Mixing Stripes and Patterns

After seeing this picture that I posted on Instagram...

It became blatantly clear that I need new curtains. I've been mildly looking for new curtains in the living room recently, but it's definitely a goal now! These are a few years old and just a little too bland for my taste. The problem for me comes when trying to mix patterns. 

This is the area rug in my living room from West Elm...

And this is the accent rug from Crate&Barrel. (Cute turtle, huh?)

I love that the large area rug picks up on the orange and white from the accent rug. I think they pair well together. 

So how do you pair contrasting patterns? I don't think you necessarily need to have solid pillows if you have a patterned rug, or solid curtains next to a lamp shade like this one:

The trick is to use colors that pair well together, and repeat those color combinations throughout the room. You'll see orange, red, blue, and yellow patterned pillows on my couch, which match the colors found in the accent rug (across the room). The same goes for the pops of red found in different places throughout the room. Let's just say that I love color! I also love a little funkiness when it comes to decorating. 

That's why I think either of these two curtains from Pier1 would look really cool in my living room. They're bold in color and complement the decor that I currently have: 

I'm leaning toward the second one, but I'm a sucker for decorating with red so the jury is still out. 

Don't be afraid of color in your home. And please don't ever give up and just default to beige or white! More on that later...