Pleasing Patterns

When I design a room I always look for an inspiration piece. This usually comes from a fabric or piece of artwork. It is amazing how one piece can be complimented or built upon to create an entire room. Patterns can be a great basis for the color scheme in a room but they can also add an unexpected texture as well. The general idea of a pattern is that you can take an object and repeat it to create a pattern. I love to find ways to subtly incorporate the same pattern throughout a room. Even built in shelves full of books in an otherwise sparse room can be seen as a pattern. You just have to look with new eyes to see it.

I think the best compliment is when a person has been in the space several times before they “discover” something new. This shows me that I have achieved my goal of creating an exciting room that offers more than surface interest. If a person happens to notice something new each time they enter, they will enjoy the space more. I love the idea that a room will slowly give up its secrets to a person who is observant enough to pay attention.

The grain of a wood floor, bricks on a fireplace hearth or the grid in a picture window are good examples of patterns that are usually fixtures in a room. These can be incorporated into a decorating plan for pleasing results.
Patterns are a great way to pull a room together without using the same piece of fabric or color throughout the room. For example; a picture of a vase with flowers can easily be complimented with floral fabric, but why not think out of the box and look more at the shape of the flowers than the flowers themselves? Are they in true form such as black and white photography or hand painted with a touch of contemporary flare? If each stem has a round center, pull out the shape of a circle and incorporate that into a pattern on a throw pillow or curtains. Is the flower vase curvy or rectangular? How can this be repeated in the room? Why not find a rug with a curvy design or a lamp that seems to have the same lines as the vase?

The more often the pattern is repeated the more pronounced it becomes. A room can quickly become overwhelming when the same stripe or gingham pattern is seen on the furniture, windows, and floors. Many designers create very dramatic rooms by repeating the same bold pattern, but I have a feeling it would be hard to spend much time in these spaces! The easiest way to incorporate more than one pattern into a room is by making sure the colors of each pattern are the same. Plaids and stripes can easily be paired with a floral as long as they incorporate the same colors. If you are using more than one pattern, there should be one dominant pattern while the others are more background. You can accomplish this by making the dominate pattern larger or using it more throughout the room. There are different types of patterns, which are traditionally used in rooms that have a certain style interior. Historical rooms may not always lend themselves to a bold geometric pattern while needlepoint or toile could look out of place in a modern loft. This is not to say that these patterns would never work, it just takes a certain flare to pull them off.

The size of the room should dictate how many different patterns you use in your design. Small to medium rooms work well with no more than three patterns while large rooms can accommodate up to five. Using more than five patterns in the same room can be overwhelming and confusing.

No matter how you design a room, the patterns you choose can most definitely make the difference in a successful design.

©2007 Heather Durren, ASP, IAHSP
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