How to Combine Patterns in Decor
For dynamic room decor, you may want to combine patterns of wallpaper, floor treatments and textiles within a room. To prevent chaos, check out some of the following suggestions. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Remember that the main trick to blending patterns within decor is to use them in different scales. For example, use a narrow stripe with a bold floral, with both made up of the same or closely related colors.
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Keep in mind that a good pattern combination for upholstery, curtains and the like contains solid (with or without texture), geometric (plaid, stripe, checkered), and nongeometric (floral, paisley, marbled, abstract) designs.
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Check the compatibility of colors with a take-home test. Some stores will give shoppers a sample of in-stock wallpaper or floor tile, or they will allow customers to borrow wallpaper books, carpet samples or bolts of fabric.
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Take the color that's used most in your main fabric (perhaps the background color on a floral) and use it as the wall color to help tie the room's look together. You may want to go with paint in a slightly lighter color than is used for the fabric, though.
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Use a pattern evenly to keep a room from seeming to tilt. Try not to put a bright, busy print on the sofa and easy chair on the left side of the room when all the pieces on the right side of the room are medium taupe.
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Practice restraint when it comes to the hardest-to-change or costliest-to-change elements of a room's decor. These are often the ceiling (messy to paint and difficult to paper), floor covering (prices are high, so it shouldn't be changed just for fashion's sake), and large upholstered furnishings such as a sofa (expensive to replace or re-cover).
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Tips & Warnings
If you're matching something you already have at home, take it to the store for an initial test there, and then bring a sample home to try before making a final selection.
Buy from the fabric and wallpaper collections that manufacturers have created for novice "do-it-yourself" decorators. They're goof-proof.
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Comments
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Anonymous
Nov 03, 2011
Ever been afraid of mixing pattern? Do you ever wonder why some patterns just go together? This article offers simple tips for coordinating patterns and the importance of color in pulling it all together.
