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Achieving the Look You Want with Patterns
by Kathleen M. Peters, www.KatieDidDesign.com
So you've gone through all the
magazines and decorating books, and you know the general look that you want
your room to have. But you don't want to copy it exactly... so what
do you do to get that look with YOUR colors, patterns, fabric, and furnishings?
This article deals with achieving the look you want with patterns.
Of course, if you choose not to use patterns at all, then you only have to
think about how color, fabric, and furnishings will affect your room.
Refer to those articles for guidelines to use.
There are two basic ways that patterns are used
in decorating. The first and most frequent use is in fabrics.
The second is on walls through wallpaper and paint. Patterns in both
places should follow the same guidelines. The type of patterns that
you use, and how you use them, will affect the final look of your room.
Lets go through the process of choosing patterns, and combining patterns.
CHOOSING PATTERNS
The first decision to be made is whether or not
to even use patterns. Many great looks can be achieved using only solid
colors in the room. The LACK of patterns is often a good choice
for a masculine room, or a modern-style room. But since this article
is about using patterns, we'll assume that you've decided that you DO want
to use patterns in your decorating scheme.
There is a scale to patterns, both in size, and
in color contrast. The size of the pattern is how large or small the
objects in the pattern are. For example, a small plaid or stripe would
have thin lines and spaces, while a large plaid or stripe would have larger
lines and/or spaces. A small floral would have small flowers and leaves,
while a large floral would have large flowers and leaves. The size
of the print has nothing to do with the repeat of the pattern. The
repeat is how often, in inches, the whole pattern repeats itself down the
fabric. A small pattern may have many different types of flowers that
repeat only every 27 inches; or it may have many of the same small flower,
and repeat that small flower's pattern every 4" -- both fabrics have small
patterns, even though the repeat is vastly different. A large pattern
will always have a longer repeat, but even they can vary greatly.
The color contrast
of the pattern is the difference between the colors in the pattern.
The greatest color contrast would be black and white, or royal blue and bright
yellow, etc. A more gentle color contrast would be burgundy, mauve,
sage, and ivory. The least color contrast are the damask fabrics that
use all one color, and create a pattern by reversing the threads in a floral
or stripe pattern.
In general, larger patterns look
best on larger items, and smaller patterns look better on smaller items.
For example, if you want to cover a bed with a plaid fabric, I would suggest
a large plaid if the bed was a king size, and a small plaid if it was a toddler
crib. If you want to put a floral wallpaper on your walls, I would
suggest a larger pattern for a large room with large open areas of wall,
and a smaller pattern in a smaller room with small sections of wall and lots
of furnishings. Basically, it looks best to be able to see a nice amount
of the image in the pattern. If you use a very small stripe on a large
duvet cover, it will almost look like a solid. But if you use part
of a very large floral on a throw pillow, you won't be able to see the complete
group of flowers!
Another thing to remember
is that the larger the size and greater the color contrast in a pattern,
the bolder and more dramatic that pattern will be. It will draw attention
to itself, and away from the surrounding furnishings. Say you have
simple white furniture in your bedroom. If you want to keep the look
of the room simple, then you'll want to go with smaller patterns and/or patterns
that do not have a very great color contrast in them. On the other
hand, if you want to liven up the room and let the furniture be a mere backdrop,
then a large floral pattern of fuchsia and green, and another pattern fuchsia
and white stripe will add plenty of interest to your room. What if
you have ornately carved antique furniture? Then you'll probably want
to go with patterns with more gentle contrasts so that they don't take away
from your beautiful headboard.
COMBINING PATTERNS
Combining patterns is also a frequent challenge
in decorating. There are two basic ways to combine fabrics. You can
choose only one or two patterns for a 'matched set' look in your room, or
you can use many different patterns for a 'mix and match collection' look.
The 'matched set' look is easiest to achieve, and
very popular. This is the look that most ready-made bedding sets use.
I suggest first finding a floral or other pattern that you like. Then find
a plaid or stripe that coordinates with the floral. Finally choose
a
solid color or two from the pattern that you will use. Use them all
in about equal amounts throughout the room, and use each at least two or
three times.
The look that I describe as a 'mix and match collection'
uses many different patterns. It gives the look of things collected
over time, since nothing really matches. Yet everything coordinates
and comes together for a comfortable feel in your room that can be wonderful.
The trick to making it work is to choose a theme and stick with it in every
pattern you use. The Shabby Chic style uses this look by sticking with
white or mostly white patterns. A Victorian look is often achieved
by using a theme of roses. Country decorating themes are often geese,
pigs, or cows. Just make sure that patterns use the same color tones
so that they oordinate well!
Finally, don't be afraid mix it up! That's
what makes your decorating style unique. You can even mix these guidelines.
Personally, I prefer medium-sized patterns with gentle contrasts, in a 'matched'
set look, with a few different 'mix and match collection' items thrown in!
Just keep these in mind to guide you, since they'll help you figure out why
your patterns will and won't work. Have fun!
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This article Copyright 1999-2004 - Kathleen Peters, KatieDid Design. Reproduced with permission.
Kathleen Peters - 'Katie' - is a custom window treatment and bedding designer, and owner of KatieDid Design, her online shop. She is also the editor-in-chief of Decor, Decorating, and Design, a free bi-monthly ezine filled with articles, tips, and guidelines to help with your home decorating.
http://www.KatieDidDesign.com
http://www.DecorDecoratingAndDesign.com
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