Now that you have your space organized and refreshed for spring, it’s time to have some fun. We love adding prints to brighten up a room or to reflect the mood of the season. A new rug, some decorative cushions, or a great printed ottoman, are easy and relatively inexpensive ways of changing up your space. Here are some tricks we use when mixing patterns.
1. Start with a neutral base. It is much easier to layer patterns when you build off of neutrals. In this project we chose a cream sofa and painted the walls a warm grey. The bold rug and patterned accent pillows create interest and add another layer to the design.
2. Choose a colour palette. Often your colour palette is inspired by a favourite piece of art or fabric sample. Choose 2 or 3 colours to use in your patterns and keep the others reserved for solid accents. Too many different colour patterns can look busy, but too few can be matchy-matchy.
3. Consider scale. You want to have a variety in scale when choosing patterns. A good rule of thumb is to pick three patterns, one small, one medium, and one large scale. Try and vary the type of patterns you choose, for example place a large floral pattern next to a medium sized geometric print.
Vintage bedroom
House to Home
4. Use solids as a place to rest the eye. This can be as simple as a neutral wall, or a solid accent chair. When mixing patterns using pillows, for example, try mixing in one or two in a solid colour. Adding white to a room will help by adding negative space, again somewhere for your eye to rest.
Space Harmony – Kitsilano Residence
Like everything in design it’s all about finding balance. Adding prints is a great way to layer a room and create visual interest in your home. Have fun adding patterns by starting with pillows. It is the easiest accessory to switch up from one season to the next. Before you know it you will be ready for wallpaper and patterned sofas!
