With a dizzying array of options for paint colors, furniture upholstery, and patterned rugs, creating a cohesive space can feel overwhelming. To keep any room — as well as a whole home — tied together, turn to a simple interior design principle that brings order to even the most mismatched spaces: repetition.
Why Repetition Works
Repetition helps create a sense of order and flow in the design. “When certain elements — like color, pattern, or shape — are echoed throughout a space, it allows the room to feel intentional and visually connected,” says Alicia Hassen Roche, principal designer at Austin, Texas-based Brooklinteriors. “It gives the eye something familiar to return to.”
Without repetition, a space can appear scattered, forcing individual pieces to compete for attention instead of working together. Your velvet sofa and vintage rug should be friends, not enemies.
Which Elements To Repeat
Elements such as fabric, color, and pattern are often repeated to build visual harmony. “For instance, a playful stripe might be used on a window treatment and again on a long lumbar pillow, creating a visual thread across the room,” Hassen Roche says. Another idea: Draw a color from a patterned textile and carry it through the tones of a rug or a piece of art.
A more subtle way to put repetition to work is with silhouettes. In a living room, you could pair a waterfall console with a rounded-back side chair or a coffee table with cylindrical legs to reinforce the design theme. “Even when the materials vary, repeating the silhouette gives the room a sense of unity without feeling matchy-matchy,” Hassen Roche explains.
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Strike a Balance
Beware: Repetition can be overdone, making a space look monotonous. “If the same fabric is used across every upholstered piece, it quickly becomes predictable,” Hassen Roche says. Instead, use repetition as a foundation, mixing in contrast through scale, material, and placement. A floral pattern, for example, might appear just once more in a smaller dose, or an olive paint color could show up again in a different texture. The key is to balance consistency with variety.
Before going on a shopping spree, take stock of what you already own — and, more importantly, love. This gives you a repeatable element to build upon.
