It’s Ok to Mix Patterns to Decorate Your Home.
Today, I share that it’s OK to mix patterns when decorating your home.
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What a relief when I learned that layering patterns in my home was ok.
I mean, it opened the door to think outside the box and create something unique and different.
Like the mixed patterns in the pillows, above.
The blue and white medallion pillow at front with the oblong blue striped body pillow in the middle, similar one here.
Then an interesting navy blue geometric patterned king size pillow shams in the back. (I found these at Pottery Barn in their sale baskets for $14 each. If you pop in to shop at Pottery Barn, check out their sale area.)
I placed white pillows between them to cut down on the busy patterns.
That’s a tip for you. You can bring a calming effect to busy patterns by using a solid color, like white.
These pillow covers are an example how mixing patterns works.
I don’t know about you, but when things are too matchy, it can feel kind of stuffy.
There’s a time and place to have things match.
I’m not saying that’s a bad thing.
It’s actually wonderful to match when you’re wanting to have a flowing feel in your home.
I love that, too.
On occasion, though, I may like different patterns.
How do you decorate with different patterns, you ask?
Here’s the secret piece to getting all the patterns to work together.
Are you ready for the big secret?
This will help you feel at ease when decorating your home. No longer will you sweat it.
You’ll gather things you love, no matter what the pattern or decals there are.
Just follow this one secret and your home will look put together and have a sweet cohesive look that’s uniquely your own.
Like this antique white chair with a plaid fall throw blanket and the barn pillow. What’s the secret that make these go together?
When I found out about this secret, it all clicked and finally made sense.
I know, the anticipation is killing you, right?
Here it is.
What brings all the patterns together is color.
That’s it! You were probably thinking it was something mysterious.
Maybe you already knew this.
But for me, this was a huge revelation. I hope you’re relieved like I was, that that’s all there is to it.
Now you know the secret to making any kind of pattern work in your home.
As long as it has the same colors in it, it will work.
A wonderful friend, Sarah Phillips, from Behind the Scenes.
You may know her from her YouTube channel, She Holds Dearly.
She teaches a class, that I’ve been a part of for years.
One of the things she taught, that has stuck with me was, pick a few colors for your color scheme for your home. Then have a main color like black as a grounding for your rooms.
I have 5 colors I use in my home.
Blue, green, beige, gray and white. This pillow below has all 5 of my colors in it. Isn’t it gorgeous with the linen fabric? I love this find.
My grounding color is black.
This is just an example of the colors I use.
Whatever your color scheme is for your home, may it be pink, white, lavender, green and yellow, for example.
Stick to those colors. It makes it so much easier to build an amazing space that is easy on the eyes and will take you through the years, as you buy new things.
How to make it all work is to make sure the colors you’ve chosen for your home are in the pattern.
It’s that easy!
For example, I have blue in my home.
See the photo above with the blue Currier and Ives plates and the blue floral butter dish on the top shelf? This is an example of mixing patterns. They are both blue which makes them go together.
You don’t have to stick to one type of pattern.
You can do checkered, plaid and floral all together.
What? I know!
I read a book many years ago.
It was one of those coffee table books I received from my Aunt for my birthday. In this book were some amazing design tips that changed my world.
I wish I still had it or I’d share it with you. But this concept of mixing patterns has stayed with me all these years.
Here is an example in this photo below, how you can mix pattern.
I have these sugar bowls and creamer with different patterns, but do you see how they go together?
These dessert plates, below, have a different pattern. Look how sweet they compliment each other.
It’s been a mission to slowly put together a mixed match transferware set of dishes. I love the look!
Plus, no one else has this array of patterned plates like this.
It makes for a personalized touch to my dining room table.
By the way, don’t put your favorite ironstone transferware in the cupboard or china hutch to gather dust.
This has brought such joy to my life.
So, I want to share that joy and encourage you to get your ironstone transferware out and use them.
Life is too short not to enjoy these beautiful things.
We think they are too pretty to use. I’ve thought that over the years.
When I started using them, it enriched my daily life.
I place them in the dishwasher with all my other dishes. They have held up beautifully.
My only limitation, to washing them in the dishwasher, is when they have a gold edge. I usually wash these by hand.
I received one of those Pottery Barn catalogs a few years ago. You probably get them in your mail.
On the front of the cover was a table setting with various patterned napkins and placemats.
It was in the blue.
I was smitten.
I am usually a thrift store junky. But this appealed to me so much I ended up at the store.
It just so happened they were having a 75% sale the next day.
The Pottery Barn sales person told me, because I was part of their Key Rewards program, she would give me the discount to save me a trip back to the store.
I was like, what?
If you haven’t yet, get Pottery Barn’s Key Rewards. It saves you a ton of money. Plus, it helps in moments like this.
Not guaranteeing this. Maybe the lady was just being nice? Here’s a link for Pottery Barns Key Rewards.
I bought all the things with the various patterns. Here’s a photo of what I found.
I share my fall décor with you, below, using some of these exact things I scored that day in this YouTube video below. Watch how I decorated my dining room for fall.
This is just a little glimpse of how you can decorate using different patterns.
I hope this inspired you to feel relieved, too, that it’s ok to mix patterns.
Your whole world has been opened up to more possibilities.
Let me know below, if you got anything from this post. I am always loving to hear comments from my fans who are part of my community.
Together, we can change our home into something beautiful.
Here’s a link to another post where I share tips for decorating for the seasons.
