At Porch Light Interiors, fabrics are our passion and we love to mix many different patterns to create completely unique spaces for our clients. Fabrics add life and fun to our interior projects and we have travelled the world to meet with fabric designers and collate a collection of fabrics that we are confident bring quality and a strong sense of style to our clients homes. Our favourite base cloth is natural linen with beautiful unique artisanal prints such as block printing or hand screen printed in amazing colours.
When we select patterns for a project there are a few different steps we take. We first chose a colour that we want to thread throughout the project and then we select a story of fabrics built around this, using at least 3 different scales of print to keep it interesting. We will often choose a small scale print, large scale print and a hero fabric which may be floral or just have a stronger presence.
Step 1: Evaluate Your Existing or Desired Palette
To select your own fabrics, take a look at the existing palate in your home. What is the colour that you keep coming back to which brings you a sense of joy. This is a great place to start when selecting your fabric ranges. Build from this by adding in complementary colours so that it isn’t boring or one dimensional.
If you are having trouble selecting a colour palate or don’t feel confident choosing complementary colours, take a look at design-seeds.com.
Step 2: Find Your “Design Bridge”
We love to start with a ‘hero fabric’ which has multiple colours in it including the base colour for the space. From this fabric, we can build a story around it, choosing fabrics that harmonise but we are careful that we don’t choose fabrics that look too similar or “over-decorated”. We select from multiple different suppliers so that it doesn’t look like the fabrics are all too coordinated. This is the best way to make each room totally unique.
Fabrics are not the only way to bring the extra colours into a space. We also use floor rugs and artwork to add interest and layering in any space. It is a great idea to collect the fabrics, floor rug sample and images of artwork and put them together prior to purchasing so you get a good feel for how they all interact with one another. You can do this with physical samples or else put them together in an online storyboard if not possible to get the physical samples.
Step 3: Vary the Patterns’ Scales
Selecting a variety of scales in patterns is very important so that the fabrics are complimenting each other and not competing. We may choose the multicoloured fabric that bridges all the others first and then select a large and small scale fabric that work with it. Avoiding fabrics of the same scale print means that the fabrics feel connected and not clashing or competing.
We may select a small scale print on an occasional chair and then a larger scale print for the cushion on the chair. A patterned floor rug that is larger scale with a simple block colour sofa and then a mix of scale cushions on the sofa is interesting but not too busy that your eye has nowhere to rest.
Step 4: Test Your Patterns Before Committing
When investing in any new pieces in the home, particularly big investment pieces such as curtains, sofas and floor rugs, it is always best to put all the patterns together first to make sure they are going to work in the space. It takes some training to imagine how they will all work together as samples can look very busy when placed all together without the white space of a room to break the patterns. For example a large natural coloured linen sofa is a very powerful calmer in a space and can allow for patterns to be toned down. Simple painted walls can also do the same so don’t be afraid of seeing the patterns all together as they will broken up and spread throughout an entire space.
When bringing the patterns into the room for testing, spread them out to where they will be placed so you can see how they are interacting with one another. If you still don’t feel confident, invest in a consultation with a designer that is experienced in pulling a room together. Having someone to offer a second opinion can give you confidence moving forward.
Step 5: Go for it! Implement those Patterns into Your Space
Awesome job on making it this far through the steps in selecting prints and pieces for your space. Have fun experimenting and putting ideas together.
If you find you need a hand with palette or styling your space, don’t be shy! Just reach out and we’d be happy to help.
Until next time,
Tracey & Hayley xx
