Similar to color, pattern is a powerful decorating tool that has boundless potential. It can be used to make a room seem bigger, define specific areas within your home, or to reinforce a room’s character to your liking. In general, the best rule of thumb with patterns is to choose a theme and build your plan from there. For example, carpets that come in floral, stripe and geometric patterns add instant personality to a room that can really spark a decorating approach. Once you decide on a pattern, you can continue on to choose furnishings and accessories that work in tandem with the shapes and colors that are featured in your carpets.

It can be tough to mix patterns, so remember: if the patterns are related by form, color or texture, the pattern mix is likely to look attractive. To make sure that you are comfortable with your pattern choice, make sure that you are bringing some carpet samples home before you finalize your purchase and install anything. This is always a good idea as the proportion of a pattern can look quite different when placed in the room that you’re planning on installing it in.