How to Co-ordinate Fabric and Wallpaper

How to Co-ordinate Fabric and Wallpaper

Choosing a pattern for your wallpaper or fabric and knowing how to coordinate them can be a daunting task. There are so many styles, colours, and patterns to choose from and over time you might find a room becomes a busy mix of clashing fabrics, patterns, and styles. But with a little guidance, you’ll be able to bring your interior style together into a homely and cohesive look. Here are our top styling tips for choosing wallpaper and fabric which will look great together.

Look for Inspiration

Before you start its worth taking a few minutes to think about what you like and what you want to do with the space, you can then use this to build a theme or style for the room.

It can help to consider the following questions:

• What do you love most about the room? Is there a way to show it off more, or are there colours, patterns and materials you want to keep.
• Is there a particular interior design style or look you want to achieve? Are you looking to make the room contemporary or traditional, is there one style you like or do you want to mix it up?  
• What colours does the room have? think about the floors, doors, windows, appliances, and anything else which is likely to remain. When you pick a colour scheme it can help to keep this in mind, you will want to tone new colours in with them and maybe pick up one or more of these colours as an accent.
• Do you want bright and vibrant colours or a softer and more muted colour palette?
• What will you refresh - will you cover all the walls in wallpaper or just a feature wall? Will you replace the window dressings and upholster the sofa or do you just want a few cushions and a new chair?

To help you find inspiration for what to do with your room it helps to browse through magazines, as well as new and trending collections, to see if there are any fabrics, wallpapers or styles which speak to you. Pinterest and Instagram are both fantastic but so are liefestyle magazines and websites like Houzz. 

You can also browse our website we have 1,000s of fabrics and wallpapers from the leading interiors brands, which you can view online and filter by pattern, colour, material, brand and more. If you want to visit our showroom we also have hundreds of fabric and wallpaper books (just send us an email to book your appointment). 

 

Work with Existing Design Elements

If there are elements of the room which can't be changed, or parts of the existing style you want to keep, you may be a little more limited in what you can choose. If this sounds like your situation, don't worry! You can still find a wallpaper or fabric that will work for what you're looking for if you follow these tips:

 

Reflect Existing Decor and Patterns

• If toning in to existing decor, choose something complementary and make sure there isn't too much contrast between the two items. Choose fabrics and wallpapers with complementary finishes to the existing decor. Below Arte's Vertigo wallpaper has been used to great effect with the Moire style wallcovering reflecting the wood veneer of the furniture.

 

Choose Existing Colours

What about the colours in the room? Pick up on colours which you want to accent or repeat for example, if you have lots of ivory and gold accents in your living room, choose a pattern with ivory and gold colours. Choosing one or two colours from the existing scheme to carry through to any new fabrics or wallpapers can help tie a room together.

In the image below the wallpaper (from Elitis) is picking up on the blue of the doors, sofa and vase, the cushions are reflecting colours from the wallpaper to create a cohesive overall design despite the presence of lots of colours.

 

 

Consider the Walls and Floors

If you are not replacing the flooring it may dictate the type of pattern you should choose for the walls and upholstery. For example, if you have a heavily patterned rug or carpet you may choose to opt for simpler patterns on the walls and furniture to keep the design cohesive. If you have wood or polished metal floors, then consider choosing a contrasting pattern, such as an animal print pattern for your wallpaper or fabric to make it pop. The contrast in textures will give your space a stylish look while still matching with other aspects of your décor.

Similarly, if you are not updating the walls then you should consider the existing patterns and colours when choosing the fabrics. If you have exposed beams or textured walls you may want to choose more traditional patterns and styling to tone in with them. If you have plain-coloured walls or floors, and a flowing open-plan space, then a more modern pattern may be best. Minimalistic patterns can also work for these types of décor because they don't distract from the natural flow and design of the room.

Regardless of which type of wall or flooring you have in mind, the following tips can help guide you when selecting a new wallpaper or fabric that will go with any style!

 

How to Find Matching Fabric and Wallpaper

Matching fabric and wallpaper is a great way to bring a room together in a classic, traditional look. It is also an effective way to update an older home in a way that will not be obvious.

Use Matching Fabric and Wallpaper Collections

The easiest option is to find a matching wallpaper and fabric collection. Many of the luxury fabric and wallpaper companies release collections with matching wallpaper or fabric collections. These collections may be released as a combined collection, or may be released separately with matching names. The following leading interior brands commonly release matching collections, although other interior brands frequently do the same: 

• Sanderson Fabrics are renowned for releasing matching fabric and wallpaper collections, their now sadly discontinued Options 10 Fabric and Wallpaper collections (shown below) became one of the most well-known of all coordinated UK co-ordinated collections. Fortunately, their current collections offer lots of coordinated fabrics and papers, include their iconic Sanderson 160 Collection which is full of matching fabrics and wallpapers.

• Anna French also releases her wonderful designs in matching fabric and wallpaper collections. Her bright and vibrant designs work perfectly when paired together, as well as toning in with the other patterns in each collection. Antilles collection.

• Harlequin's collections will typically include both fabrics and wallpapers. Recent examples include the fantastic Colour Collection.
• Missoni Home - Missoni Home's iconic chevron design and other patterns can be found in wallpaper and fabric form. Each of their Wallcoverings Collections are designed to compliment their range of fabrics. 

 

• Nearly all James Hare silks can be mounted on backing paper and made into a bespoke matching wallpaper.

 

Use Iconic Wallpaper and Fabric Designs

Another way to find a matching fabric and wallpaper is to look for iconic designs from the leading interiors brands. The most popular and enduring designs find their way into both fabric and wallpaper designs, and are often available in a number of colourways. Below are just a few examples of iconic wallpaper and fabric designs to help get you started:

• Dandelion Clocks - This has remained one of the most popular Sanderson designs in fabric and wallpaper form since Fiona Howard created this fun 50’s retro pattern for the Sanderson studio in 2009. The design is currently available in 5 matching fabric and wallpaper colourways, each in a retro colour palette. 

• Strawberry Thief - William Morris was inspired to draw this iconic design when he saw thrushes eating strawberries from his kitchen garden. It remains one of the most popular William Morris designs and is available in fabric and wallpaper form in many of the current collections including, Simply Morris Fabrics, Archive Prints, Pure Wallpapers and more. Currently the design is available in an impressive 48 colourways split between the fabrics and wallpapers which gives you an idea of its iconic status. 

• Hollyhock - Schumacher's iconic Hollyhock design has remained popular since being painstakingly redesigned and made available in 2008 and has since found its way into a number of fabric and wallpaper collections. 

• Willow Boughs - Willow Boughs (shown as a wallpaper below) is another classic Morris & Co. wallpaper design can also be found in both wallpapers and fabrics across a range of current collections including Simply Morris, Queens Square, and more.

• Les Touches -  Brunschwig et Fils Les Touches dates to 1965 but the polka dot design with an almost animal print has been re-released as a fabric and wallpaper numerous times over the intervening decades

 

Search for Matching Fabrics and Wallpapers Online

Even if you have not found a matching wallpaper and fabric in your preferred design, if the supplier makes both fabric and wallpapers its always worth browsing online to see if there is a matching fabric or wallpaper. You won't always find an exact match but you may find that there is a related collection designed to complement your pattern.

 

How to Pair Non-Matching Fabric and Wallpaper

If you are not going to match fabric and wallpaper exactly, but want to pair your fabric and wallpaper, here are some tips on how to do it well:

• Choose fabrics and wallpapers which complement each other in some way. For example, if you have stripes on one piece of furniture and floral patterns on another piece of furniture, then choose a patterned wallpaper with stripes or flowers on it. The result will be beautiful and sophisticated; the fabrics will work together while still having their own unique look. 
• Pair patterns with plains through the use of colour. Accenting one or two colours from a pattern can really bring a room together in a coherent design. In the room shown below the Elitis Renard wallpaper has been paired perfectly with plain fabrics which accent the saffron-yellow and grey-blues in the design. The room is pulled together further by the yellow toning in with the gold of the fireplace and the light fitting. 

 

• Look for complimentary collections from the same brand. Many designers and luxury fabric houses have colour palettes which they are renowned for, for example vibrant greens and purples run through many Designers Guild collections, while fresh greens, blues and browns feature in many Anna French collections. A common colour scheme can make it easier for you to find fabrics and wallpapers which complement each other, for example, the image below shows five beautiful fabrics from Sanderson which have been perfectly paired with their Terrariums wallpaper. There is a matching Terrariums fabric but in addition the greens, florals and pinks of the other fabrics perfectly pair with the wallpaper. 

 

 

• Use texture to add a subtle coherence. Lightly textured wallcoverings can be used to reflect the fabric patterns in the room, use flock wallpaper to reflect velvet fabrics, or textured weave effect wallpapers to reflect linens, grasscloth wallpapers offer fantastic variety with the texture of many fabrics. Just remember as a general rule the fabric should be softer than the wallpaper so it will blend in better. The image below shows Omexc's Seraya wallcovering with its coarser raffia texture reflecting the softer cotton textures of the furniture to preserve a natural design style.

 

• Use matching fabric on the walls and furniture or curtains. It is possible to go one step further and match the fabrics in the room with fabric wallcoverings. If you are using silk or velvet, choose silk or velvet wallpaper; if you are using cotton or linen, choose cotton or linen fabric. The best texture match is one that has the same look or feel, not just the same name, so make sure you order samples of both. 
• Stripes are an easy way to safely pair fabrics with wallpaper. Stripes are a very forgiving and versatile design, almost any stripe can be paired with another stripe. However, if you keep to a consistent colour palette it will tie the look together. 

• Avoid using bold patterns on both fabric and wallpaper. If you are using a bold fabric pattern, stick with a simple wallpaper design. Likewise, if you are using a bold wallpaper pattern, stick with a simple fabric pattern. This is even more effective if you can pick up on a colour from the pattern and reflect it in the plain fabric or wallpaper.

 

• Use pattern scale to your advantage. Different scales can be used to create a cohesive design allowing for the use of similar patterns without them clashing. Consider a full wall floral, such as Phillip Jeffries Haiku, paired with a mid-sized floral for upholstery and curtains, or a ditzy fabric paired with a floral. To be sure they work together look for matching colour sets.
• Keep to a single colour palette. Using the same colour scheme can be a great way to use different patterns without compromising on your coherent style. The Anna French fabrics in the image below each have a strikingly different design but when taken as a whole the colour palette holds the design scheme together.

• Use other style elements in the room to your advantage. Furniture with a distinctive form can be used to  tie the fabric and wallpaper together into a cohesive design. The Elitis Nomades wallpaper, part of their Panoramique collection, is paired with the fabrics in the image below, but the angular block form of the chairs really accentuates the design pulling the room together. 

 

Your Style Your Way

Above all it is your home so the most important style tip is to make sure you love each and every design element. If the above tips don't work for you, have fun with it and make your own style rules!