The Divine Diva’s Guide to Mixing Patterns: Why Chevron is the New Black

Whoever said patterns should be used to accent a room was sorely mistaken.

Patterns are all the rage this summer, especially those boasting bright colors and geometric shapes and lines. Why not have some fun and pile those patterns up?! Accent, Shmac-cent.

Probably the most popular pattern this season is Chevron – somewhat of a modern take on the traditional stripes, usually characterized by rows of clean zigzag lines in two or more different colors.  Often, chevron consists of a bright, pastel, or neutral color + white, making it easy to match with the other décor in your space. Because it is a simple design, chevron is also easy to mix it with more complex patterns in different styles.

Here are a few general pattern-mixing guidelines to consider:

- Stick to similar color families/shades or use a few complimentary colors

- Use 3 different patterns (or 5, as an odd number tends to look better)

- Scale is important (if using 3 patterns choose 1 each of small, medium, and large)

- At least one of the patterns should be completely different than the others (for example, mixing stripes + polka dots with an intricate floral pattern…just remember to stick to similar colors!)

Do you dare try this technique? We hope you do, and we hope you snap a few pics and share them with us!