No Fail Pillow Pattern Combinations

As a long time lover of pattern-full interiors, I’m sure you weren’t surprised to find that my first Design Mixology episode on GuruHub.tv was all about pattern mixing.  In case you missed it, I shared five simple tips to boost your pattern mixing confidence!

playing with pattern

If you’re new to playing with pattern in your home, one of the easiest places to start is with throw pillows.  Whether on a sofa or a bed, patterned throw pillows add so much personality to a space.  And because throw pillows don’t require as much commitment as design elements like say curtain panels or upholstered furniture, they provide a great opportunity to experiment, completely stress-free, with lots of different combinations!

Many times articles on how to mix patterns in design make things sound so overly complicated that they intimidate rather than encourage.  While there are some good general guidelines to keep in mind (that I shared in that pattern mixing episode), the bottom line is playing with pattern is supposed to be FUN!  The best thing you can do is not overthink it too much and really just go with what looks good to YOU!

pattern play

 

Tried and True Combinations

Here are a few tried and true pillow combinations to jumpstart your pattern mixing creativity!

Florals & Geometrics always make for a winning combination! 

floral and geometric pattern mix

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They go together like peanut butter and jelly, and the best part about playing with this pattern combo is that you really don’t have to think too much about scale.  The patterns are different enough to not feel like they’re competing.  The key is often in finding some color commonality between the two prints.  Another reason I personally love a good floral-geometric mix is because of the balance it creates between feminine and masculine. A geometric print keeps a floral pattern from making a space feel overly sweet.

Black & White With Everything!

If you struggle to pair prints with coordinating color schemes, black and white patterns will be your best friend.  You can pair pretty much any pattern with a black and white pattern and come away with a match made in heaven.

black and white with everything                                                                                                           1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

 

Leopard for the win! 

leopard pillow play

Leopard is a neutral and an easy pattern to incorporate into any design style.  It can be bold and chic, fun and quirky or even understated and classic.  Plus, it comes in a variety of color ways, so you have endless options!  Leopard is a print that makes pattern mixing effortless because it works with everything from florals to stripes.  It’s a great print to use in traditional spaces as it has a tendency to bring a modern flair to the scene.

leopard for the win

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Mixing patterns in a space creates life and personality!  And because throw pillows require little commitment, aren’t too expensive and are easy to change when you’re ready for something new, you can mix and match until your heart’s content without the stress of “getting it wrong”.  Like anything else in life, the more you play with mixing patterns the better you get at figuring out what combinations really speak to you.  And once you feel more confident in mixing patterned pillows you’ll start feeling more confident in choosing pattern in other areas……like say wallpaper or an upholstered chair!

Whether you love a lot of pattern or just a little, bold colors or more muted tones, and regardless of your overall interior style, creating a pattern mix you love will make your space uniquely your own!  And at the end of the day, that’s the goal in decorating your home!

pattern mixing pillow combinations

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Don’t worry so much about the “rules”.  They were meant to be broken anyway.  😉

*Little tip  –  If you love to hoard collect patterned throw pillows like I do, you really only need one good set of inserts. Then you can rotate through your collection of covers without having to rent a storage facility for all your extra pillows.  😉

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  • How many patterns can you put in one room? I have two large sofas and I don’t want to look too matchy Matchy. Could I do 3 or 4 patterns or is that too much?

  • It really all depends on the scale or size of the patterns. If the patterns vary in size you can have quite a few. You want to be sure to mix large, medium and small scale prints to keep thing from look too chaotic. For sofa pillows I’d probably stick to 3 and then incorporate a nice textured solid like velvet or linen. Hope this helps!

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