Designing a room from scratch is pretty exciting on its own, but for some people the most amazing part is choosing the patterns. To help you out with your decorating journey, we gathered some information for all those who have fallen in love with patterns and are wondering how to mix them with each other. So whether you want to add a patterned carpet, wallpapers, or a vintage patterned cupboard, here are some rules you should definitely consider following:
START WITH 3 PATTERNS
“Which patterns should I choose?” – the most common question of an interior designer. There are various types out there, including gingham, herringbone, tropical prints, fleur-de-lis, and damask. But, one of the basic rules of interior design is not to mix less than 3..
You have all those wonderful designs in front of you, but you only need to choose three. How in the world are you going to do this? Well, professional designers solve this dilemma the easy way: they make an inspirational board.
So start searching on Instagram or Pinterest and use hashtags like #patterndesign to find your ideal ones. Make screenshots of 5 – 10 patterns that have caught your eye and start mixing them with each other. The other rules mentioned below will help you in the process.
THE RIGHT COLOR INTENSITY
Color intensity speaks about a color’s vividness. If it has a lower intensity, it will be darker while if it has a higher one, it will be brighter. Color intensity is also known as saturation and it is really important for achieving visual balance.
Now that we learned about saturation, let’s get to the second rule of pattern-mixing: choosing colors with similar intensities. This rule exists because high-saturation colors can dominate over low-saturation colors. You can experiment and break the rule, but only if you find it necessary to do so.
HOW TO COMBINE THEM?
After you choose patterns with similar color intensities, start comparing their sizes. How large should the patterns be so that they are proportional and harmonious in size? As said before, you should start with 3 basic patterns. Here are some key points you should follow when choosing them:
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The base – The first pattern you choose must not be smaller than the palm of your hand.
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The complementary/contrasting – The second should be two times smaller than the first one. It should either complement or contrast it.
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The final touch – The third must tie everything together, completing the overall look. It should have similar colors to either the second or the first one.
FEEL FREE TO EXPERIMENT
After reading all of the rules mentioned above, you are now free to experiment. You can combine various types of patterns such as tropic prints, geometric, and Greek. You can incorporate your chosen designs in any way you prefer including patterned carpet, drapery, ovens, bathtubs, etc.
The rules we mentioned can help you in achieving the needed balance and harmony, however, there are no limits. Art is about experimenting, so don’t be afraid to add your own twist to these rules mentioned above. Good luck with your project!