Decorating with Floral Pillows

Floral patterned pillows are making a comeback, but as with any patterns in your home, it’s important to mix wisely. Too many patterns can make a space feel cluttered and overwhelming. There are tons of different ways to mix and match patterns to incorporate floral throw pillows into an interior space, from creative color combinations to carefully choosing how to match patterns and more.

Mix and Match

Mixing patterns doesn’t have to be tasteless. By following a few simple rules to combining patterns, it’s actually quite simple to make sure your mix of patterns is classy, not tacky. When mixing colors, it’s important to stick within the bounds of similar color intensities and tones. Don’t mix brights with pastels, for instance.

In addition, follow the rule of three. Odd numbers are best when grouping, so start with a large-scale, dominant pattern to make a strong statement. Accent the first with a half-scale pattern that shares one or two colors with the first pattern. Finally, add a complementary or neutral color that has a smaller scale to offset the first two.

Choosing Your Florals

When done well, bringing florals into the mix can create a tasteful bouquet effect or make your home feel like a wildflower haven. Choosing floral patterns involves all of the above strategies, and then some. Floral throw pillows can make excellent accents without completely overwhelming an interior space, or they can comprise a tasteful complement for larger floral patterns.

One way to mix multiple floral patterns is to choose multiple floral prints that share the same background color. White and off-white colors like beige are good neutral tones for pillow backgrounds and allow for layering of multiple sized pillows.

If you’re adding floral prints to other patterns, color is again the key. Multiple textiles should always have at least one hue in common, so choose that color for your floral additions. Even if you have different patterns on your upholstery, curtains, carpeting, and more, the space won’t feel overwhelming as long as you have something in common across the board. On that note, if you have a very finely detailed couch pattern, opt for a larger, more open floral pattern like this one for your throw pillows.

Balance is key. Florals make great accents to solid colors. If you have a dark red couch, choose throw pillows with deep red flowers against a white or cream background. Match them with solid white or cream-colored throw pillows to make the patterns feel more cohesive but still stand out.

Finally, if you want florals to be the focal point of the room, choose a pattern or particular floral piece that you love, and use other patterns as supports or accents to truly highlight your style. Mixing patterns doesn’t have to be tasteless. By following a few simple rules, it’s actually quite simple to make sure your mix of patterns is classy, not tacky. When mixing colors, it’s important to stick within the bounds of similar color intensities and tones. Don’t mix brights with pastels, for instance.