Email Answer: Match Point
Q: Help! I’d really love your input and expertise with a designing conundrum I often find myself in. I’ve checked out several design/home décor books lately in an effort to grasp the ever elusive concept of “the perfect room.” It seems that everything I read both in books and online state the same thing – being matchy-matchy in decorating is the cardinal sin and anyone seen committing it should be voted off the island. So here is my dilemma: how do you coordinate a room using a chosen color scheme, but avoid making it appear too contrived and heaven forbid – matchy-matchy? I feel that every room in my house always come up short – if I stick to my color scheme, it often looks boring and flat. If I branch out and add pops of color, it tends to appear disjointed. Is there a basic rule that would help me in decorating my rooms? I’d love some pointers. As always, love you both. You’re great in every way. Cheers! – Jamie
A: Ideally, you want a room to “coordinate” but not “match.” Rooms that coordinate have varied textures, prints, materials, and tones that work together and appear balanced and cohesive. Rooms that match usually have all the same colored wood (usually all made by the same company and sold in a suite) they also have a matching sofa and loveseat or matching bedding that was sold in a set- heck, you know what matchy-matchy looks like so I won’t belabor it! Here’s a model-home-ish example thanks to JC Penney:
The basics aren’t bad (we could totally work with the tan sofas and the side tables, but we’d bring in a bigger rug with a pattern or a texture and switch out the wood coffee table that matches those side tables for a round leather ottoman or even a few smaller rattan cubes. The major takeaway from this point is that rooms that look collected over time (and feature a variety of tones, textures, and materials) always look eons more stylish than rooms that look like they could have been purchased all at once from one store.
But there’s a fine line between collected over time and mismatched and chaotic, as demonstrated by this tossed-together dorm room decor:
The key:
1. variations in texture & materials add stylish, layered interest that draws you in, but…
2. a deliberate, defined color palette reins things in and keeps the room cohesive
Here’s a room from House Beautiful that totally gets it right:
See how the side tables are painted cream but the coffee table is dark wood? Notice how there’s texture in the upholstery and even in the grasscloth wallpaper? See how the palette is pretty tight, just yellows and creams with a dash of dark wood and two pops of deep blue?
Adding texture and subtle, layered interest is the surefire way to a warm and inviting space that feels finished yet anything but formulaic. Here are a few examples of some varied materials and textures that can be brought in to create the perfect foundation for a stylish space: leather chair + tan couch + black metal & glass coffee table + woven tray on the coffee table + dark wood TV stand + chocolate shag pillows + tan linen pillows + cream linen curtains + jute rug.
Notice all the different materials and textures that will add that layered style that feels collected over time: wood with metal, linen with jute, leather with upholstery. But note that they’re still in a similar color palette: the black metal works closely with the dark wood and the brown leather, the cream curtains and the tan linen pillows are similar in tone to the jute rug. Thanks to the coordinating tones of these foundation pieces, you can then add a few brightly colored accessories into the mix without fear of things looking too chaotic (ex: plush red pillows and orange glass vases, along with a punchy red work of art above the fireplace. But it’s important to keep a tight color scheme in mind (in this example: chocolate, tan, cream, red and orange) and not just go accessory crazy at Target.
Take this room that feels a bit flat as an example (also from JC Penney). It’s not nearly as textured, layered and interesting as it could be:
Just switching out the basic tan curtains with these subtly striped cream ones from West Elm, replacing the matching ottoman with this textured rattan table, and bringing in a larger patterned wool rug would add movement and texture for a serene and inviting space with character and interest. And to expand the palette and bring some color into the mix, some punchy silk pillows on the sectional and a brightly colored glass-based lamp on the side table would inject more of that je ne sais quoi!
Prints and patterns are another way to add interest and style to your space- especially if it’s feeling a little blah. And when it comes to mixing patterns, there are a few ways to keep them from looking disjointed and chaotic, and our new lattice pillow in our bedroom conveniently demonstrates a few of our favorite pattern mixing tips.
First of all, you want one of the prints or patterns to be a larger scale, more bold pattern (the pillow) while the other pattern is smaller in scale and a bit more subtle (the duvet cover). It’s usually a good idea for the smaller sized item to be the more bold piece (ex: a subtle small-scale patterned armchair paired with a graphic large-scale patterned pillow). Although we’ve seen some majorly dramatic rooms with large geometric or floral patterns in the curtains or even on the walls that knock our socks off, so it can go either way.
The other thing to keep in mind when you’re mixing and matching would be to try to keep the patterns or prints in the same color family. Thanks to the similar tone found in both the duvet cover and the pillow, they don’t seem to be fighting each other and can peacefully coexist in our master bedroom.
So there you have it: layered textures + a defined color palette + mixed & matched patterns = a visually interesting, coordinated space that looks warm and authentic and anything but matchy-matchy. Do you guys have any tips for keeping your rooms interesting and anything but cookie-cutter without erring on the side of crazy? We’d love to hear what works for you! Dish the decorating dirt…
Images courtesy of JC Penney, Evangel.edu, and House Beautiful
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Comments
Hey Rachel,
Love both of those bed options. Great starting point. For the bed, the bedside tables and the dresser, they can all be the same finish without being from the same set, does that make sense? The subtle differences even in the knobs and the shape can really create a layered effect instead of seeing the same drawer pulls on three different pieces in the room. For the night tables I would actually do the same piece for balance (yes, they’ll match perfectly along with the bedside lamps on top of them) and for the dresser another deep-toned clean-lined piece will work, but since they won’t all come in a set from the same store along with the bed it’ll look great. For example, maybe two round chocolate night tables with white lacquered lamps will look awesome next to the angular bed along with an angular dresser across the room (with a bit white framed mirror over it to balance the white lamps). And of course layering in different bedding/pillows/art will really get rid of any cookie cutter feeling in there. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I am probably too late to this post, but I have a question about matching pillows to the room. We have leather chairs and a leather loveseat, dark wood coffee table, end table, and tv console. I lightened up the room with white cotton curtains on the french doors (our only source of natural light in the room). The room is a very soft cool green (Ben Moore’s gray wisp) with white trim and the carpet is a sand/light tan color, there are 2 lamps with ecru shades. Now, what colors do I need to use with throw pillows for the chairs and loveseat? Any advice would be greatly appreciated – I am horrible with interior design – not a creative bone in my body! Thanks!
Hey Jennifer,
Anything light to break up all that leather and dark wood will really brighten things up and make the room feel more layered and dimensional. I would suggest anything from a few pillows in the light green family to work with your walls and maybe even a few crisp white ones and sand ones to layer in there (mix and match so things don’t feel too formal and staged). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I love the fabric on your duvet cover! Do you happen to know where can I find something similar?
Hey Marrika,
Our duvet cover is from West Elm but unfortunately they don’t sell it anymore. The good news is that we see it on ebay fairly regularly so that’s a good place to look (search “west elm blue duvet” and hopefully it’ll come up). Hope it helps! Happy hunting…
xo,
s
Hello youngsters we have black furniture (i.e. couch, side tables. tv console and a book shelf) in the living room. We are planning to paint it Glidden’s Juicy Cantaloupe, should we get a medium brown wood coffee table or a dark wood color like the one in the picture above?
Hey Elizabeth,
It’s all about personal preference. Both would work with your furnishings and the new wall color, although something in a medium brown tone might further break up all that black with a pop of lighter hue in the middle of the space. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hello! I know you hear it all the time, but I love your site! I fell into the “matchy-matchy” problem. We have all new furniture, and since I was unable to find side tables that I liked, I ended up getting ones that match our coffee table and side table. Now it’s matchy-matchy central! We have a cream colored couch from pb, and a dark brown wood coffee table, side tables and a console table. Any suggestions to break it up to make it look less matchy-matchy? Do you think texture in curtains, a rug, etc will make enough of a difference? (Our walls are a light ice blue with a white brick fireplace. So far we have pops of aqua and light green.) Thanks!
Hey Amanda,
I would definitely start by bringing in texture in the accessories (curtains, throw pillows, a rug, table lamps, etc) and then see where you end up. You might want to switch out your side tables for square glass ones down the line, but even something as simple as placing a big round woven tray on your coffee table to break up all that wood could help. There are definitely a lot of ways to layer on the interest and texture, so see what you can do before making any major furniture purchases like new side tables because we’re betting you can make it work! Good luck!
xo,
s
Thanks so much! Do you have any specific rug suggestions? We want something on the inexpensive side since we have a new kitten, and I haven’t been able to find the perfect one yet. Also, would you suggest matching or mis-matching lamps? Thanks again!
Hey Amanda,
We love the plethora of rugs on overstock.com so head over there and see what you can find (tip: get something a few shades darker or lighter than the couch and furniture or even go for a soft accent color to mix things up even more). As for lamps, we love how two matching side table lamps look flanking a couch (it’s all about balance) but bringing them in with an interesting material or color will set them apart from other things in the room so they don’t blend in and look blah (try glass based lamps, bright painted gourd lamps, etc). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi there!
I am absolutely IN LOVE with your blog. We just purchased our first home a couple months ago and your posts have been so inspiring.
I just read the post today about matching metals, but figured my comment/question would make more sense here. We are currently having a matchy-matchy issue on our living room (uh-oh). We have a tan microfiber sectional, white cotton-covered (the IKEA Jennylund), and several pieces of black painted furniture in the room [small bookshelf (Taget), media console, and coffee table(both IKEA)]. In addition, we’ve got some black framed artwork and painted black shadow boxes with white accessories on the walls. We’ve got darker hardwood floors (still saving for a brown with teal/green/aqua area rug!) and our accessory colors are shades of green and blue as well as white.
Here’s the big Q: How do we break up the black without breaking the bank? Is it possible to refinish – or would everything be too painted? I’ve thought about ditching the coffee table altogether for a fabric ottoman (that I would hopefully stumble across at a yard sale and re-cover, haha) but would love some other ideas for the DIY gurus.
Thanks so much!
Hey Christine,
Just play with things on the cheap and see what you like. A quick way to break up sofas and chairs are colorful pillows and even consoles and other accent tables can be fitted with cheap fabric runners (you can even cut yards of burlap from a fabric store and keep the edges raw to create gorgeous textured homemade runners). As for switching out the coffee table for a fabric ottoman, that would also be a great way to break stuff up and other things like large trays (in another color) and even big hardcover books can add even more layered color and style to keep things from looking flat. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi!
I have been glued to your blog since a friend recommended it to me a few weeks ago. I love your style and amazing home make-overs! We are in the process of remodeling our bathroom, that looks like it’s the same size and layout as yours (only flipped). I’m so excited to see your finished room (and ours too, but that may take a few months at the rate we’re going). My husband and I have been in our first home for 2 1/2 years, and are taking on small projects to make some updates here and there.
My question has to do with living room decor. I have finally decided to sew slip covers for our couch and love seat (a large undertaking, I know). They currently are a big floral pattern (given to us by my parents), therefore all our decor had to be neutral and subdued, due to to the overpowering floral print. The living room is painted a light golden-tan with a mocha accent wall (colors we both like). I am planning on covering the couches in a tan khaki fabric, and adding some accent pillows in brown, maybe green, and even a pattern or stripe. I’m just afraid that the room is going to be “too tan” or too neutral once the accent rug, walls, and soon-to-be couch are all in the light-tan family. I am contemplating making the bottom couch cushions a dark brown with the back pillows the light tan, but I don’t want it to look like circus furniture! Any suggestions? I really like the living room photo you referenced from House beautiful, but I don’t know if I could pull that off. I want it to be fresh, modern, and beautiful but there are SO many fabrics to choose from.
Thanks for your help!
-Sarah
Hey Sarah,
Here’s a post all about how we mix and match patterns to keep them feeling cohesive instead of overwhelming: http://www.younghouselove.com/2009/02/pillow-talk/
As for your living room, bringing in colors and patterns (pops of green, stripes) in the pillows and accessories (even green glass-based lamps would be great!) will definitely keep things from getting too tone on tone and monochromatic. And the idea to do darker cushions would also be fun so feel free to drape fabric over your sofa to “test” it out and see what you think! A lot of times its the art work, trays, vases, pillows, and other accessories that break things up and add texture and interest so even in a room with neutral walls and a neutral couch it never feels boring (both of our living rooms have neutral sofas and wall colors!). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi There! Another addict to your blog. Ok so what happens when I’ve committed the matchy match sin? When we purchased our bedroom set 5 years ago – I just bought the “whole” package. Yes I own the bed, night stands, five drawer chest and six drawer dresser. Oh and of course I have 2 matching table lamps on each night stand….;-(
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=1012&f=31004
Aside from buying new furniture – how do I make it look less matchy match? We have a large floor mirror in that room that is made out of a bronze steel and a black leather chair. Aside from that it’s my “set” of furniture.
Thanks!
Accessories are the answer to layer in varied textures and tones! Try a woven or patterned rug underfoot, plants to break up all that wood, varied fabrics in the pillows on the bed instead of a bunch of coordinated ones (here’s a post on that subject) and colorful vases, candle holders, art and other accents to continue to add dimension to make the space look less flat and predictable. And have no fear about matching nightstand lamps, we actually love two big statement lamps that match on either side of the bed. The key is that the lamps are a varied texture/tone than the side tables and other furnishings (thinks glass based lamps with woven shades or chrome based lamps with soft green shades) so they again add more interest and varied texture/tone to the space instead of blending in with all that matching furniture. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hiya
I was wondering if you could give me your opinion where we have gone wrong in our lounge project and help with furniture ideas.
I don’t know how to get the pic to upload to show you so i’ll just describe it.
It’s painted white with a black accent chimmney breast (no fireplace anymore). We have a black corner sofa and deep red carpet.All the trim is painted gloss white.
We need all the furniture ie tv unit, coffee table, shelving etc but i don’t know what will go! i don’t like black units i would prefer wood if i could get it to work. I think maybe the red carpet is a mistake and should replace it with a natural colour. (we live in the north of Scotland so carpet is cosy!)
Thank you
Xanthe
x
Hmm, why not sort through over 120 mood boards that we’ve whipped up for color palette and furniture ideas? Just by clicking through and finding one you like, you can instantly figure out what you gravitate towards and use it as a guide with your lounge! Here’s that link for you: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30982446@N02/sets/72157608290321631/
As for replacing the carpet with something more neutral, it would probably make the room more cozy and welcoming. Then you could get wood units and be well on your way. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hey, guys…love love LOVE your blog! Anyway, my husband and I are looking to buy new bedroom furniture, and I want to avoid the matchy matchy! When I told him this, he said “Isn’t everything supposed to match?” and I gave him the good ole line from What Not to Wear “It’s supposed to go, not match.” Anyway, I’m having trouble. I feel like in a living room, I could do this no problem, but with a bedroom, I still want things to match in color!
For our bed, we’re thinking of either this Zgallerie bed: http://www.zgallerie.com/pc-7343-66-jett-platform-bed.aspx
or this overstock bed: http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Soho-Queen-Bed/4075073/product.html
but after that, I’m stuck. We need at least 2 nightstands (do they have to be the same?) and a fairly good size dresser. I want it to look like everything goes together, and I just can’t seem to do that! Help!