Mixing and Matching Wallpaper Patterns: A Guide to Bold Design
Not to worry though, follow these recommendations and you will be a pro at pattern mixing in no time. Let’s begin!
Table of Contents
- Why mix and match wallpaper patterns?
- The only rule you really have to know – match the colors, mix the patterns
- Examples of matching color, but mixing patterns
- Opposites attracted: mix bold with subtle
- Black and white plus color pattern
- Only one focal wallpaper
- Stick to the theme
- Use wallpaper samples to visualize
- In conclusion
Why mix and match wallpaper patterns?
For some mixing and matching wallpaper patterns is a no-brainer. For others, it brings out a raised eyebrow and incomprehension. Why bother putting together two or more prints and patterns? Here’s why!
8 great reasons why mix and match wallpaper patterns:
- To give a room a unique look. It’s perfect for those who love “one-of-a-kind” moments.
- To make a room look more visually engaging. For those who love to be in a fun environment.
- To create divided zones. Different wallpaper for a different zone in the room. Easy-breezy!
- To add warmth and personality. Even the smallest pattern mix will bring out the room owner’s persona.
- To make you feel energized and stimulated. The interaction between patterns can generate energy bolts!
- To bring out the cozy vibes. Liveliness is cozy! And mixed patterns make a room feel more alive.
- To sprinkle some creativity in the room. Putting together contrasting patterns can spark ideas.
- To make the room feel playful. Feeling too serious? Try mixing wallpaper patterns in your house!
The only rule you really have to know – match the colors, mix the patterns
It’s true. If you remember just one rule from this article, may it be this – Match the colors, mix the patterns. And to expand a little bit – match at least one color in the patterns. It will give a cohesive and thought-out design vibe.
How to match colors?
Follow these steps to match colors perfectly!
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Choose colors in the same temperature
There are two color temperatures: warm and cool. Warm colors have a yellowish undertone, while cool colors have a blue undertone. If the colors for your wallpaper are the same temperature, they will look cohesive and won’t clash.
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Choose the same color
You can also repeat the same color in the different wallpapers you are choosing. Both patterns can have one color perfectly matched and other colors can be different.
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Choose tints and shades of one color
If you cannot match a color perfectly, try choosing tints and shades of one color that match. Tints are lighter versions of the same color, while shades are darker versions of the same colors.
Examples of matching color, but mixing patterns
Let’s get some inspiration! Check out these color matches on these prints.
The same color throughout
This is a perfect print to match if you want a safe but still fun option. It is inverted and has all the same colors. Therefore making it a very cohesive and intriguing combo.
The same background color makes a great match for these two wallpapers. They also have a similar style of one-line drawing, making it an extra match.
The perfect color match with a perfect style match. It cannot be a better combo for an ArtDeco-inspired room interior.
These three wallpapers have different patterns, but the color scheme is the same. Because of that, they match perfectly and can create a fun, playful room interior.
One color match
The dotted wallpaper has a similar rust-orange tone as the wallpaper with leaves. And not just that. Both wallpaper have a cohesive color scheme even if all the colors are not a match.
Both patterns have a black background in common as well as the light green in a cool shade.
Opposites attracted: mix bold with subtle
To create a balance, mix big prints with small, detailed prints. It makes the room feel more cohesive and not overwhelming. Let’s have a look!
Busy, small print with large, minimalistic print
Large bold print with minimalistic smaller print
Black and white plus color pattern
Only one focal wallpaper
If you want the room to have a fun twist with more than one pattern but don’t want it to be too bold or noisy, choose one focal wallpaper and pair it with a subtle second print. Let’s have a look!
The subtle white and yellow grid-type pattern is the perfect background for the bold and colorful flower print.
Stick to the theme
Besides always matching at least one color in your patterns, you may also want to choose a theme and then stick with it.
- A theme can be a place or environment, for example, an ocean, forest, city, jungle, Morocco, Paris, and so on.
- A theme can also be timely, for example, decades like the nineteen twenties, thirties, forties, and so on.
- A theme can also be artistic, for example, ArtDeco, eclectic, boho, minimalistic, and so on.
- A theme can even be a technique, like watercolor or dainty lines.
Let’s see some great themed wallpaper and how they match together!
A subtle forest theme that is created from two similar prints but with different colors. These two will look perfect together! Matching but not exactly.
What a great ocean theme! Blue octopus paired with whales, sharks, and tortoises. Both prints are quite busy but because of the different background colors, they balance each other out very well.
Perfect wallpaper pair for an eclectic room – colorful and a little bit quirky. And not just that! They both also have the flower theme going on which makes them coherent but still different.
For those who love a bold Japanese theme, this could be the perfect match.
Stellar and solar theme as well as a boho theme – two in one! This combination is great for a moody yet cozy interior design.
Use wallpaper samples to visualize
Sometimes what looks good on a computer or tablet screen may not be the perfect match in real life. That’s where wallpaper samples come in!
Why order wallpaper samples? Here are 3 easy answers:
- It will help you visualize your vision in real life.
- You will be able to see the wallpapers on the wall and how they interact together.
- You will be able to see the wallpaper in the lighting of your place (very crucial!).
Wallpaper samples are small sheets of your desired wallpaper. The sample size we offer is 28”x13”. It is a big enough piece to see how the wallpaper will look on the wall, but small enough to not be wasteful.
The wallpaper sample includes information about the design, material, size, and color.
You can get a sample for peel-and-stick wallpaper as well as for traditional wallpaper.
And once you are done, you can reuse the samples for other DIY projects around the house! For example, add them as drawer inserts or use them to create a custom gift box.
In conclusion
Mixing and matching wallpaper patterns might sound intimidating at first, but once you know some basic rules, it starts to get really fun. Just remember the first rule: match at least one color in both patterns! And then you can experiment and look for compositions that are bold and challenging or easy and subtle.
