Mixing patterns can sometimes be daunting. But trust me, I can help to make it second nature if you just keep these things in mind while designing.
To achieve a well-balanced room by mixing patterns, your most important objective is scale and frequency. You want to have a good balance of large and small patterns, but also leave room for the solids, which can be neutral or colored. How often you repeat patterns in the space is key too. Giving your eye a place to rest is crucial, and you don’t want to be overwhelmed by too many patterns.
You will also notice that natural elements in the world around us have patterns, such as flowers and leaves, prints on animal fur or skin, and movement in crystals such as agate or quartz, etc… Incorporating organic patterns into a design is an easy way to add patterns that use predominantly curved lines and movement. You can often see this in luxury hotel interior design – organic patterns balanced against industrial elements to create a luxurious, yet soft experience. A few fun ways to add organic patterns can be with wallpaper that has an agate design, leopard print fabric, or even floral artwork.
Pair organic patterns with geometric shapes and lines, such as plaids or stripes. Straight lines and curves are a duo you can’t go wrong with. They complement each other well but be careful not to overdo one or the other; it can create a visual distraction. Mixing stripes and florals is a great example of using organic and geometric patterns together.
Be bold! Wanting to create a grand impact? An excellent example of this is to use a large-scale pattern in a rug or even with the addition of wallpaper for a powder bathroom or on an accent wall. I always say that there can only be one star in the room, and then all other objects will serve as the “supporting cast.” So, draw out key colors from your “star” to create your color palette and pop in a few smaller-scale patterns and solids as your supporting cast.
Need more help? Contact us to schedule a quick chat with me by clicking the link below; Shayla Copas Lifestyle services interior design clients in Little Rock, Arkansas, and throughout the United States.
