Designing with Patterns - Free Online Course

Patterns strike awe and fear in the hearts of interior design lovers, and both are deserved responses. Incorporating visual interest into any room, using patterns is a surefire way to help you turn your living room, dining room, or bedroom into a space that’s uniquely yours. 

We created this free online course on how to incorporate patterns into your design style to help you overcome your fear of patterns and breathe life into your home. We’ll cover how to find the right pattern, the types of patterns there are, how to incorporate different textures into your interior design project, and so much more.

After completing this course, you’ll be able to:

• Make patterns the focal point of your room
• Wow your guests with your pattern layering skills
• Cohesively add patterns to any interior space (small rooms included!)
• Mix patterns of any kind. From animal print to floral patterns, mixing patterns will never interrupt your sleep again

While we’re definitely big fans of patterns at Spoak, patterns are not without their challenges as design elements. We’ll focus on pattern types and textures in this course, but if you want to learn more about color palettes or color schemes, our designing with color course is the perfect place to start.

Without further ado, let’s dive into the lessons. If you’re pressed for time, keep in mind that you don’t have to finish this course in one setting. Each lesson is short and to the point, so you can always jump back in later when you have more time. 

The lessons in this course are:

Designing with patterns

In this first lesson, you’ll learn the value of patterns, plus the different types of patterns available, including some of our favorite bold patterns (hello, geometric patterns) as well as timeless classics (looking at you, horizontal lines).

Choosing the best pattern

Complex patterns don’t have to be complex to choose. In this lesson, we’ll discuss how to create the perfect mood with different patterns while focusing on some of our favorite patterns to mix. Bonus: the principles of this lesson apply whether you’re choosing an area rug or just updating your throw pillows. 

Designing with animal prints

Whether found in small-scale or large-scale patterns, there’s no denying the allure – and challenge – of designing with animal prints. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to use animal prints to fit any design trend and how to incorporate more animal prints into your home decor. 

A guide to texture, textiles, and fabrics

Upholstery makes the world go around – or at least it does when you’re designing living spaces. In this lesson, you’ll learn the most common fabric and material types for your favorite soft furnishings and how to pick textiles for larger spaces. We’ll dive in on picking the perfect fabric type for your future couches, rugs, and more. 

Combining patterns, textures, and color

In our final lesson, you’ll learn how to mix patterns in with the rest of your design elements such as color and texture, even if they’re at different scales. Blend patterned wallpaper, plush velvet sofas, and bold solid colors like you were born to do it, or accent one dominant color with a few touches of texture to keep it interesting. By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to do both!