Decorating & Design
How To Mix Prints Like A Pro
Published on March 15, 2017
Paralyzed by the prospect of mixing prints? Up your confidence with this pattern primer. We break down four common conundrums when it comes to decorating with prints and offer foolproof fixes for each.
The Secret: Stick To The Same Palette
Choose your primary print — in this lively living room, it was the striped wallpaper. Next, pull out a hero hue: the wallpaper’s stripe of punchy coral makes an appearance in the upholstery fabric, Moroccan rug and even pops up on the lampshade. Keep the same palette for the walls and the floor, then add drama with contrasting furniture, like this chair.
The Secret: Pick Two Colorways
Wrapping the room in one pattern – wallpaper, upholstery and drapes — is a signature of many traditional decorators. But how do you do this in a modern way? If you’re going all-out, choose a print with a quiet, neutral tone. Or pick two colorways of the same print and use it in a witty way, like this wall and door treatment.
The Secret: Plot The Placement
Play with scale and tone. Seven different types of stripes work together in this bedroom because they range from neutral and thin to bold and chunky. Vary the direction. The stripes of the ticking-style headboard and duvet cover are balanced by a horizontal-stripe pillow, bedspread, drapes, rug and painted wall treatment. Get creative to make it feel cohesive. In this bedroom, the stripe from the drapes is continued through into the wall treatment.
The Secret: Ground With A Solid
Florals and geometric patterns can flourish together if you keep to a subtle, pale palette. In this living room, the hero is the large-scale wallpaper, but the other prints don’t fight with it because there’s a common color scheme. Feature an upholstery fabric in a solid color, like the pale blue of this sofa, to create a quiet moment in the space.
Angus Fergusson
House & Home October 2016
Kai Ethier and Jennifer Koper