It seems there are hundreds of ways you can breathe new life into your home decor, but while new colors are great, what about prints and patterns? Figuring out how to mix these together can be confusing, and making one wrong move can mean your space looking busy and cluttered. If you still want to take advantage of fun prints and patterns, then use this guide to help you out! There are a lot of ways you can create the perfect balance, but there are a lot of things you have to look out for as well. What are you waiting for? Get ready to add a fun and exciting new twist to your home decor.

1. Create Blank Space

The first rule of mixing patterns and prints is that you need to have a blank space to mix it all together. If you have too much going on, then your entire home could feel overwhelming and even give you anxiety! Don't be afraid to have blank walls, and if they really bother you, then all you have to do is paint them a bright and bold color that matches the rest of your decor. 2. Rule of Three Most home decorators will say that you should have three different patterns if you want your room to look fun, interesting and unique. When you pick these out, make sure that one of them is the largest and boldest. The next two should complement the first one nicely, but they should be different colors to change things up. It's helpful to look at all three patterns next to one another so you can see how well they mesh together.

2. Rule of Three

Most home decorators will say that you should have three different patterns if you want your room to look fun, interesting and unique. When you pick these out, make sure that one of them is the largest and boldest. The next two should complement the first one nicely, but they should be different colors to change things up. It's helpful to look at all three patterns next to one another so you can see how well they mesh together.

3. Balance Out Contrasting Patterns

If you have more than two contrasting patterns in one room, you could end up creating a look that is not what you are going for. In fact, this can make your space look messy and unkempt, even if you do your best to tidy things up! For example, if you have florals next to geometric shapes and polka dots, then you could be creating a lot of unnecessary business in just one room. Stick with one or two of these max and make sure they complement each other nicely.

4. Utilize More Than the Walls

Although your walls are the perfect places for wallpapers, why should you stop there? Patterns can be found on chairs, pillows, throw blankets, fabrics for furniture, rugs and so many other things. If you don't just want decorated walls, then look for patterns and prints that are on other things that will look good in your space.

5. Test Before You Commit

If you're not sure about a particular print or patterns, then test them out before you get started. For example, put a zebra printed throw blanket on the floor to see if it would look good as a rug. You could also take a pair of floral leggings and lay them over your couch to see if that print would look good as the fabric. Examples of different patterns and prints that work well together include: chevron, solid and floral or polka dots stripes and flowers.

Image credit: Mixed Prints and Patterns/Andrea Schumacher Interiors.

Image credit: Interior Design/HomeGoods.