12 great ways to work clashing patterns

1. Mediterranean chic

The Mediterranean palette of white and blue is eternally chic - here, modern white furniture and accessories add a calming influence to the mix of bold patterns resulting in an interesting yet soothing space.

2. Monochrome magic

All-monochrome schemes do run a risk of looking flat, so layering prints and patterns in different scales is the perfect answer to keep the look modern yet full of interest. Natural textures make for the perfect finishing touch.

3. Choose your focus

Stripes and florals? Yes, you can achieve a balanced feel putting these clashing elements together. The key is to choose one as the main focus, then introduce the other in smaller doses just like you would an accent colour.

4. Stick to your guns

The easiest way to approach mixing patterns is to keep in mind one consistent theme for your room. Here the Navaho trend is a clear inspiration, making all manner of Aztec and geometric patterns work together to achieve the final look.

5. The rule of three

The owner of this house has stuck to the design mantra of using only three materials or colours in a space –green, monochrome and hot pink are repeated for a cohesive feel despite variety of patterns and finishes.

6. A dose of symmetry

This bedroom zings with punchy colour combinations and eye-catching motifs, but the feel remains balanced thanks to the central position of the bed between two doors. It gives this space a natural symmetry, while the bold wallpaper makes a feature not only of the wall, but also of the bed positioned against it.

7. The playful eclectic

This living room is fun and playful - a melange of styles, colours and eras, where vintage finds mingle with upcycled family heirlooms, designer touches and show-stopping wallpaper. How does it still feel harmonious? By sticking to the nature-inspired palette.

8. Geometry lesson

This modern bedroom features Grecian, Egyptian and Moorish motifs in glamorous copper and blush shades. It's proof that you can never go wrong with mixing multiple geometric patterns - keeping the colour palette consistent pulls the look together.

9. Blank canvas

There's a real mix of textures and patterns in this living room but the white canvas of the walls and woodwork let the different fabrics - from geometrics to florals to Aztec - work together, without the overwhelming feel one might associate with clashing several patterns.

10. Rules are made to be broken

Heard the design rule about never mixing spots and stripes?
Yeah, you can forget it right now. If in doubt, use black or white as your anchor colour, then go to town with your textiles - we guarantee it will all hang together nicely. Case in point is above.

11. Tonally speaking

There's florals, there's geometrics, there's stripes, there's abstract. While this room breaks the rule of three when it comes to multitude of patterns, it does stick to a harmonious, tonal palette that unifies the individual elements of this eclectic space.

12. Play with scale

Layering prints in different scales gives an instant sense of texture. Stick to a simple aquamarine palette for a sun-drenched look straight out of the Greek islands.