Choose a Wallcovering Pattern to Create or Complement Decor

When drapes, carpeting or upholstery establish the at­mosphere in a room, the wallcover­ing should be chosen as a coordinating pattern to complete the decor.

Keep two things about pattern in mind; color and scale. Colors should be alike—scale should not. Visual variety is the key.

When a wallcovering is the beginning focus, it's easy to borrow its colors for the rest of the fur­nishings. A background color might be used for the woodwork, a medium range for the carpeting and the most outstanding color for accents.

When choosing a pattern, consider the size of the room being decorated. The smaller the room the more important it is that the open, unpatterned or negative space be large. If the pattern is very close together it gives the illusion of smallness and intimacy, which might be great in a medium to large room but not in a small room.

Think about the scale of the pattern itself. Will it harmonize with other design elements in the room? Does it go with the furniture?

When patterns are selected careful­ly, the wallcovering can work with the furnishings to create a unified, custom look. A contemporary room can get its visual energy from a vigorous geometric paper, deftly balanced by the quiet solids of the carpet and modular sofas, accented by the coordinating fabric on the chairs.

Whether planning a room around wallcovering, or planning around fur­nishings and tying it all together with wallcovering—a balanced, custom look should always be your result.