All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
14 clever lessons in pattern scheming from expert interior designers
Fabric combining can be a tricky game. With a world of textures, prints and materials to choose from, it's hard enough to settle on one you like, let alone a whole cohesive scheme. Just as we did for paint colour combinations, we're here to guide you through the fabric phase of your project.
So you've gone for a gentle striped grain sack linen for your headboard – where does that leave you for your cushions, carpets and curtains? Or perhaps you have a green velvet sofa you're a little ‘over’, what additional fabrics could you bring in to breathe life back into a lacklustre item? Some designers prefer to use fabrics to create dynamic layers and contrasts, whilst others prefer to keep a similar fabric language within and between rooms.
We've plucked the best pearls of fabric wisdom from some of our favourite interior designers to give you some guidance on how to approach fabric combining. They talk about creating tactile environments by mixing textures and school us on their favourite juxtaposing prints and colours, from khaki and pink, to florals and leopards.
Whatever your preference – to clash or to match, patterned or plain – these designers share their top tips for fabric combinations, so you can curate a soft and textured house.
Paul Massey1/14Nicola Harding
“For me, combining checks and stripes is a brilliant way of adding depth and pattern in a really easy-to-use way - they are a magic ingredient in so many of our projects. You can layer them on top of each other or you can use them alongside more detailed or complicated patterns to create a sense of contrast.
The familiarity and ubiquity of these iconic fabrics speak to their timeless appeal, which is why we wanted to include lots of these combinations in our own versions in the Nix By Nicola Harding fabric collection.
Checks and stripes are almost more like a texture than a pattern. They disappear quietly into the background and provide a great understory that allows other elements within an interior scheme to stand out. I think checks and stripes have a wonderful nostalgic quality. They have a relaxed and familiar feel so on a sort of subliminal level there is something comforting about them.”
- Stella Weatherall</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"65f079b21619451d19650e07","index":1,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Boz Gagovski2/14Stella Weatherall
“Pattern combinations and the use of a variety of textures are essential to a successful scheme. Every interior needs texture to achieve depth. As beautiful as printed linens are, a scheme made up of printed linens alone is in danger of appearing flat. Pick one or two printed fabrics as a starting point but be sure to bring in a weave or vintage embroidered textile to bring the space to life. Woven fabrics and wools are great for upholstery and I’m always drawn to a suzani or kilim throw or cushion for layering.
When mixing patterns, scale and proportion are everything. A large-scale print paired with a smaller-scale pattern or stripe will complement one other, whereas pairing two large patterns could end up fighting. Colour is also key. If struggling with where to start, pick a patterned fabric with a few colours and draw out complimentary plains, stripes and geometrics from there.”
- Sarah Vanrenen</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"6645bf675535fc4646e08ab6","index":2,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
.jpg)
3/14Sarah Vanrenen
"When it comes to combining fabrics the main piece of advice I can give is always to mix, don’t match. Perfectly matched schemes can look static and impersonal. Always use patterns that complement rather than perfectly match.
Another key to successful fabric combinations is to play with scale. Combine small, large and medium-scale patterns in a room and always leave some blank spaces for contrast.
Likewise, mix organic patterns like botanicals with geometrics or stripes.
Texture is another way to add interest, vintage embroidered textiles can look amazing mixed with more contemporary, cleaner designs.
Finally, choose colour. It may be safe to stick with neutrals but colour adds personality and warmth to any space."
Paul Massey4/14Philip Hooper, Joint Managing Director, Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler
“I love dirty khaki colours with something hot like Schiaparelli pink or cerise.
It’s good to think about mixing fabrics based on colour, pattern and texture. I usually choose a fairly matching colour palette and then accent it with contrasting colours that provide a surprise and something unexpected. In this image of my drawing room in Somerset the chintz cushion is brown with the turquoise blues and unexpected hints of pink and lavender. Textures again stay dry and provide a foil for the leather and silky embroidery.”
Just be bold, the squiggle pattern on the armchair here is outlined in blue to pick up on the curtain colour and provides a visual link, albeit a subtle one. The squiggle is also piped in blue for the same reasons. The boldness is always countered by these little nuances and connections.”
- Rachel Allen</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"660da1098c3a6c15dd6265fd","index":4,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Rachel Allen5/14Rachel Allen
“I love colour and pattern but I’m always nervous of the combinations becoming garish, or even worse - twee! Including antique fabrics is the secret ingredient. Maybe it’s because the colours are more faded or the old natural dyes are more interesting.
I collect fragments of antique fabrics to make cushions. You don’t want to go chopping up important things so fragments offer a sensitive and affordable solution. Worn out phulkaris and crewelwork are favourites and nothing gets my heart racing more than an old flamestitch. I have a very ‘trad’ aesthetic but for those who like a simpler look - antique Fortuny looks beautiful within a pale backdrop.”
- Clare Gaskin</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"6189420ceea7137eaf372b52","index":5,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Dean Hearne6/14Clare Gaskin
"A way we frequently combine fabrics is to use two fabrics on an upholstered piece such as an armchair, using the more delicate fabric on the outside, with the seat base and back cushions being in a contrasting fabric. These latter, ‘internal’ parts of the chair are where it gets the most use and so you need to pick a practical fabric with a decent ability to withstand lots of sitting up and down (which rubs and wears the material). The outside, by comparison, tends to have a lot less ‘contact’, we’ve used beautiful fabrics that are embroidered and/or really meant for light upholstery usage in this way. Not only can it be a fantastic way to play with fabric combinations but also balances out costs, the more delicate fabrics tend to be more expensive – this means you still get to use them to make a statement but save a bit of money on the fabric that needs to be resilient (of which there are so many great options).
Another use of leftover fabrics is to combine them to make fantastic accessories; think about scatter cushions, lampshades, and door draught excluders. If you have an item upholstered or have curtains made, keep hold of the fabric. I love using a patterned fabric to pipe a cushion and that can be a fun additional contrast to fabrics already used on the face/reverse of the cushion.
I think it's good to have fun when combining fabrics, make combinations playful and don’t worry too much about rules. Your scheme will help dictate what sort of patterns, colours and textures are right for the space and usage – use this as a guide rather than a rigid frame. In the past we’ve often combined checked or striped fabrics with florals and find this can work really well, maybe lining a curtain with a striped fabric to make a feature out of the lining. Or in layered window dressings use a blackout roller blind in a check for some extra darkness with a more beautiful embroidered fabric for a Roman blind."
- Tiffany Duggan</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"664352482817200d67f329e2","index":6,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
7/14Tiffany Duggan
“In my old London bedroom, I combined a large-scale classical floral wallcovering from Fromental with small-scale TROVE cushions in a favourite pattern, ‘Baies’. I used TROVE lacquered and painted furniture in tonal and contrasting colours, adding a touch of animal (always!) with a woven zebra jacquard in a leopard print palette on a citrine TROVE upholstered bench to cut the sweetness of the florals.”
- Carlos Sanchez Garcia</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"63c7f4e63c40c93e41fde828","index":7,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Paul Massey8/14Carlos Sanchez Garcia
"Choosing fabrics amongst so many suppliers can be daunting and selecting the right combination of these for your home, intimidating.
Although there are certain rules that can be followed, in the end, it’s down to your own taste and what works or doesn’t.
I am a great believer in textural and patterned fabrics. It is however important not to look at one or two fabrics in isolation but in the context of the room and how they’ll interact when sitting together with others.
In the sitting room of this country house not one single plain fabric has been used. Every fabric has a pattern, be it a print or a weave, whether it’s blatantly obvious or needs a closer inspection. The intended effect is to soften and create an inviting homely room.
Texture is very important too. The yellow fabric on the armchairs of this sitting room is a textural weave with a raised geometrical design. The texture softens the straight lines of the armchairs and makes them more inviting. Adding a floral design with the cushion creates a little juxtaposition, a friction that keeps interest alive. The same principle has been used on the sofa, in this case adding cushions with different textures (silk, velvet, embroideries) and patterns (geometrical ikats and florals) to further soften the structured sofa thus making it more inviting.
A large pattern used on its own or surrounded by plains can look intimidating in a room, making it too much of a statement. Using other smaller or medium-sized patterns around it diffuses that threat and brings harmony.
After all, in the words of John Fowler, “it takes a lot of busyness to make a room look quiet”."
- Pandora Taylor</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"61893cb8d9ae96d083cd0b96","index":8,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Michael Sinclair9/14Pandora Taylor
“In any scheme we usually start with one star fabric and build it up from there. This fabric might be something new we've seen and fallen in love with, or one the client has brought to us themselves. It's usually a patterned fabric and will dictate the colour tones, design themes and style of pattern we use throughout the space.
I like to have a hierarchy of pattern in a room to ensure a space feels balanced, for example if we have a large botanical print as the star then I will pair this with more paired back patterns such as stripes and small repeats, as well as a variety of plains that pull on the existing tones. Velvets are always important in a scheme as they bring fantastic depth to any colour and immediately elevate a more plain element of upholstery.”
- Alex Dauley</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"66437afbe2992b6b453203a3","index":9,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
10/14Alex Dauley
"When thinking about fabric sourcing I always use this method:
- Usage. This is the most important aspect to get right, where are we using the fabrics and are they suitable.
- Choose your hero piece in terms of colour or pattern. I always start with the hero and build from there.
- Always have a good mix of textures, patterns and plains to make a cohesive and layered scheme. In any room I tend to have one major/hero pattern, two smaller patterns or textures and the rest plains in complimentary colours to the overall scheme. I like to see a common thread running throughout the fabrics."
Mark Anthony Fox11/14Gemma McCloskey, Founder and Creative Director of Cúpla
“I usually begin a scheme with a statement patterned fabric and work everything around this. The key is to find the right balance and ensure you have a mix of different textures and colours. I also like to mix patterns but play with the scale of the print so they compliment one another.”
- Buchanan Studio</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"628e457a0df8ab0df361b3d4","index":11,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Owen Gale12/14Buchanan Studio
“It is no secret that at Buchanan Studio we love a print, and prints can be used to create very different feelings. Either layering up a mixture together, for example stripes with florals, which is a combination we are particularly fond of, or using a singular print- such as our Studio Stripe or Ticking Rose- to make a bold statement in an otherwise calm and neutral room.”
- Sarah Peake,</a> Founder and Creative Director of Studio Peake","brand":{"name":""},"id":"64242b3c2ce06c5f0583f15e","index":12,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Alexander James13/14Sarah Peake, Founder and Creative Director of Studio Peake
“Combining different textures in a scheme can create a really layered and tactile space. It is also important to think about colour and pattern when approaching fabric combinations - contrast and conflict are your friends when it comes to choosing. Mixing a patterned cotton with plain linen is also a good way of managing the dynamism of a scheme - plains can separate and frame patterns in a way that shows them in their best light. I also love to use fabric on walls and doors not only on furniture – for example, we used a Fermoie Brick Linen on the walls in this living room. The main thing is to experiment, have fun and listen to your instincts.”
- Phoebe Hollond</a>","brand":{"name":""},"id":"66181353310715683054fb22","index":13,"contentType":"photo","offers":[],"component":"gallery_slide_component"}" data-testid="GallerySlideWrapper">
Mark Roper14/14Phoebe Hollond
“This 15th-century home in Sussex definitely has a playful, weird and wonderful mix of patterns. I love combining fabrics from different eras and provenance. The defining factor in making a space feel layered is in the secret recipe of the combination of fabrics. For example, playing with scales when it comes to patterns can be as impactful as a standout piece of furniture. You can achieve a mood when you clash large organic, such as a chintz, with small geometric like a pinstripe (so sexy!), there isn't a particular rule per se, but by ensuring spaces have variation in fabric combinations leads to a far more pleasing room! Of course, texture can also play a large role in this, there are many spaces that are beyond beautiful in one tone and no patterns, but just by being heavily reliant on creating 'form' through thicker weaves or fine glazed linen is terribly chic as well.”
