Interior Design - How to Blend Patterns

Have you always wanted to decorate your home like the professional designers do? How are they able to mix and match different patterns together and make it one cohesive space? You may have seen this done in decorating magazines but when you tried mixing floral prints with plaids or stripes it may have looked like a decorating disaster. The key to making the patterns flow together, are in the colors that you use.

It is necessary to have continuity in your color palette when blending patterns. Choose a base shade and then select other shades that are similar in color. Use a color chart that has all of the primary, secondary and tertiary colors. A color chart will help you determine what colors blend well together. Select 3 colors maximum. One dark color and two light colors, are a great standard guideline to follow. Choose three patterns, in these three compatible shades.

When choosing your patterns, place several patterns and solids together to determine which ones blend well together. Try mixing a solid, paisley print and stripe fabric together in similar shades and see how they compliment, yet blend well because the colors are compatible.

Try to keep the large furniture items, like the sofa, love seat or chairs in neutral shades. This will give you more color options when choosing your patterns. It also makes it a lot easier to change out the color scheme in the future.

The first step is to begin with a grounding color, this should be a solid color that creates a focal point. The grounding color should cover a large area in the room such as the sofa, an area rug or a painted wall. The solid grounding color will keep the room in balance, so the patterns won't make the room appear overly busy.

The best way to implement colors and patterns into a room are through paint, fabrics and accessories. This can be accomplished with draperies, throw pillows, ottomans, floral arrangements, lamp shades, wall color etc. With the right colors, these few objects can transform the look and feel of a room and create a space that will look as though it were designed by a professional!

Summary: Keep furniture neutral, use a color wheel, select 3 compatible colors (1 dark and 2 light), choose a solid grounding color (this could be the neutral furniture), keep the patterns in the fabrics and accessories.

Now you too can decorate your home with different patterns!