5 Ways to Style with Patterns

When it comes to decorating spaces, a lot of homeowners like to keep it sleek and simple, but let's face it—basic can sometimes be boring. What's the fastest way to recharge a room? Experimenting with prints and patterns, of course. To help you add character and color into your home, here are a few basic guidelines that you can follow: 

1. Stick to one, bold piece. 

If you're only starting to experiment with prints, don't overwhelm the room with too many patterned pieces. You can stick to one item that you love to test out the look, then gradually add more if you decide that you do.

2. Keep the background neutral.

Prints need a clear canvas in order to stand out in a space. Try to avoid glossy-finish or shimmery paint and limit yourself to beige, khaki, light gray or pastel colors to keep your display from looking over the top.

3. Scatter the prints all over the room.

If you're worried about having a mismatched display, it helps to spread the patterned pieces throughout the room. This way, one area doesn't look more busy than the other and it doesn't distract your attention from the beauty of the space. 

4. You don't have to change designs often. 

Another great thing about decorating with patterns is that they are timeless. Prints like stripes, polka dots, plaid or houndstooth never go out of style so you never have to think about your space becoming outdated.  

5. Experiment with size and scale.

There really are no rules when it comes to styling prints, it's just a matter of keeping the look balanced. Here's a rule of thumb you can follow: pair subtle prints with loud colors while larger-scale designs look good with other linear styles.