Mix It Up!
I tried to be modern. Clean, simple, black, white. I failed. I like pattern too much!
I like plaids, mixed with florals, mixed with stripes, mixed with checks.
I like big, small, medium sized patterns. I like patterns covering a room from top to bottom, front to back.
How do I incorporate a multitude of patterns? It takes time. It takes energy.
We’ve established - I’m a “do, evaluate, do again” designer.
To mix patterns, I gather a variety of prints. Size, color, shapes, intensity. I lay all of my choices on the table. I pick them up one by one. I separate, organize, layer; moving from one pile to another. I prefer four, five, six patterns combined. Pillows, rugs, upholstery, window treatments. Each ingredient of a room can have its own pattern.
The secret to successfully combining patterns is to vary the scale and the print of each pattern.
This means the whole room isn’t stripes big and small. The room is one stripe, one paisley, one check, one floral, one solid… one small, one medium print, one large print… you get the idea.
Layers of pattern create movement, interest. Your eyes roam the room searching out something new. Stimulating. Exciting.
Nature effortlessly combines a variety of patterns to create objects worthy of admiration.
The mighty tree. Bark, leaves, seeds, flowers. Each component sports its own unique features. Combined, you see an even more complex combination of patterns; an assortment of shapes, colors, textures. A masterpiece.
Take in your surroundings. Use nature as your teacher. Study each example of perfection.