Many people hear the words “mixing patterns” and immediately think it’s a big no-no. But done well, mixing patterns can be beautiful, not to mention as sophisticated as it is visually interesting. The lovely shelter magazine Elle Décor did a great piece on “How to Mix Patterns Stylishly.” Here are a couple of suggestions we especially agree with:

Staying within one color intensity is essential, as is keeping the palette consistent. In this mountain eclectic entry we incorporated pattern in the settee with a bold plaid and added a more neutral pattern on the accent pillows, tying together the patterns with similar red, aqua and gold tones.

But you can also add pattern somewhere more unexpected. Elle Décor suggests adding pattern to other areas as well, like the back side of a dining chair—precisely what we did in this dining room design:

If you’d like pattern expertly incorporated into your Colorado home, contact Home on the Range. We would be happy to help.

Images: Photos by Tim Murphy; Interior designs by Home on the Range; Architecture by Joe Patrick Robbins, AIA