Pattern Play

I talk about it a lot in different posts, so I figured it's finally time to dedicate a whole post to pattern play. There is a fine line between "wow what a lovely table" and "wow what an interesting table" when mixing patterns. Some people are fans and some may not be, but I have a couple simple steps for you that will make pattern play, simple, fun, and fool proof.

First, be sure that the patterns are in the same color family, like dark and light blues, or reds and pinks. I wouldn't go so far as to mix different patterns in colors like blue and yellow. That could be just a slight bit overwhelming for your guests. Keeping the shades similar will make the patterns look complimentary to each other and not so mix matched.

Lastly, if the patterns will be laying together, such as a table cloth and napkin, the patterns should always be of different sizes. For example, a bold striped tablecloth should have a small polka dot napkin or vice versa. If you have a napkin that has a very bold print like a multi colored floral with large buds, I would pair it with a small striped tablecloth in a shade from the floral.

See not so hard right? I mean, look how gorgeous this table is from Rue Magazine? They did a beautiful job of mix matching patterns and keeping the table uniform!