In interior decorating, sometimes when a room looks great, it’s not easy to work out why. Patterns and colours may not match, and there might be a mixture of textures thrown in. Although a mix and match design might seem tricky to achieve, with some basic principles and creative flair, you can develop a style all of your own.
Inspired to Act
A mix and match design should begin with inspiration taken from a colour, texture or object you particularly like. Once you’ve selected your starting point it’s a good idea to build up a mood board. Collect pictures, fabrics and colours that work with your original inspiration and begin to build up a design.
Chaos with Colour
To avoid colour clashes, choose a shade that will be dominant in your design, and select others to complement. If you are not sure where to begin, try one of the many online colour matching sources, and experiment on screen before you commit. A great place to look for colour inspiration is outside. Mother Nature mixes colours beautifully and gives you the perfect excuse to wrap up warm and go for a walk, all in the name of research.
Pattern Happy
With a little prior knowledge of scale, mixing and matching patterns is simple. Again, select a dominant pattern – this can be as bold as you wish, but be sure to choose something you love! If you’re new to the mix and match style, stick to three patterns to start, with the second being around half the size of the first. It should share some colours, but aside from that, feel free to choose something very different. Your third pattern will bring the other two together, so it’s a good idea to choose something that steals features from both, on a much smaller scale.
Take on Texture
Working with a variety of textures will add depth and interest to a room, and is easily achieved. Think about the way a rug brings to life an otherwise plain floor – texture brings character to simple spaces. Soft furnishings and finishing touches are great ways to add texture, but consider also textured wallcoverings, particularly effective on a feature wall. Think modern metallics or natural fibres; experiment, keeping colours complementary to the rest of your room.
Hide and Seek
A mix and match look can transcend styles of all ages, so keep your eyes peeled wherever you are for additions to your decorating. Antique, vintage or charity shops may be hiding a perfect piece of furniture, or a fabric that will look fabulous with your design. Collecting items in this way means you’ll achieve a really individual, one-off look.
Mixing proportions, colours and patterns can be huge fun, and the varying mix and match rules of interior design serve to demonstrate what a personal style this is. Enjoy experimentation, and use your mood board to make your mistakes. When you’re ready to transfer your chosen look to your home, you can do so with creative confidence!
