Think of choosing colours to decorate your room in the same terms as putting together an outfit; decide on a prevalent colour group, then choose a neutral background. Add a printed fabric just as you would add a scarf, a belt or a handbag. For example, if you have covered a traditional armchair in solid sea green, you can add a printed cushion of the same texture and combine it with a printed colourful throw.
For inspiration, you can look at fabrics, art and artefacts from across the world, from the Americas to Africa, to Asia: through abstract, striped or floral prints you can enrich the composition of your room because a printed pattern introduces visual complexity and adds interest. A print can be subtle or colorful, joyfully or serious, outrageous or sophisticated.
Often a print pattern can be inspired by an artistic work, sometimes by a classical architecture. How much print you want in your spaces is essentially a matter of personal taste. A few printed cushions, a large-scale printed curtain, a printed tablecloth with napkins can represent a valid approach and the most important feature of your favorite room. Small, all-over prints can go also well with stripes and checks, while floral prints are a mainstay in of printed fabrics and are associated in the popular imagination with a country style of decoration.
