Pattern Mix: Infusing a Little Excitement into Your Home Decor

When I was growing up, the word on mixing patterns -- florals with stripes, polka dots and plaids, prints with paisley, and so forth -- was a pretty solid no. "You want to match."  That advice is no more. It's all a GO -- at home as well as in the fashion world
. . .  One of the front-runners, Mondo Guerra from Denver, defiantly mixed prints and patterns to create electrifying designs in the 8th season of Project Runway (on Lifetime)


Some at-home inspiration for mixing and matching:


This is a home I produced for Remodel Magazine and that just recently was picked up by Better Homes & Garden's online site. (I'll show more of this one in my next post. A great remodel! Located in Houston. I like the soft pattern mixes here. It feels youthful and current. (Photography by Alise O'Brien.)

Despite the advice once received, I find that I like the energy of those rooms that dare to to mix it up. Youthful yet sophisticated. Don't you think the person living here (below) is fun, carefree and confident? 


From eHow.com: Pros Give 6 Pointers on How to Achieve a Look
similar to the One Above.





There's a certain depth and vibrancy that seems to pop up in all of these images.

 I didn't have to go far on my blogroll to find a woman (Michelle Zuniga)who loves to energize 
and personalize a room with color and pattern mixes. She shares the image above on her blog. 
If you'd like to see her work, visit 

I think the key to venturing into the world of mix and match begins with a common color and intensity level. 

I cropped and then enlarged this photo; I hope it comes across OK. I loved what 
Houston Designer Edwina Alexis
did at a Houston showhouse, pairing up a print with a stripe. Common colors....

Some pros suggest starting off in more doable fashion when desiring to mix and match patterns. Perhaps throwing an interesting mix of pillows of your sofa or bed:


Marty at A Stroll Thru Life makes her own pillows, and she enjoys mixing
it up a bit. A little pizazz goes a long way . . . .


From HGTV: How to Mix it Up Like a Pro. See their 8 tips.


For fun, a look from Mondo Guerra's collection on Project Runway:



What do you think or advise -- or like -- when it comes to mix and match?