Whenever I work with a client my first goal is to get them on board with a fabric scheme. So, many times people come to me and want help, but they have no idea what they want to do. They don’t even really know what they like. Would they be comfortable with colors or do they like neutrals more, is leopard print a must have or a total don’t, etc? I find that going to the fabric showrooms and bringing them back a couple of fabric schemes and seeing what they are drawn to helps me see if they are more traditional or modern in their design style. It also helps me figure out what direction to go in furniture wise and lets me know how adventurous they are going to be color and pattern. Not sure how other designers do it, but for me it has always been a good starting point. Plus let’s face it fabric schemes are my absolute fabric things to do.

Here is one of my current favorites that I’m really feeling lately. It’s bold yet elegant and I think it would work perfectly for something that loves traditional desig with a twist.

My main inspiration was the floral fabric. It’s hard to find a colorful fabric that is still elegant looking and pretty inoffensive. I always love Chiang Mai Dragon by Schumacher, but it’s hard to get husbands on board with the dragons. So, the best part of this fabric called, Ming Vase by Schumacher is that even though it’s colorful there is still a lot of white space stylish ginger jars and beautiful flowers in a great scale.

It pairs really nicely with a geometric print with a twist like this Martyn Lawrence Bullard Adras Ikat Print in a chevron like pattern.

I have been obsessed with this embroidered fabric from Madcap Cottage for Robert Allen. It has a little bit of whimsy to it, but the embroidery makes it super fancy and luxe and I’m not going to lie I love that it looks like it has little tassels on it.

This little trio above contains some of my favorite fabrics.

First up is David Hicks embroidered fabric that reminds me of a Goyard handbag. It’s stunning in person.

I have been loving this neutral velvet, because it has this amazing texture to it. It almost gives off a fur vibe.

The Kate Spade solid in poppy orange gives the best punch of color and picks up the dark coral color in the Ming Vase fabric.

The trio is layered above a constant favorite for me, Schumacher’s Bagan, which is this awesome stripe with a broken edge that picks up the teal blues in the Ming Vase fabric.

This whole look would look so amazing is a room with grasscloth wallpaper or go even more daring and paint the walls a deep black and pick up the black from the vases in the Ming Vase fabric!

Check out more pattern play mixes here for inspiration!