our homes this autumn – and it’s one you’ve probably seen everywhere already. Checkerboard is back, but before you picture a sea of stark black-and-white squares, there’s a softer, more grown-up version of the trend taking over.While the classic monochrome combination isn’t going anywhere – just look at Next’s £99 checkerboard table lamp or Rockett St George’s set of three storage tins – interiors experts are predicting that warmer, more tonal takes will be the ones to watch this season. Think cream and taupe, terracotta and blush pink, or natural stone shades – combinations that bring all the character of the graphic pattern without making your home feel like a giant chessboard.‘Checkerboard has been around for generations, but the way we are using it is changing,’ says Richard Skeoch, director of Hyperion Tiles. ‘We are seeing much more interest in warmer combinations such as cream, taupe, terracotta, pink and natural stone tones. This makes the pattern feel softer and easier to live with, while still giving a room plenty of character.’And you can see that shift happening across the high street. Habitat has just launched its AW26 collection, which includes a fresh wave of designs from its viral, sell-out checkered range. Its £28 green resin trinket tray, for example, gives the trend a playful hit of colour, while M&S’s jacquard bedding and Made’s £26 rust-toned cushion show how well checks work in softer, warmer shades.If colour isn’t really your thing, there’s plenty to tempt you, too. The neutral take on checkerboard feels particularly fresh for autumn, with tonal designs that add interest without overpowering a room. Argos’s £28 sculpted checkerboard throw is a cosy way to introduce the look, while H&M Home’s £199.99 wool-blend rug gives it a more sophisticated, textural treatment. And for those ready to make a bigger commitment, John Lewis’s £1,099 checked sideboard pairs a dark brown checkerboard design with a marble top for a statement that feels more timeless than trend-led.Of course, you don’t have to redecorate your entire home to get on board. A checked cushion, throw or small accessory is enough to give a room an autumnal update, while Daisy London’s £85 Shrimps jewellery box proves the pattern can work just as well on your dressing table. Perch & Parrow’s £105 pouffe is another way to bring in the look without making it the focal point of the room.And then there are the brilliant high-street buys that make the trend remarkably easy to try for less. Primark’s three-pack of checkerboard picture frames costs just £6, for example – making it one of the cheapest ways to give your home a little autumn refresh.So whether you prefer your checks warm and colourful, soft and neutral or classic and monochrome, there’s a version of the trend to suit you. These are the checkerboard buys I’ve got my eye on now – before they inevitably sell out.