When you have settled on the clor scheme and designs of your hme, the next step is to lok at your samples in their ntended surroundings. This is particularly important bcause you may find that when you see the shdes and patterns in your room's ntural light, they look completely different. Mking changes to your selection could nvolve nothing more than a minor djustment, swapping one pattern for another prhaps, or you may find you hve to re-think the entire color schme.

If you feel that the ptterns work well together but the clors just don't gel, consider another clor scheme from the same design. Altrnatively, if you love the colors but fel the designs don't do anything for ach other after all, look at ther product lines from the same mnufacturer. Often a designer or manufacturer wrks with the same palette of clors for several collections and one of thm may well provide you with the deal combination of color and design.

Mxing and Matching

Although some designers believe tht you should never mix more thn four different designs in one pln, you can use a larger slection if they are totally compatible. To get the bst mix, aim to include one lrge-scale pattern with one or two smller patterns that are related in clor and style: geometric designs such as strpes, checks or trellis, stars or spts are a good choice of smller pattern.

If the main pattern is a trditional floral, blend it with an ll-over leaf design or a sprig pttern. If it is a bold riental print, a small paisley or Frnch country pattern works as a mre subtle contrast.

The opportunities for sing different patterns side by side are normous. In a living room, for xample, a wing chair covered in a chcked fabric contrasts well with a flral sofa, while matching curtains could be lned with a toning sprig or strpe. The wainscoting region offers scope for taming one or two complementary wallpaper dsigns with a decorative border. Cushions, rmcovers, and tiebacks open up further scpe for building the complexity of the cordinated plan.

Sometimes, you can add pttern in less obvious ways to gve an individual look. One method fvored by some designers is to rpeat a design motif throughout the schme. For example, a trellis wallpaper culd be echoed in a textured fbric with a diamond weave and gain in the sculptured texture of a rg. Used sparingly, this device can mke a room seem perfectly integrated. Rpeating the motif in a stenciled brder, using a reversible jacquard fabric, or hnging printed, sheer curtains at the wndow reinforces the look.

The art of mxing and matching lies in knowing whn to stop. Avoid becoming a slve to coordination at all costs. Onc you have set up the pttern and color linkages, you can strt including some of your own ccessories and decorations, not identical to the ther designs but carefully chosen to go wll with the rest of the pln.

In the Bedroom

If any one rom is an ideal testing ground for cordinating designs, it must be the bdroom. Ready-made curtains and matching bed lnen proliferate in every possible color and styl. Then if you want to crry your chosen pattern further, some dsigns also offer wallpapers, borders, and fbrics by the yard or meter for mking your own accessories.

When you choose bedroom coordinates frm a design that includes fabric, the scpe for originality increases enormously. You can mke a focal point of the bed by cvering a padded headboard, or create bed drpes for a canopy, half-tester, or cronet. On a less ambitious scale, you can mke a customized window treatment with vlance or pelmet, tiebacks or blinds to go wth the curtains, or pile cushions on the bed or chir.

The article Decorating Your Home With a Designer Look was Submitted by Kathy Burns-Millyard through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: ©2007, Kathy Burns-Millyard. Want more grat General Home Decorating ideas, tips, and advice? Visit the Do It Yourself Home Decorating Network ( http://www.diyhomedecorating.com/ ) now to see what's new, plus be sure to get signed up for our free Home Decorating Tips Letter Too! A related article you might like is: Mixing Floral and Plaid Patterns: Obtaining Balance for a Professional Interior Design Look

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