Pattern Mix Like a Pro

Whether you are trying to put together a fashionable new outfit or a fun new room design, pattern mixing can seem like such a daunting task.  You may love the look of mixing patterns, but where do you even begin?  How can you tell what patterns will work together, and which will clash?  

Once we show you a few of our favorite tips, you’ll be mixing patterns together like a pro!

 

A great way to start with your pattern mixing is by pairing florals and stripes.  Here, you can see that the vibrant floral wallcovering meshes so nicely with the striped rug in front.  They’ve even gone the extra step and added more patterns in their throw pillows to tie the look together using two common colors: pink and black.  The wallcovering, rug, and pillows all have these two colors in common, which creates a nice harmony between the three very different patterns.

 

Again, we see a strong harmony between the colors in each pattern in this bright, beautiful space.  The floral print on the wall is complemented beautifully by the boldly striped couch, and framed by curtains using the same pink and orange hues.  Stunning!

 

Another beautiful way to mix patterns is to go monochromatic, using the same color in each one.  By using the same light blue in each pattern, this bedroom is simple and in perfect harmony.

 

If the monochromatic look is too mellow for you, pairing complementary colors is a great way to introduce different colors together.  Again, you can see how beautifully florals and stripes mix!

 

I love this dining room from Serena & Lily for so many reasons, and the way they’ve mixed blue-based patterns together is definitely one of them!  The napkins draped from the chair backs show you how versatile the look is when you have a base of stripes and polka dots to build off of.

 

If you like the feel of a monochromatic space, but want to add small pops of color, here’s a great example of how to pattern mix in the same color family.  Here, you see several different patterns and textures all meshing together perfectly because they are all soft, cool tones. 

 

This bright and sunny living space shows off a more complex mix of patterns, but the commonalities are still the same.  The wall, couch, and rug, while all very different in design, still have the same vibrant pop of blue that threads them together.

 

A classic mix, bold black and white stripes work great with a patterned rug.  I especially love the way that the black stripes really make the rug border pop!

 

Another classic style, black and white is one of the easiest ways to mix several different patterns.  Bedding, lamps, and accessories are all tied together by the same two bold colors.  Not to mention, the options for adding in pops of color are endless!

 

 

Hopefully you’ve learned a few tricks to start pattern mixing on your own- start simple, and the more comfortable you get with it, the more fun you’ll have mixing different patterns together!  What will you try first?  Let us know in the comment section!