Patterns are attractive and instantly add life to any space. However, people often find using multiple patterns in a single space daunting and end up sticking to solids or single patterns. By following the tips shared in this blog by Argan Design, you will learn to match patterns like a pro in no time. So, without further ado, let’s begin with this blog.
Dots and Stripes Go Well Together
Polka dots are considered neutrals when it comes to matching different patterns together. The simple repeating texture of polka dots creates texture, and the round lines add an extra touch of softness that makes a space warm and welcoming. The easiest pattern to mix with polka dots is stripes. You can pair polka-dotted curtains with striped cushion covers in a living room, or you can even pair polka-dotted sheets with a striped bed headboard in a child’s bedroom.
Maximize the use of Your Favorite Color
Placing your preferred color at the center of your design is one way to ensure you’ll be proud of your pattern matching. You can create a style that feels harmonious and well put together by adjusting the strength of the shade across your products and using key items like cushions and drapes to determine colors that will complement your selected tone.
Combine Different Sizes
Your home will feel more balanced if you combine motifs with various scales. As a general guideline, concentrate on one large-scale design to make the room’s focal point obvious. Next, incorporate smaller patterns into the space by placing pillows and rugs in empty spaces to fill in the gaps. To give the eye a respite, it’s also crucial to break up your patterns with neutral variations or blocks of color.
Use Organic Patterns
Many organic designs are inspired by nature or have non-geometric themes or images. This group includes natural textures that resembles wood grain in fabric or paper and marbling, as well as animal prints.
Zebra stripes are an excellent example of an organic pattern. Being simply a variation of a standard black-and-white stripe, zebra stripes are a terrific feature to incorporate into any design (in modest doses) to add some natural drama. Zebra stripes go well with many themes, like a modern minimalist theme, a vintage theme, and a wood cabin theme.
Combine Multiple Themes
Choosing a theme will give you a framework to operate within as you add patterns. As your confidence grows, you might want to combine themes to spice up your room and produce something truly original. Along with coastal themes and busy jungle patterns, florals, and stripes are complementary patterns. Geometrical elements typically go well with everything and can be used here and there to give your area a variety of shapes and scales.
Use the 60-30-10 Approach
For combining two or more major patterns with a small accent, this is a great ratio. Choose a dominant design for the room that makes up roughly 60% of the visible pattern. Then decide on a second complementary pattern to make up the remaining 30%. Last but not least, let around 10% be a striking, contrasting choice, like chairs made of marbled fabric, or experiment with a variety of pillows.
Even though the math doesn’t have to be precise, it can still be bold and logical if you have a structure of dominant and non-dominant patterns.
Consider Your Palette
The color scheme and how your patterns will fit into the overall design should be taken into account before beginning any scheme. Starting with the emotion you want to evoke will help you choose a pattern and color scheme that will work well together.
Darker floral and leaf designs give a more dramatic appearance that feels more private, while summery floral patterns and colors will serve to bring in light and warmth. While lighter and brighter designs will give your room a more energetic and playful feel, more arranged patterns, such as stripes and geometrics, work well in colder shades, such as blues and grays.
Keep the Rest of the Room Simple
Start with basic painted walls to lift the area if you’re worried about it becoming too cluttered or want to keep things looking airy and new. Use a few distinct patterns in combination across the room, repeating some of them on various pieces. While maintaining the energetic quality that patterns give an interior, repetition also helps to instill a sense of order, preventing an overwhelming feeling.
Use Pillows to add Patterns
You can allow all of the patterns to have equally small accents rather than choosing a prominent motif. This is most frequently observed in collections of varied pillows where no two are the same. You can ensure that no one pattern stands out by using just a tiny bit of each motif. This method is quite simple because you can gradually add and remove items with little commitment. Just be sure to pick designs from distinctively different categories and include a few solids.
Use Rugs
Rich, traditional designs on rugs can virtually be viewed as background colors with no patterns at all, similar to stripes and polka dots, as we discussed above. They blend well with other designs that are a combination of subtle, strong, or both. This is because of the fine, detailed motifs and rich, sophisticated colors used in rugs. You can easily blend a patterned rug with patterned wallpaper or curtains in a space.
Go, Black and White
Black and white are about as timeless as they come. Even when the scales and styles are different, mixing many patterns in rigid black and white almost always works. Unless you’re trying for a gothic vibe, keep all the designs at least 50% white to avoid mistakenly using too much black.
Use Chevron
Chevron is a classic for a reason. It’s a straightforward pattern that’s just a little bit bolder than a traditional stripe, making it still very easy to combine with almost anything, but also adding a genuine sense of dynamic energy thanks to its numerous diagonal lines. Chevron is a favorite among interior designers who are trying to give a bold look to a space.
Still not confident about mixing patterns in your space? Give Argan Design a call, and we will do it for you. Check out our design tips for more inspiration.
