10 ways to mix pattern and prints in interiors

Mixing patterns and prints, in interiors, is an easy way to create a unique and interesting scheme, be that in the living room, kitchen, bedroom, or elsewhere. However, it requires a little more design know-how that other decor ideas, if you're going to pull the look off successfully.

If you’ve previously retreated to plains rather than risk an unhappy result, be inspired by advice and inspiration for ways to mix pattern and prints in interiors.

Looking for more design ideas? Check out our design hub page.

1. Create a visual link with an accent shade

If you're working with a space that has high ceilings, consider papering up to the dado rail with one printed wallpaper, then using a second above it.

In this instance, picking up an accent shade from the leaf and floral designed paper creates a color link that allows the pair to sit happily together on one wall, while the all-over print’s textural appearance ensures it doesn’t fight with the pictorial design below. Find similar floral wallpapers at John Lewis & Partners

Love a bold wallpaper? Find more statement wallpaper design ideas in our guide.

2. Be inspired by 70s interiors

The seventies were a time when people mixed patterns and prints with ease, and introducing the typical designs can be a quick route to room scheming success. 

Stick to two color designs to get the look, to avoid making the overall effect too busy. Picking a color palette that works tonally, like this coral and pink dining room, it will also help give the room the right vibe. 

3. Give traditional pattern a contemporary edge

Don't be afraid of pairing a  traditional patterned paper with something more contemporary if you love the idea of incorporating more than one interiors style into your scheme. 

This romantic birds and blossom wallpaper – inspired by a 20th century piece – is right at home alongside a chevron rug in bold black and white. Painting the doors and skirting in a standout yellow shade only enhances the eclectic feel of the space. Recreate the look with paint and wallpaper from B&Q

Like the idea of using grey in your hallway? Find mire inspiration with our grey hallway design ideas.

4. Contrast angles and curves

Opting for prints with sinuous lines alongside those with stricter geometry can soften a scheme to suit a room that’s made for relaxing.

Pick designs that are equally bold in scale so the contrast is clear, and add in plains to give the eye somewhere to rest. Recreate the look with cushions and fabrics from Habitat

Love the geometric prints trend? Find more inspiration with our retro geometric wallpaper design ideas

5. Mix florals and graphic prints

Teaming beautiful blooms and geometric motifs needn’t be a puzzle. A tops tip for mixing pattern and prints in interior is to look for patterns featuring the same range of colors and they’ll work together a treat.

You can find your own design combinations or – even easier – look within an individual collection from a fabric house, as the different designs within it are made to look good together. Find similar striped wallpapers from Farrow & Ball at Wallpaper Direct

Find more inspiration for your bedroom with our bedroom wallpaper design ideas.

6. Smarten up with a linear print

Give a traditional living room a tailored edge with linear pattern. Top-to-toe stripes could look as stuffy as a three-piece suit, bowler hat and rolled umbrella, so mix them with variations like the two sizes of chevron in this scheme, and show off dense color against less solid hues. Find similar striped sofas at Sofa.com

Find more inspiration with these traditional living room design ideas. Looking to make a saving on a new sofa? Browse our pick of the best sofa deals.

7. Get creative with scale

Sized-up pattern can turn a wall into a work of art, but featuring a design that’s this bold doesn’t necessarily mean going plain elsewhere in the room. 

Here, the rug features a blossom trail print of medium scale, while a sofa cushion features a small-scale print, so that each motif is perfectly sized to the dimensions of the piece on which it’s featured. Find similar floral murals on Etsy

Like this idea? Browse our pick of the best mural design ideas for more inspiration.

8. Go bold with botanical prints

Foliage and botanical prints are bang on trend and are an easy examples of how to combine pattern and prints in interiors.

Give bolder colorways and medium to large sized designs a plain backdrop for a more traditional finish, or choose a graphic clash for a contemporary look. Shop more palm wallpapers at Wallpaper Direct

Like this idea? Find more beautiful botanical wallpapers in our design guide.

9. Choose a neutral color scheme

Want a room scheme that’s understated but still full of decorative detail? Put together pattern in neutral shades and gentle tints of color.

This room’s grey and yellow give the eye plenty to enjoy, but the overall effect is wonderfully calming. Find similar yellow accessories at John Lewis & Partners

10. Mix traditional prints with antique artworks

Wallpapers inspired by traditional prints or printing techniques make a stylish and unique addition to a living room or bedroom. This can be further enhanced by working antique – or antique inspired – artworks into the space. 

Find this Wisteria Wallpaper by Farrow and Ball at Wallpaper Direct and try a local antiques shop or fair for similar prints. 

Looking for more design advice?

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