The Pattern Book: 64,000 Pattern Combinations for Your Home

When choosing fabric for home furnishings, most people play it safe and decide on subtle patterns or plain colors, leaving a room looking rather bland. The Pattern Book urges us to be braver and bolder in our choice of fabrics and patterns by helping us practice the art of mixing and matching patterns and colors. The book explains the theories behind successful pattern mixing and, most importantly, provides pattern swatches so that readers can begin putting the theories into practice.

The bulk of the book is the 120 fabric swatches contained inside. They're grouped by pattern type, based on the most natural and likely combination of patterns: large-scale and floral fabrics, stripes, and textured or small patterns. The swatch groups lie side by side for easy matching. Readers can flip through the swatches to choose the colors, textures, and patterns that appeal to them and that coordinate with the other fabrics they've chosen. All of the fabrics shown in the book can be purchased using the contact details on the back of each swatch but, as the book points out, the object is to make homeowners feel confident enough to be able to match any fabric patterns, not just the ones in the book.

The book provides tips on using the various patterns to best effect. For instance, textured patterns are a safe bet for the "pattern timid" because they add only a slight, raised pattern without overwhelming with color. Homeowners with a small room would do better to use large-scale patterns, rather than small patterns, to make the room seem cozier. The book also lays down a set of ground rules that will provide nervous beginners with some helpful guidelines. By using The Pattern Book, homeowners should begin to feel comfortable, even excited, about combining patterns in their home. --Kris Law