Pattern Play
Five Simple Tips for How to Mix Patterns Like a Pro
This room by Craftmaster shows a sofa with three patterned pillows — one repeated in a side chair and another patterns on a secondary chair. There also is “pattern” in the form of a textured rug and even the “woven” lamp on the end table.
When it comes to adding interest to a room, there’s no easier way than by introducing patterns, something to break up a sea of solid colors. There are a couple of ways to accomplish this — drapes or curtain panels are an easy one, a large rug is another. But probably the quickest and most affordable option is toss pillows. There are a lot of fun choices out there, and you can double your interest by mixing patterns. That’s right. Old school fashion and design rules that dictated you should never mix patterns have been rewritten. It’s 2021, and mixing patterns is fresh and modern! That being said, mixing patterns is not as easy as staying within a certain color palette (although we recommend that). But don’t stress; you can do this! We have come up with a few tips to help you find just the right mix of pillow patterns to freshen up your space.
1. Stick with a few patterns. On a sofa, we say no more than three patterns in your toss pillows. If you want to add more pattern in a room, look to the drapes, a rug or the accent furniture, like a side chair or ottoman.
2. Pick patterns of different sizes. This is key to making different patterns work together and not look like a mish-mash, especially in terms of toss pillows on a single piece of furniture. Layer a large-scale pattern (like a big floral or a graphic design) with a small- or medium-scale pattern (like a ditsy floral or maybe a stripe). Or think of it this way — if you go bold with one pattern, pair it with something more simple.
3. Consider Texture. Textured fabrics are pattern-like in that they add another element to the room, so consider toss pillows made of velvets, tweeds, leather, etc. You can also add a shaggy rug, or maybe even an animal print rug, if it works.
4. Stay within the same color palette. This will help connect your different pattern pillows. You can add other colors around the room, but don’t go overboard. Experts suggest keeping to a 60-30-10 ratio: 60% of one main color, 30% of a second color and 10% of an accent color.
5. Try and Try Again. These tips are only guidelines to finding which patterns work well together. The only way to really know is to put them in place and see for yourself if you like it. You might even take a photo of your set up; sometimes seeing your room in a photo will reveal what works and what doesn’t (this a great way to recognize clutter in your space too).
We’ve collected a few photos of sofas with a mix of patterned pillows for you to get some ideas. Let us know what you think! Or, even better, send us photos of how you’ve mixed patterns in your pillows or rooms.
