No matter who you are or what your circumstances may be, springtime is all about fresh and clean starts. Every year I love to spring clean, rearrange and redecorate spaces by shopping my own home.
Lately, the trends have been pulling us towards patterns, and I know just how hard it can be to curate the perfect room with so many patterns vying for the main spotlight.
I want to teach you some tricks the pros use to end the struggle and start mixing and matching patterns and prints with ease.
Start with a dominant pattern! This should be the source of inspiration for the design- it is the star of the show. In my experience, your dominant pattern is either going to be wallpaper, couches, or a large rug filled with colors. The idea is that is takes us the most space in your room or it is the largest scale of pattern you are choosing to use.
Next, find a complimentary pattern. My recommendation is to go a little smaller and less bold such as thin stripes, small dots, or tiny florals. This prevents the clashing we all desperately fear!
A complimentary or secondary pattern can usually be found in pillows, curtains, or chair upholstery- because it is still highly visible but typically takes up less visual space.
Hot Tip: As much as I love pattern, I love consistency more! If you're like me, then let me share my idea to make you fall in love with pattern matching. If I choose a main or dominant pattern that is soft and sweeping lines, I will choose a secondary pattern that also has a softness to it such as circles or ovals. This concept is called harmony.
My last tip for you (& this is really what puts a bow on the concept of pattern cohesion!!) is to make sure there is a thread that pulls both patterns together in the form of color.
So, if your room design is black, white, tan, grey and gold- and the dominant pattern is black and tan/gold- have the secondary pattern for example be primarily black- with white and gray details. And yes, it is totally cool to add a new color to the mix in a small dose!
Happy Designing!
Kenzie