Introducing 'Pattern Sprinkling' — The Cool (and Fool-Proof) New Way to Use Prints in Your Home

Image of a pale pink, almost beige living room. There is an orange leather sofa with a wood coffee table in front of it. The rug is a peach and off-white checkered pattern, and there is a wooden accent chair in the corner by the door frame. .

If you're up-to-date in the interior design world, you may have noticed that the pendulum has swung back in favor of patterns lately. Sofas, wallpapers, rugs — nothing is off the table. But the thing about playing with patterns is that it's actually much harder than it looks. For a foolproof strategy, meet a new trick we're calling 'pattern sprinkling.'

It's not drenching a space in pattern; it's not purposely clashing prints — it's cleverly 'sprinkling' the same motif across a space, creating a more cohesive yet playful palette. "I absolutely love this approach," says Marta Balazs, a London-based interior designer and founder of Embee Interiors. "It’s a sophisticated and intentional way to introduce visual interest without overwhelming a space, particularly for people who aren't necessarily into maximalism. Subtle patterns bring a sense of rhythm and movement, making a room feel dynamic yet cohesive."