Mixing patterns in a space can add a lot of visual interest and keep your room from looking too matchy-matchy. But choosing patterns that will work together can be daunting – there are just so many to pick from! Here are some tips to make the process easy and avoid that furniture showroom look: 1. Pick your color palette – Decide on 2-4 main colors that will be used in the room. This number includes neutrals like black, white, gray, and beige. 2. Select one pattern that includes all the colors – This could be on any element in the room, such as a throw pillow, area rug, bedding, or accent chair. 3. Choose other patterns in the same color palette, but vary their type and scale – Mix different types of patterns (stripe, paisley, floral) and be sure to vary the scale or size. Here is an easy formula to follow:
LARGE open geometric print + MEDIUM “busy” print + SMALL repeating pattern or texture Here are some examples:
These may seem busy viewed all together but remember, in any room there will be a lot of non-patterned surfaces for your eye to rest. And a final point: keep an open mind when selecting patterns. Maybe, as a general rule, you don’t like plaid, but you might find one in the perfect scale that ties all your colors together.
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