How to Pick a Colour and Mix Patterns

1. 1
How to Pick a Colour

2. 2
Creating the “LOOK”
• The following is a simple method for
creating a room with that “pulled
together” look

3. 3
Start with a Pattern
It could be found in
1. An upholstered piece of furniture
2. A bedspread
3. An area rug
4. Etc…
• It is easier to start with a pattern than
trying to find one later to fit into a given
colour scheme

4. 4
Choose 3 Colours
• From the pattern select 3 colours
1. A light
2. A medium
3. A dark
• These 3 colours will form the
foundation of your colour scheme.

5. 5
The Light Colour
• Use this as a background colour
1. Colour your walls with a soft version of your
light colour
2. You may choose to “tone it down” with a
touch of white or gray if it seems too vivid for
use as a wall colour.

6. 6
Medium Colour
• Use for :
–window coverings
–Medium furniture pieces

7. 7
Dark Colour
• Now sprinkle in the dark colour on:
– the accessories
–small furniture pieces.

8. How to Mix Patterns
• Some of the most successful rooms
depend totally on Mix-and-Match
fabrics.
• Yes – floral prints, stripes, checkers and
plains will all go in the same room.
The rule is Proportion
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9. 9

10. How to Mix Patterns
Use:
• One large dominating print
• One medium pattern
• One small; solid and texture
The patterns should become less conspicuous in
descending order.
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11. General Rule
A room can have four different fabrics
that should fall into these four categories:
1. Large rambling fabric like a floral or
abstract
2. Geometric pattern like a plade, check
or diamond
3. Stripe
4. Plain which can be textured
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