6 tips for pattern clashing in a more subtle way
One of the easiest ways to create a home that feels layered, considered and lived-in is through a creative command of pattern – but the ability to successfully pattern clash is an elusive skill.
Even for those with the confidence to attempt it, finding subtlety and nuance when pairing oppositional designs is no small feat.
Caroline Inchyra, founder of her eponymous textile brand Inchyra based in the Scottish Highlands, sat down with Country Living to share her secrets to mastering the art of the subtle pattern clash.
She says: "Pattern clashing really just means that where you might have two designs that don’t naturally sit together, combining multiple prints can bring the whole together in a layered scheme that becomes cohesive."
Six tips for successful subtle pattern clashing
1. Identify your hero
Caroline advises choosing a ‘hero’ piece as your first step – this is a design or item around which the entire scheme is built. The hero might be a painting, a rug, or a favourite fabric. The important thing is that it holds a certain busyness, opening up multiple design paths for the rest of your scheme.
In her cottage in Kent, antiques dealer Gloria Stewart has made this eclectic vintage dresser the hero in her guest bedroom. From there, brocante florals and a paisley wallpaper by Nicole Fabre Designs cover neighbouring surfaces. While it may be tempting to shy away from clashing with such a notable piece, Gloria's layering enhances the role of the dresser in the space.
2. Choose a corresponding textile
Once you've chosen your hero piece, you can then pluck out something interesting from within it to inform your next step. Perhaps it contains a beautiful rose motif, a strong theme, or a colour combination that catches your eye.
Caroline suggests using this detail to source a corresponding patterned textile such as a rug, throw, upholstery or curtains.
Susie Watson, founder of the quintessentially English homeware brand Susie Watson Designs, has achieved this quite beautifully in her living room. Her striped rug acts as her hero piece and she has picked out its blues and pinks to inform the colours of her throws, upholstered armchairs and cushions. You almost miss the fact that they are all in a paisley or plaid pattern – the clash feels both subtle and intentional.
3. Introduce up to five other patterns
From there, find designs that borrow from the colours in your hero, as they will likely sit comfortably in the overall scheme. Caroline advises including two or three floral designs with different scales and then adding in geometrics, such as a stripe or check.
In designer Lucy Ogilvie-Grant's medieval cottage in Hampshire, the many blinds and curtains combine a blend of patterns – different florals are layered with small-scale, diamond prints – and her rug has an enormous, geometric chevron in complimentary shades.
4. Build a moodboard
Once you have chosen your five patterns, Caroline advises ordering samples of each in order to build a moodboard for the scheme, playing around with the application and opportunities for each design.
Consider all of the textile elements you can incorporate. Pairing a headboard with a valance or canopy offers more opportunities to clash prints. You can add interest to curtains by introducing a leading edge either in a fabric or a trim. Play with scale and texture too – an embroidered fabric or a woven design will add interest.
5. Consider every surface
"Don't neglect your walls," Caroline says. Wallpaper offers the perfect opportunity to add another layer of pattern to your space. Investigate woven and textural wallpapers – texture is a great way to introduce a subtle clash – or opt for a print on a different scale altogether to other textiles in the room.
In textile designer Mimi Pickard's rural Surrey home, her own designs have transformed the previously neutral interiors into a pattern playbook. Her large scale Naked Angelica floral wallpaper is delicate and minimalistic in palette, while her ditsy designs – Dolly and Cherry Sprig – used on the cushions add depth.
6. Cushions are the ultimate finishing touch
Caroline's cherry on the cake of pattern clashing is in your choice of cushions. She says: "Be brave–cushions on beds, sofas and chairs give you the opportunity to really go for it without risk, and can also be used to freshen up the look of a finished room at any time."
Here, our Houses Editor Daisy Bendall has paired ikat cushion designs by Rosanna Lonsdale with one of Chloe Jonason's jumbo suzani bolsters – both historic textile designs with roots in the Silk Roads. Winningly, the striped cushion on the floor by Raj Tent Club deals a bold geometric that may clash in design, but complements in colour.
What patterns work well together?
"There isn't necessarily a 'best' combination, but this is my go-to sequence: a big pattern, such as a large-scale floral or ikat, then add in a stripe or a check, then finish with a small-scale, monochrome floral," says Caroline.
Which patterns should never go together?
"It’s best not to include two of any specific pattern, such as two stripes, or two of exactly the same floral," adds Caroline. "I would also avoid too much era-jumbling: a more traditional floral will sit best with other classic designs, like ticking, rather than a brazenly modern pattern."
Shop Caroline's latest collections at inchyra.com.
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