How to Mix Patterns in Home Decor

I love mixing and matching lots of patterns in my textiles in my home for a unique and layered look, so today I want to show you how to mix patterns in your decor so that they look beautiful and complimentary!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Edmonton Fall Home Show. As always, all of the opinions here are my own.

You might know that I’m more of a “maximalist” than a “minimalist” when it comes to my home decor. I can’t get enough of the layered look with my textiles and accessories; it’s just so cozy!

Maximalism is the perfect decor trend for the cold Fall and Winter months, and if you want even more inspiration on how to achieve this boho-inspired look, make sure to head to the Edmonton Fall Home Show at the Edmonton Expo Centre this month and check out the Maximalism feature by Wicket Blue Interiors! Get inspired and learn how to display busy patterns in an artful way, on loud rugs, with colourful accessories, all with style and verve. Think more is more is more! 

The Edmonton Fall Home Show runs from October 26-28th and it also features HGTV guests like Colin and Justin of Colin and Justin’s Cabin Pressure, Todd Talbot of Love It or List It Vancouver and the only KonMari Certified Consultant in the Prairies, Helen Youn showcasing their tried and true tips on home renovation, real estate, and lifestyle for Albertans this year. I’ve attended and spoken at this show myself, and it’s always chock full of incredible inspiration for any decor style!

So, make sure to check out the Edmonton Fall Home Show and the Maximalism feature this month if you’re local to the area, and get a head start on layering your decor with my tips on how to mix patterns in your home decor.

4 Easy Pattern Mixing Tips

Use a Common Colour Palette

I think the simplest trick to mixing different patterns in the most pleasing way is to ensure you have a repeating colour palette running through all of the patterns in the textiles you choose. This will help tie your patterns together and make everything look cohesive.

In my colourful Fall tablescape above, I’m using a mix of floral, solid and plaid patterns in my plates, pillows and napkins. I think they work together because I’m repeating the colours navy blue, blush pink and olive green to tie them all together.

Build on One Feature Pattern

Another great way to use multiple patterns in a space is to start with a bold feature pattern and use it as a colour and scale inspiration for the other patterns in your room.

In my guest bedroom design above, I used this bold floral wallpaper in shades of pink and grey to inspire all of the other patterns and colours in this room. The more graphic look of the ikat rug contrasts nicely with the round floral shapes in the wallpaper, but it pulls its grey colour from the wallpaper. The small stripes in the sheets are also grey, which ties into the colour of the wallpaper but is smaller in scale than the wallpaper and the rug so it doesn’t compete or clash with either.

Use Contrasting Scales

This brings me to my next trick – using various scales of patterns together. When you combine larger scaled prints like oversized florals and checks with smaller scale patterns like thin stripes and subtle geometrics, the patterns will compliment each other and not compete with each other.

In my collection of living room pillows above, I’m using a repeating colour scheme of grey, white and blush pink to tie all of my pillows together, but I’m using a variety of pattern scales to make my pillow combo interesting. I’ve mixed a floral pattern with a small stripe, an oversized plaid and few solid textured pillows.

Mix Prints with Solids

Finally, a simple way to make sure that you’re not overdoing it with pattern combos is to add some solid textiles into the mix. This will help break up all of the pattern and let the eye rest. It’s also a great way to repeat your colour scheme in your room.

On my living room sofa above, I’m mixing a bold floral pattern with a couple of solid pillows – one with texture and one without – to let the eye rest. Another pattern appears in the rug, but its larger scale and more graphic pattern are different enough from the organic shapes in the floral pillow so that they compliment each other.

I hope these tips help you as you work on combining patterns in your own home! If you’re anything like me, you love to play with patterns and textiles to create a cozy, lived-in look full of personality. Have fun decorating & don’t forget to check out the Maximalism feature at the Edmonton Fall Home Show from October 26-28 at the Edmonton Expo Centre for more pattern & texture mixing inspiration! You can get more details on the show right here.

Now tell me: What’s your favourite pattern combination? Mine is a floral + a subtle geometric + a textured solid.