We often want to express our personality in our home by mixing our preferred styles, colours and patterns, but there is a fine art to creating a harmonious collection that doesn’t clash.
To help you create an eclectic, mismatched aesthetic in your home, four interior design specialists have shared their expertise on how to make contrasting colours, patterns and styles work together.
Commenting on the best ways to mismatch colours and patterns, Sue Jones, luxury interiors expert and co-founder of OKA, explains: “When it comes to colour schemes in the home, you can be quite experimental and opt for contrasting colours. The opposing shades you choose will depend on what look you would like to achieve – for example, if you are looking to create more of an impact then you could go for bold shades of each colour you are choosing.
“An easy way to apply contrasting colours is to pick one shade that is bolder and another that is softer. For example, if you want to incorporate two colours on the opposite side of the spectrum, such as red and blue, select a deeper tone for one and a softer tone for the other. If you are looking for a calming feel in a room, choose a pale tone of both shades for a subtle contrast.”
Jones adds: “Favouring one colour scheme throughout your home isn’t recommended as this may fall flat. If you prefer to keep to one colour throughout your home, try using different variations of that colour to create points of interest from room to room.
“It’s important to balance the colour and patterns that will draw your eyes to them when you enter a room. Patterns work well in touches, for example patterned sofas are great for adding interest to a room, or you could even opt for patterned throws and cushions to apply some extra depth.”
When it comes to mixing patterns, fabrics and textures it’s important to consider scale, and which patterns will fuse well together.
Charlotte Saunders, an interior designer at OKA, says: “A great way to mix patterns is by layering them, so if your curtains are floral, you can add a geometric pattern on the chair; they will work really well together. Also think about the scale of the pattern – if you’ve got a really large-scale pattern on the sofa I would opt for a smaller-scale pattern on the chair.”
Mixing materials by layering fabrics is a fantastic way to add depth to a room.
Sophie Gammon, interior designer at OKA, explains: “I think gone are the days of being too symmetrical and too matchy-matchy. People are looking for something a bit more characterful and the way to get character is by layering fabrics and materials. This will give a depth and richness to the room, bringing character. It’s that layering on top of each other that usually brings a room together.”
Saunders adds: “Trying to have at least four different fabrics in each room is a great way to layer up, too, which you can do easily with cushions. Silk, velvet, linen, cotton – there are so many different variations we can add to make a space feel luxurious.”
Mixing items of furniture together that you have collected over time can seem challenging when you want to mix old and new designs yet still achieve a cohesive look.
Sarina Hawkins, interior designer at OKA, says: “I think mixing old and new designs allows your contemporary and more classic pieces to really sing. If you’ve got a beautiful antique dining table, for example, you can pair it with some modern dining chairs, or some more contemporary linens. Don’t be afraid to just go to town with mixing and matching – it’s all about layering.”
For more information on OKA, visit: oka.com/uk.
All imagery used in this article credit: OKA
