There is a beauty to mismatched colours in a room, but it might take some confidence to break away from conventional colour schemes. In this article, we’ll discover what it means to create a beautiful colour scheme and answer ‘can you put mismatched colours in a room?’
You know what its like: you get the odd piece of new furniture and all of a sudden, bam, your home is as mismatched as a circus tent.
But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing, as long as you still have balance, mismatched colours, even mismatched patterns, can work. Plus, there’s always time for clowning around, isn’t there?
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Set of 2 Amy chairs – Anthropologie £448
The key is to have something that ties it all together, like a pattern or a colour that’s repeated – even a certain type of woodwork could do the trick.
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Maximalism has been trending in the interiors world since 2021 and you could claim maximalism is all about mismatch, so this trend would certainly suggest you can have mismatched colours in a room. Even I, the self-professed minimalist, have embraced maximalism by adding lots of different colours in my home.
Maximalism embraces lots of bold colours and vibrant patterns; there is some great examples of this on social media platforms like Pinterest and Instagram.
Perle glass coupes set of 2 – Anthropologie £42
Clashing colours and patterns create a vibrant energy in a room whereas matching colours create a sense of peace and tranquility. Therefore, this can help you decide which rooms are most suitable for mismatched colours.You may want to feel bright and lively in the kitchen – who doesn’t love a kitchen dance – but relaxed in your bedroom.
what is the three colour rule in interior design?
The three colour rule, also known as the 60-30-10 rule, is a guide for a balanced colour scheme. You have a dominant, secondary and accent colour to create a harmonious colour palette for your room. However, this is only a rule of thumb and can be altered to suit your own taste and needs.
As someone who loves using colour in their own interior design, there are many times when I’ve had less than and more than three colours in a room – it still looks great. While rules like this can be useful, don’t let them restrict your creative flare. You do you, babes.
Pernille Rosenkilde flower coupe – Anthropologie £22
does everything have to match in a room?
In my experience, everything ‘matching’ and everything ‘working together’ in a space are two different things; imagine curtains, sofas and wallpaper all in the same print – it would be overkill, you know? Mismatched colours and patterns can be the key to a good design for a room.
Sometimes, finding what works is down to trial and error rather than finding the ‘perfect match’; if it feels harmonious to you then trust your gut.
Not only are mismatched colours in fashion, as we’ve seen with the maximalism trend, but they might be better for the planet; striving to get everything to match perfectly may result in you wanting to get rid of things that serve a function, but aren’t aesthetically perfect. This could be wasteful and unsustainable; there are lots of ways you can tie something into a room without having to call the bin man.
Land and Sky 4 by Jennifer Allevato – Anthropologie £448
what is the 80-20 rule in decorating?
Also known as the Pareto Principle, the 80-20 rule suggests 80% of the end result can be achieved by focusing on 20% of the design. So basically, putting the most effort into one detail will have the biggest impact, like flooring or furniture. When I was redesigning my bathroom, I vaulted the ceiling, to this day, its made the biggest impact to the overall design and gives it the ‘wow’ factor.
If you’re having trouble knowing where to prioritise your time, resources or budget, then the 80-20 rule might be very useful for you.
Pernille Rosenkilde striped cushion – Anthropologie £68
what Are clashing colours in interior design?
Clashing colours are colours which sit on opposite ends of the colour wheel. Clashing colours aren’t always a bad thing; they’ve been used to create a big impact in design for years.
how many colours should be in one room?
According to the three colour rule I mentioned earlier, three colours should be used in one room for a harmonious colour palette, however, I would take this with a pinch of salt; colour drenching and maximalism are big in interior design right now, neither of which follow this rule.
can you put mismatched colours in a room: a summary
- Mismatched colours create energy and life in a room.
- Depending on the vibe you want to create, mismatched colours can go together in a room.
- While the three colour rule (60-30-10 rule) is a good rule of thumb, it doesn’t always have a place when decorating and designing.
- Maximalism is very trendy right now which incorporates a lot of mismatched patterns and prints.
- When using mismatched colours in a room, to make it more harmonious, use something like woodwork, to tie it all together.
Some of my favourite mismatched furnishings below:
Oval rag rug – Urban Outfitters £35
Pernille Rosenkilde dessert plate – Anthropologie £16
Pernille Rosenkilde striped cushion – Anthropologie £68
Business and Pleasure Co. Tommy Amalfi beach chair – Anthropologie £298
Set of 4 Miranda napkins – Anthropologie £36
Glass wiggle serving carafe – Anthropologie £60
Cotton beach blanket – ARKET £19
Glass tea light holder – ARKET £10