Generally speaking, the words “plaid” and “modern” don’t go together. The centuries-old family of patterns from Great Britain is a vestige of tradition, heritage and ancestry; it calls to mind Scottish brogues, Irish pubs and school girl uniforms, though perhaps not necessarily in that order. But today, we’re taking a glance through several designers’ modern twists on age-old tartans of yore. From deconstructed wall coverings to lacquered mid-century modern pieces, these images just might help you see things from a fresh perspective.

First up, there’s French design house Caravene with a relaxed, almost urban take on a yellow and navy tartan (above), providing the backdrop for a dark chambray couch and several other, more traditional plaid accents. It accomplishes the impossible by making the famously well-behaved print look almost rebellious.

CB2 takes a more measured approach with its Dempsey chair, sticking with a subtle grey tone-on-tone upholstery. It’s more professorial, for sure, but not at all stuffy…and we’ll be honest: the set dressers knew what they were doing when they included a stark white electric guitar in the background of the shot. It works, and well.

One luxury fashion label that’s become synonymous with plaid is Burberry. The British design house was established in 1856 by a former draper’s apprentice (last name Burberry, of course) and has spent a century and a half dressing Brits and, more recently, people all over the world in its five signature checks: the Haymarket (shown in the cashmere throw below), the House, the Nova, the Supernova, and the Exploded.

Keeping the lines masculine but having a bit of fun with colorblocking and simple round drawer pulls, the Stanley Signature New American chest (found at Houzz) has regal lines but doesn’t look old-fashioned for a moment…just timeless.

And Thomas Wold infuses a little playfulness into the pattern with his layered lacquering technique applied to the credenza shown below. His mid-century modern lines and 1970s-inspired color palette keep it hovering somewhere more recent than we expect plaid to reside, but he somehow makes it feel fresh all the same:

Needless to say, plaid isn’t going anywhere, and that’s part of its charm. Although its continuity is relentless, inventive designers are finding new ways to breathe life into the classic pattern, rumpling its hair a little and trying to loosen it up without changing what it stands for. We must admit, as spectators of its evolution, we’re enjoying the view.

Photo credits: Caravene, CB2, Burberry, Houzz and Apartment Therapy