Pattern mixing has become a popular trend in fashion, and it’s a trend that has carried over into home design as well. Mixing patterns in your home can help to give it a more “lived in” feel rather than looking impersonal and straight out of a catalog or window display. But there are some things to consider when mixing patterns and colors so that your rooms don’t end up looking like you just threw a bunch of things together.

Chose a color scheme.

The first rule about mixing patterns is that there has to be something that brings them all together. Having a specific color scheme can really help your pattern mixing look intentional. If you’re nervous about mixing patterns in your home, going with something simple like black and white can help you ease into it. Then just add pops of another color or two here and there with smaller items.

Use art to bring it all together.

If you don’t want to just pick a few colors for your room, let a piece of art do it for you. If you pick one statement piece for your wall that has several different colors in it, you can incorporate those colors throughout the room in different patterns and textures. Then the art will be the one central piece that holds the entire room together.

Balance it with solids.

Unless you’re really adventurous, you probably don’t want everything in your entire room to be a different pattern. Mixing solids into your room can help balance it out. If you have a patterned couch, maybe try a few solid pillows or solid curtains. Just make sure that the solid colors go along with the color scheme you’ve chosen.

Utilize small items.

You may have patterns on large items in your room like furniture, rugs, and curtains. But it’s likely that these are fairly subtle patterns or textures since they take up so much space. If you want to mix in some really bold patterns and colors, using small items like pillows and lampshades can give you the look you’re going for without being overwhelming.

Whether you just include a few pillows with different patterns or have a whole room full of various patterns, following the above tips can help you keep your room looking like a well-designed space rather than a dumping ground for all your mismatched pieces.