When imagining how we’ll be creating or redecorating a room, the placement of furniture and what kind of accessories we’d like to include are usually first on the list. And in the process we usually forget about one very important style weapon at our disposal: patterns.
It does happen on occasion that we look at a room and even though it has a multitude of different colors, beautiful furniture and decorative pieces, we get the feeling that something’s missing. Usually, it’s one of two things: pattern or texture, and sometimes it could be both.
After all, it’s patterns that help make a space pop. Think how boring life would have been had there been no soft floral patterns, swirly paisley, elegant damask, trippy ikat, or any of the other thousands of amazing patterns out there.
Let’s see how some of these patterns, and so many others, have been used (by professional Interior Designers and Decorators, obviously) to infuse living rooms with detail, drama and character.
See how there's no reason to overdo patterns? A slight design in your floor rug, a subtle motif on your ceiling light, plus one or two additional ones on furnishings and decor in the middle—DONE!
You know we love our neutrals, but it can be easy to overdo it with those soft whites, grays, etc. The key is, obviously, pattern to help distinguish different pieces, surfaces and finishes.
Patterns are (almost) everywhere, so you really don’t need to add an overload of wallpaper (or scatter cushions, or rugs… ) in order to appreciate them. They can even show up in certain architectural features, like this stunning brick wall with fireplace.
Now this is how you splash some style and detail onto a what-could-have-been-a-rather-dull wall.
A combination of patterns can be über stylish as long as there's a visual link. See how these chair patterns and rug motifs seem very similar, even though they’re not 100% identical – and they don’t need to be.
The ever-popular scatter cushion is probably one of the easiest and quickest ways to introduce pattern (and color) into your living room.
See how magical things can get when blending pattern (and texture, let's be honest) with lighting to produce this delightful interplay between light and shadow?
How refreshing to see homeowners (and design professionals) devote some TLC to eye-catching ceiling designs, too!
Is it just us, or are these rug patterns elegantly (and very subtly) guiding us towards those inviting sofas? Of course they are (similar to wooden parquet floors in a herringbone pattern), and it’s one of the many reasons why patterns are so popular in interior design.
Even if you only splash some patterns on your window treatment, that's still adequate for some charm and visual character. Especially if your pattern colors match those of your accessories and décor.
Get creative with your choice in furnishings—even this slim little shelf case secretly injects some pattern into the space via its unique shape.
Could there be a stronger visual link between the wall art and the patterned cushions of the two head chairs? Even the colors match perfectly—extra style points for this living room!
See how pattern, especially when used in flooring, can be used to distinguish between different ‘zones’ in an open-plan layout?
Don't discount the style power of using patterned flooring for your exterior living room / patio.
This is certainly one way to make an eye-catching focal wall stand out.
Next up, we’ll be showing you how to Lighten up your dark kitchen with these 12 tricks.