It’s No Mix-Up

By Marni Elyse Katz
April 20, 2011

While many homeowners blame their all-beige interior designs on a fear of using color, there’s an aspect of home decor that’s even more intimidating: incorporating patterns and prints. Multiple patterns and prints. Together. In one room.

Of course, the interior design idea is all the rage, according to the latest shelter magazines and design blogs. But unless you're creating a carbon copy of a featured room, the home decor technique seems really hard to pull off, though it doesn't have to be.

These five top interior designers suggested some design tips for successfully mixing patterns and prints. We interspersed their home decor ideas with some inspirational palettes we pulled together from eBay online auctions.

Ashley Whittaker, New York City

Ashley Whittaker

On this room (above, right): “I love the variation in pattern and texture that makes this room feel sunny and fresh. The yellow and white stripe pillows were custom made, and we found the floral pillows on a shopping excursion in Palm Beach. They mix perfectly without feeling matchy-matchy. The large scale pattern on the windows is a nice contrast to the smaller fish scale on the ottoman. Again, the colors are similar but don’t look like they were cut from the same cloth. We also used a variety of textures in the room to keep things interesting. The painted lattice, wicker ottoman, and sea grass carpet all add to the mix.”

Interior Design Tip—Co-mingle Color Tones: "Don’t look for perfect color matches in every one of your prints. Rather, use a variety of tones and values to keep things interesting. For example, Prussian blue along with pale blue and navy creates a more exciting mix than simply navy with navy."

Interior Design Tip— Include White and Cream: "Include a variety of cream and whites as grounds for your prints. It makes for a richer, more layered look, helping you create a room that looks like it was built over time, instead of purchased all at once."

Greg Natale, Surry Hills, Australia

On this room (above, right): “This room works because there is a perfect balance between the stripes and the geometric, and organic patterns. Also, with the sofa as a block of black, the patterns have room to breathe.”

Interior Design Tip—Combine Straight with Fancy Free: "Geometric prints can work beautifully with organic ones; they balance one another."

Interior Design Tip— Let the Rug Be the Hero: "If you use a patterned rug, keep the sofa a single block of color, so the pattern can be the focus of the room."

Matchy-Matchy Isn’t So Bad: "Don’t be afraid to have matching elements, I hate that boring statement, “it's too matchy matchy” I love doing a coordinated look. If done well, it can really tie a room together, though its harder to do it than you think."

A Signature Color Makes a Space Sing: "Assign a signature color to balance out patterns and tie the room together."

Mixed Prints on eBay: Blues, Reds, Creams and Blacks

Roll over items for details

Clarence House Red Cut Velvet Epingle Fabric

(buy it now price, $240)

OOP Alex Henry Southwest Indian TeePee Fabric

(buy it now price, $19.99)

Barbara Beckmann Ikat Batik Fabric

(buy it now price, $160)

Brunschwig & Fils Les Babouchkas Country Blue Fabric

(buy it now price, $30)

Denim Suzani Ikat Fabric

(buy it now price, $47)

Blue Velvet Chenille Fabric

(buy it now price, $7)

Vintage French Ticking in Blue

(buy it now price, $79)

Bold Black & White Zigzag Fabric

(buy it now price, $22)

Robin Pelissier, Hingham, MA

On this room (above, right): "The solid, neutral color sofa and the solid dark tone curtains provide a strong foundation against which the patterns, which are used on smaller expanses (the throw pillows and side chair), can pop."

Interior Design Tip— Save Large Prints for Small Pieces: "Mix multiple graphic elements of varying scale. The larger prints work best to for an eye-popping chair or pillow."

Interior Design Tip— Multiple, Not Monochromatic: "Using multiple tones of the same color adds dimension, which makes for a more interesting look than sticking to a monochromatic scheme."

Alissa Swedlow, Los Angeles

Alissa Swedlow

On this room (above, right): “In this dining room, color and style help tie together the room’s scheme. The floral motif on the dining chair is the same color as the floral motif on the wallpaper. They are also similar in their style—both are traditional with a hip twist. We chose an antique rug that had the same color blue and mocha tones as the wallpaper.

Unifying Colors Give Leeway: "A unified color scheme is a good backdrop against which more exuberant patterns, or a whole bunch of patterns, work well. It’s the stage on which the patterns are the characters."

Pattern as a Unifier: "Elements in a room can connect through pattern. too. For example, a medallion on a rug might be reminiscent of the embroidery on a throw pillow. Or it could be more obvious, like the repetition of a similar pattern throughout the room."

Try Tone-on-Tone: "Tone-on-tone patterns (meaning the pattern combines different shades of the same color) provide visual interest without too much contrast. This is a good way to bring subtle pattern into a space if bold patterns seem like too much."

Sold on Solids: Patterns need to be balanced out by solids. A room of all patterns would make anyone's brain hurt!

(See Swedlow's blog, The Goods Design)

Andra Birkerts, Wellesley, MA

Andra Birkets

On this room (above, right): “Mix strong patterns in a room with a lot of outdoor exposure and lots of natural materials (such as wide plank wood floors). The bold patterns balance the drama of the scenery and rich materials."

Ease Into It: "A good way to experiment is with throw pillows. Mixing pattern and texture in pillows is relatively easy, and can really liven up a room."

Repeat Yourself: "Try a subtle mix in pattern by incorporating repetition of shapes in tile, wood screen, leaded glass, light, and mirror panels."

The Same, But Different: "Go with a similar general pattern, like a stripe, interpreted in a variety of sizes, shapes, and range of color."

Weigh the Scale: "Change of scale allows patterns to peacefully co-exist. For example, use a large-scale patterned rug, a small scale pattern on a chair, and a solid, but textured fabric on the sofa."

Tell a Story: "Use the same motif; it helps unify different patterns. For example, a 'lace story' might appear in the bedding, wall hanging, and even pierced light fixture."