Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Do You Like To Mix a Lot of Patterned Fabrics

I love to use a lot of pattern in a room, but it seems like some people are afraid of it.  I think the more the merrier.



I love the colors in the Iris pillow, and I finally got the solid orange pillow done, then I found the plaid and just had to have some of it too.  The lime pillow I found at Walmart on sale for $9.    I think it all mixes together really well.

This is the other side of the sofa, with another accent pillow in an orange windowpane design and a solid lime green.  Notice that there is a different orange and gold pattern on the table. 

This may not be for everyone, however I really think it is so much more interesting to look at.

There's also a patterned fabric on this chair.


Two different fabrics on the pillows on this sofa, and a different pattern on the leather chair.

Did you notice there are two different fabrics on the drapes also, and how about another fabric on the ottoman.  (Yes, I am still housing two sofas in the living room.  Hopefully the one in front of the windows is going to the familyroom soon.)
So how many different fabrics do you think I've used in this room?  Let's count -
Pillows - 9
Table Topper - 2 ( you can't see the underskirt in the picture)
Ottoman - 1
Accent Chair - 1
Drapes - 2
Total of 15

That doesn't include the alphabet design on the white chair, or the sculpted chenille pattern on the sofa.  So if we include those we have a total of 17.
So, if you don't like the look of your room, just try mixing a few fabrics together and see if that brings it to life. 

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I really look forward to your visits.

75 comments:

Kathy said...

Love this, so beautiful, that Iris pillow is just stunning...I want to come for coffee and just sit in that room..

La said...

I like several patterns too. Your room is bright, cheerful, and elegant. La

vignette design said...

Your living room is beautiful with all the patterns playing with each other. I'm a pattern mixer too. Love seeing how they all work together.

Vanessa said...

Oh Marty! I am so with you on that! I love the layered effect that it gives a space to have multiple patterns and fabrics and it just adds so much warmth and dimension. Yours are gorgeous! :-)
Vanessa

Lou Cinda @ Tattered Hydrangeas said...

LOVE it!! And I agree the more the merrier!

I am in the process of doing this in my den....just hope I can pull it off cohesively! lol

Lou Cinda :)

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

Your combination's are wonderful and I love the fall colors too! What a bright cheery room you have created!

Helen said...

I have to be in a certain frame of mind to start mixing things up .... and it also depends on the color scheme. Your photos look great, perfect for Fall weather.

Gabriele Agustini said...

It's my first time here and I'm really enjoying it!
I love the pillows! Especially the one with the Iris.
(I'm a silk-painter and I love painting florals.)
I've become one of your "Followers", so I'll always come back for another visit. :)
Lovely photos!!
Best,
gabriele

Rene said...

Pattern mixing just makes a room more interesting. It has taken me a while, but I am beginning to get the hang of it. Your living room is very pretty and I can tell that you carefully consider each special piece.

Kathysue said...

Marty it looks great I think the plaid pillow actually ties it all together beautifully. It really looks great, you are a design diva!!! Love you,Kathysue

Karen said...

The pillows look beautiful! I can't imagine anyone not liking this type of combination. I think most people just wouldn't think to do it, or are intimidated about how to go about it :)

Happy To Be/ Gl♥ria said...

Marty I love the new fall colors you have going on girl...You do an awesome job of sewing my friend..I can't do orange girl I just took down all my fall yesterday from my mantle because of it's color...Hope you have a GREAT day my friend...Hugs and smiles Gl♥ria

Penny @ The Comforts of Home/Lavender Hill Studio said...

Your pillows are gorgeous! I love the colors. Yes, I mixed patterns too. You do it wonderfully!
Hugs,
Penny

Love the Decor! said...

Speaking from a lady with a plaid sofa... I love pattern and the mixture of it is beautiful in your room!!
I love those pillows too!!

Southerncook said...

Marty, you have visited my blog often and you know that I always mix patterns. I have always been one to do that and I like bright bold color too.

I think you have done an excellent job of mixing patterns. I always love mixing plaids such as you have on one of your pillows with other prints and I think of tone on tone patterns as a solid. I feel the same as you in that it makes for a more interesting room and has a tendency to give a warm and comforting feel to a room.

Great job of mixing patterns. Excellent.

Carolyn/A Southerners Notebook

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

Marty, I'm with you the more the merrier and you have done an awesome job of mixing fabrics and patterns. Your room looks the best it has. I also love your huge mirror.

Gail said...

You have pulled that off beautifully. Not everybody can mix fabrics like that and have it look as good as yours. Beautifully done!

Enjoy your day.
Gail

sharonavinger said...

Marty, your room is beautiful! I am a pillow junkie and love the ones you have around your room. I agree that the more patterns, the better. If you keep the colors similar or coordinating, it makes the room look decorator-rich! Great job!

Momma Rhyne said...

Love combining different patterns.. and your couch looks fabulous!! You have such a great eye! (or two ;-)

Richella said...

What great advice, Marty! I love lots of fabrics used together--and your choices all go together very nicely!

Diann said...

Oh Marty, all the different fabrics look wonderful! Everything si so pretty!

Have a wonderful day!

Sandy said...

Marty, You have an eye for mixing those patterns. That room is just beautiful. Love the green and the orange together. I need to do more of the same in my house. I guess I'm just one of those people who are afraid. Thanks for visiting.
Sandy

Stella said...

It makes me happy just to look at all the color and patterns. It mix patterns and love the results. Thanks for sharing.

Ms. Bake-it said...

Hello Marty,

I think your home is lovely. I love how you mixed different textures and patterns. I am not afraid of mixing and have done so throughout my home. I think it adds more visual interest.

~ Tracy

Bonnie@Creative Decorating said...

I would do more if it looked as good as your room!! I have some mixtures of fabric but not a lot as I am afraid I will make it too busy!!

Splurgie said...

I love how you've mixed patterns. What makes it all work, in my opinion, is that you have kept the "color values" the same. You have a great eye. Always enjoy your posts.

Nellie's Cozy place said...

Hi Marty,
Just love your living room, so fresh and pretty, and looking like Fall with those colors. I do mix some patterns but I have to say I would probably be afraid to do that much,
yet I love what you did...it really looks great. I have learned that you just need to try different things and sometimes you can be quite surprised by how well or nice they go together.
If I love it I can usually find a place for it!!
Thanks for sharing that inspiration, makes us a lil more
courageous to try things!!
Especially when we see such beautiful results.
Blessings, Nellie

Janean said...

i'm tellin' ya *the walmarks* is comin' up in style.... target's gettin' a little competition, huh?

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

I do love lots of pattern in a room when there is a solid sofa and larger pieces are solids. Your pillows look wonderful, Marty! You did such a great job on them!

Thoughtfully blended hearts said...

You've done such a beautiful job with combining all of these patterns. I doubt that I could ever pull that off successfully. I love the beautiful greens in your pillows.

Gina said...

I think you've done a wonderful job combining patterns! It really looks effortless & so inviting too.

Jennifer said...

Your living room is gorgeous! That last pic looks like something from a magazine!

~Jennifer

Jacqueline said...

So pretty and such fun colors and patterns mixed together. I just love it. I would love to sit in this room. Thanks for sharing its elegance.

Sherry @ No Minimalist Here said...

Marty, I love all your patterns and pillows. The great thing about having neutral sofas is being able to experiment with pattern. Your room is absolutely beautiful.
xo, Sherry

Love Where You LIve said...

I'm with you on the mix and match. Much more lively and interesting!!

Olive Cooper said...

Florals, checks, and stripes are all happy in our house. I think your mix of pattern works well together and is beautiful. hugs♥olive

Debbie said...

I definitely mix and match in the bedrooms. I would do it more in the rooms with upholstered furniture if and when I finally update and get some more neutral sofas. I dream of the day when I can jazz it up like yours!

A Hint of Home said...

Your room has just the right mix. It has come together so well and colorful.
I always mix and match, including rug, wall, pillow, & couch fabric.
Looks great!

Cindy (Applestone Cottage) said...

Oh Marty,
I love your mix and match of pillows!
This room is just stunning and you have the gift of decorating!
Hugs,
Cindy

Decgal's Humble Abode said...

Ooooh, love all of the mixing going on in the living room with the pillows. I bet you have a love of fabrics. Some people are afraid to try new things in decorating like mixing colors and fabrics together. They would benefit from this and so many of the decorating blog sites. Thank you for the ooh and aah sounds I made while looking at of your living pictures. Decgal

Yvonne @ StoneGable said...

Marty, All the fabulous patterns and colors play so well together! What a beautiful room. I am one that loves colors and patterns. I have decided that all that white furniture, walls, fabric etc is better left to the younger set.
Give me color or texture or both!
Wonderful.
Yvonne

Pat said...

Gorgeous use of pattern Marty! Your room is beautiful!

Becca said...

Marty, your use of different styles of fabrics (both patterns and textures) is amazing! Not too many people can do to this perfection ... you are one who can! I love the orange and lime green together (huge score on that pillow from Wal-Mart)! I love the floral pillows too. You are one talented lady. Thanks for sharing and for your inspiration. Hugs, *Becca*

xinex said...

I mix patterns all the time too, Marty. Your living room is very pretty. I like all the warm oranges, greens and browns....Christine

Lori said...

Marty, orange you glad you like orange.

Stacy said...

oh your room is just beautiful. i like the two couches in the livingroom!! loving the mixed patterns, especially the plaid. and your rug is GORGEOUS!

Blondie's Journal said...

Ive always loved your living room and how you change it up so often. I like neutral backgrounds for all sorts of colors and patterns. I think as long as they are in the same color family, it looks great.
Very good post. I have to start counting my patterns!! ;-D

XO,
Janie

CHERI said...

I really like this!!! I too love color & pattern. I look at "all white" rooms in magazines and it always looks pretty and tranquil, but I don't think I could ever live without color!

Decorchick! said...

I used to be scared to mix patterns. Not exactly sure why. I adore all of those pillows together! It really gives it a more interesting and cozy look.

Happier Than a Pig in Mud said...

Marty, I love the colors, textures and different fabrics! When you use things you love, they seem to always work out great:@)

Kat said...

Marty, I love the way you've mixed all the patterns and textures. It really brings the room to life, and I love the oranges and greens. They add such pop! You know I have always loved this room, and it just keeps getting better and better! Hugs, Kat

The Tablescaper said...

I love patterns and mixing and matching. You have done it magnificently!

- The Tablescaper

Love of the Sea said...

I mix patterns all the time. Especially floral with checked or plaid. I also mix big floral with small foral - for a different look. Your pillows look great!

Mary Ellen said...

Look at all those pretty fabrics put together just perfectly!! You have done a fabulous job on the pillows!! I so need to recover some of mine and I have 2 ottomans that we use all the time that have terrible holes in them! I cannot believe I haven't fixed them yet!

Your ottoman looks so pretty with the throw on it!! Lovely room!

bee blessed
mary

Kathy said...

Gorgeous Marty!
You have a knack for mixing color and pattern...a real artist!
A charming room...Happy fall sweetie...
xoxo~Kathy @
Sweet Up-North Mornings...

Suzanne@thriftstoredecorjunky said...

Love all the fabrics! You have a flair for putting it together, though!
You have such a beautiful home!
Thanks for popping in !

Tardevil said...

Love the iris & plaid pillows, as well as the damask fabric on the table. One of the last photos looks like it came out of a magazine (the one w/ the 2 couches & 2 windows). Happy Fall!

Farah Muzaffar said...

I love pillows very very much... and the one with Iris is great, very beautiful... Yes I love to mix different colours and patterns, and you did a great job with that.. very lovely

AshTreeCottage said...

I like to use lots of patterns too. It adds so much interest to a room.

Love,
Susan and Bentley
xxoo

Jess @ Frugal with a Flourish said...

Beautiful!!! I do like to mix patterns! I think it brings a room to life!

~ ~ Ahrisha ~ ~ said...

HI Marty, I love your livingroom and no its not to much color for me. Orange is one of my favorite colors. The huge mirror is such a great piece.

If you could see all the patterns in my home you might flip. The sofa the carpet is patterned and then there is the wallpaper. The woman we bought the house from decorated it as Victorian but with my white furniture to lighten it up a bit I like to call it a deep and rich Bohemian. I call it cozy and fun also. As long as we like it thats all that matters.
~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

Jane said...

Marty, I love all your pillows! You did a great job on matching the fabrics.

I enjoy the look of coordinating fabrics in a room. It's all about matching the colors and varying the scale of the prints. I think it gives a room more of a cohesive look.

Jane

Sandra said...

I luuuuuuvv it! You always do a great job! Ok, it's time for me to go to Hobby Lobby and try to make some little pillows. :) Wish me luck:D
Blessings,
Sandra

♥ Sonny ♥ said...

Marty, you are one of those folks who KNOWS how to put patterns together.. alas I am not great at it so I'll just look at yours and enjoy it...

Happy Fall
Sonny

Margaret MacCabe Ritchie said...

I agree! I love color and mixing fabrics...Hey, I'm in AZ too! What city are you in?

Confessions of a Plate Addict said...

I love all of your fall pillows, Marty! You have really transformed your room! Have a great weekend...hugs...Debbie

Kathleen Ellis said...

Marti, you are a master at mixing up patterns and textures!!! Many people have difficulty even imagining 2 or 3 patterns in a room! I love to use lots of patterns, too...adds so much interest to the room!
Lovely!
Have a beautiful weekend!
;-D Kathleen

Melissa Miller said...

Marty yours all look beautiful! It does create more interest. :)

Kathleen said...

I was always told the magic number is 5! I love your room and your patterns!

Mary @ RoomPolish said...

wow Marty---the lime pillow was a walmart find?! Awesome! i LOOOve all the fabric patterns you have in your living room. Lovely!

laurie @ bargain hunting said...

Marty, I love it! You have mixed those patterns beautifully, and your room looks stunning and inviting. Now, come do my room! laurie

Sue (Someone's Mom) said...

I like for pillows not to match. I don't have nearly as many as you do, I tend to put a couple on the sofa and one on the loveseat. It seems as if they are always on the floor anyway. People (and the beagle) tend to move them when they sit down.

I really like how your colors turned out. As for other patterns...my living room chair is patterned, but the sofas are solid...no other patterns except the pillows. I guess I'm a little more conservative about it, but as with everything else-blogging is changing my mind!

Chari at Happy To Design said...

Hi Girlfriend...

Ohhh...I am loving all of this gorgeous new color that you have brought into your living room! Would you call this salmon? Whatever the name...it is gorgeous! Ohh..and the lime green just looks sooo pretty with it! Marty, you are such a creative and talented lady...all of the pillows that you've made are stunning! And...I love all the mix of patterns! I'm with you...the more the merrier!!! Thank you for sharing your beautiful home with us!!!

Love ya,
Chari

Yellow Rose Arbor said...

Yes, I like to mix different patterns! I absolutely LOVE all of yours together! My favorite is the iris pillow! All of the pillows are so professional looking! You are a wonderful seamstress!

Katherine

Faith Hope Cherrytea ~ said...

GorGeouS! loving your mix !