Sunday, May 22, 2011

How to Combine Fabric Patterns

Instead of brightly patterned bedding and a plain-vanilla bed skirt, why not turn the bed upside down, so to speak? Here, a multicolored awning-striped dust ruffle, in a rainbow of sherbety shades, and a matching bolster create an unexpected but completely charming effect. Note how the headboard--upholstered in a playful small-scale pattern in a coordinating huge--adds more interest to the composition.
Two kinds of stripes can be twice as nice, provided they work well together. This is comfortably elegant living room mixes two coordinating patterns: the classic lineup on the curvaceous club chairs, and the rows of abstract paisley motifs on the Roman window shades. Unifying the overall effect are the warm, spice-tone palette and the fact that all the stripes are of similar scale. The resulting mix is rich in variety--and panache.
Wish your ceilings were just a little bit higher? Vertically striped window treatments will pull the eye up toward the ceiling, giving the impression of a more expansive space. They'll also draw attention to your windows, making them seem larger.
Combining patterns can be tricky, but not when stripes are involved. Just choose a stripe in a similar color and scale to the print with which you're mixing it. Here, the refined patterns and cool blue-and-cream palette blend effortlessly.