randpatroon

Randpatroon is a decorative pattern placed along the edge of a surface, serving as a border or frame for a larger design. The term is used in Dutch design language to describe motifs that mark the boundary between the edge and the interior field, or to provide a decorative transition into the main pattern. It appears in textiles, wallpapers, ceramics, tile work, and graphic design.

Typical randpatroon characteristics include repetition of motifs, modular units, and a tendency toward symmetry, though border patterns can also be irregular or gradient. Randpatroons may mirror, contrast with, or harmonize with the interior pattern and are often designed with a defined width to balance the central area. In production, they are aligned with edges such as selvedges, hems, or margins to ensure a clean boundary.

In textiles, randpatroon can appear as a hem or border along a garment or fabric edge, with motifs ranging from florals to geometric shapes. In tiling and ceramics, border patterns separate fields or mark top and bottom edges. In graphic design, borders frame images or pages, functioning as purely decorative elements or as visual separators.

Creation methods for randpatroon include traditional drawing, engraving, block printing, screen printing, and digital tiling. Designers test repeatability and edge alignment to ensure the border can be applied consistently across production runs and maintain a seamless transition with the adjacent pattern.

See also: border, border pattern, motif, decorative pattern, selvedge.