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🧵 How to Mix Fabric and Wallpaper Without Overdoing It
- Jake Morris
- May 12
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 28
Using both fabric and wallpaper in a space can look layered, luxe, and magazine-worthy—or it can feel like a design experiment gone wrong. The key? Balance, scale, and intention.
Whether you're styling a full-service home or just want your living room to feel pulled together, here’s how to mix prints and textures like a pro.
✨ 1. Stick to a Cohesive Color Palette
This is the golden rule. Even if your prints clash in scale or style, a shared color palette makes them feel like they belong together.
Choose a dominant color that repeats across both your fabric and wallpaper
Use accent colors in small doses (pillows, drapery trim, etc.)
Keep one “quiet” and let the other be the star
Tip: Pull color directly from your wallpaper to guide fabric choices.
✨ 2. Play With Scale
Want to mix florals with stripes? Or bold geometrics with soft textures? Do it—but vary the scale.
If your wallpaper has a large-scale print, go with smaller, tighter patterns for fabric
If the wallpaper is soft and subtle, let fabric bring in bolder textures or color
Don’t stack too many “medium” patterns—they’ll compete
Think of it like a band: one lead singer, one rhythm guitar, one steady bass line.
✨ 3. Add Texture to Ground the Look
Too many flat patterns can make a space feel chaotic. Use texture to break it up.
Linen drapery or bouclé upholstery can soften the impact of graphic wallpaper
Woven shades, grasscloth wallpaper, or matte paint help calm a pattern-heavy room
Don’t forget soft neutrals—they let bolder pieces shine
✨ 4. Repeat With Purpose
Repetition is what makes a mix feel intentional.
Echo a stripe from your wallpaper in a pillow or chair leg
Repeat a floral motif at different scales
Keep shapes consistent—curvy floral wallpaper + round ottoman, for example
A well-placed repeat makes the whole room feel in sync.
✨ 5. Use Neutrals as a Buffer
If it feels like “too much,” add white, cream, wood, or a neutral grounding tone.
White trim or ceilings help busy prints breathe
Neutral upholstery balances vibrant wallpaper
Natural materials (wood, jute, rattan) calm bold combos
💛 Want to Try It?
Whether you’re pairing floral wallpaper with velvet pillows or mixing stripes with tweed, NestJoy has the elevated options to make it all come together.
