How To Mix Color and Pattern

Color and pattern make a room pop with personality, and they're great starting points for decorating your teen's room. The options are endless, from playful polka dots and pretty paisleys to bold rugby stripes and more. One or two patterns, like an animal print or a madras plaid, can inspire the entire room's palette.


If your teen prefers patterned bedding, pull a color from the pattern to guide the rest of the room's palette — from the wall color to their accessories. Pull a color from the bedding to guide their wall color, and use tonal variations of it in their accessories. A bright pink quilt, for example, might inspire painted stripes of tonal pinks. If your teen has a duvet cover covered in navy camo, try coordinating navy drapes or a matching navy rug.


Limit the number of patterns and colors in
your teen's room. Decide on a dominant pattern, then pick a few complementary patterns that are simpler in style. Lastly, choose one or two solid-color fabrics for balance.

Whether your teen prefers pastels, bolds, brights or neutrals, mix patterns of different colors with the same intensity. Small, simple patterns like stripes or dots mix well with
fabrics featuring larger-scale prints.

How To Mix Color and Pattern