If your home feels a little too subdued, you can wake up your spaces with some playful patterns. From classic plaids to bold florals, colorful motifs can perk up furniture, walls, floors and more.

The fashion world calls it "pattern play." My 5-year-old daughter Piper, who is a fashionista in her own right, calls it "mix it up." It's when you pair plaids with polka dots, stripes with florals or ...

Pattern mixing gives a room heightened visual appeal, but achieving the right combination can seem like an impossible challenge. There are countless prints, textiles and materials; where do you even ...