30 Types of Fabric Patterns: Simple Guide to Your Interior Decoration Needs

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Some patterns are easily recognizable, such as stripes or floral patterns, but others can be confusing such as ditzy or fleur-de-lis. Read on to learn all about decorating fabric patterns for the interior decorating world.

Basketweave

This pattern is as its name implies. It looks like a basket that is cross woven. It can be a pattern printed on the fabric or it can actually contain ribbons that are cross woven on the fabric with a great texture. You can find basketweave fabric in color combinations from neutral colors to bright colors. This pattern is considered contemporary style.

Brocade

This fabric lends itself to upholstery and drapes, along with accessories. It is a heavy material that is woven on a Jacquard loom with a raised design that appears embroidered, but the design is actually woven into the fabric. It can be silk or satin with metallic threads running throughout the fabric. Brocade colors are generally subdued and not very bright. This fabric is associated with traditional decorating styles.

Checked

Checked patterns look just like a checkerboard with two different colored squares alternating across the fabric. Most of the time, it includes one of the colors in white, but there are others available in a wide range of colors. Checked designs work well with the country design.

Chevron

Chevron is a very popular choice in custom design. It has a pattern of zigzag stripes usually in two alternating colors. Most of the time, one of the colors is white. This pattern has a fun and contemporary flair when used on accessories like throw pillows or upholstery to add pizzazz to your rooms.

Chinoiserie

This fabric is the western versions of historical Chinese designs. You can find many colors and fabrics with a huge choice of designs. The most popular themes include florals, fishermen, birds, boats and children. Chinoiserie is a great choice for traditional style rooms or Asian inspired décor.

Chintz

Chintz is an age-old fabric that’s been glazed to give it a high shine. The old patterns usually had large floral patterns, but the newer patterns are often solid jewel tone colors. It works well in traditional rooms or to add a vintage touch to any décor.

Damask

Similar to brocade, damask is woven on a loom with a raised design in the fabric that is usually a floral pattern. Many times, it is made with luxurious silk and has a sheen to it. It creates an expensive looking touch to any room. Damask is usually a single color or in two tones, but can be found in more colorful patterns. It is used in more formal décor for a formal or traditional room, such as a dining room.

Ditzy

This pattern may be called ditzy or ditsy. It is a cheerful pattern with small elements of any type scattered throughout the fabric. It can contain geometric shapes, flowers or any other type of small figures. The colors are generally quite bright and they work well with any type of casual room.

Flame Stitch

This pattern was quite popular in the 1970’s as a closely spaced series of jagged lines that look like flames. Flame stitch zig zags are usually thin, but can vary in height. It’s fun fabric pattern for a contemporary room or any place you wish to go retro.

Fleur-de-Lis

This pattern is a symbol of the French monarchy and it represents a lily. The stylish design has three or four petals with a horizontal band at the bottom. It goes well with traditional and formal rooms, but it is often an addition to all types of décor. It is most often found in a neutral palette.

Floral

Floral patterns are available in a huge assortment with tiny to huge flowers, casual to formal, realistic to abstract and colorful to monochrome colors. Floral designs are used most often in cottage décor, but depending on the style of the pattern, you can mix and match them any other pattern.

Geometric

The geometric fabric is any fabric with geometric shapes, such as triangles, ovals, circles or squares. The design can be regular and symmetrical or completely abstract. This type of patter is versatile and most often used in contemporary spaces.

Gingham

Gingham is a country classic that usually includes white and one other color in a checkerboard of alternating colors. It differs from checks because there is an intermediate square in the center of the two colors that is 50 percent lighter than the colored squares. This is a great choice for any type of casual decorating and it mixes well with other designs.

Greek Key

This pattern is ancient and it is gathering a lot of popularity in the world of interior design. It is an interlocking pattern of squares or rectangles that are drawn from one continuous line. This type of fabric is seen most often as a border on rugs, drapes, custom bedding and pillows as a contemporary design.

Harlequin

This fabric pattern is basically the same as a checked pattern, except it is made with diamonds instead of squares. Many times, there is a tiny dot where the diamond’s points meet. It can be made of many colors or a simple two color design. This fabric works well for glam, eclectic, Parisian or contemporary rooms.

Herringbone

Herringbone is much like chevron but has breaks between the zigs and zags. The breaks can the very thin gaps or actual lines in the pattern. It is most often much thinner than chevron designs and works well in contemporary rooms.

Houndstooth

This is a classic that can add a classy touch to any type of interior design. It is a checked pattern with abstract and irregular points on the squares’ corners. It does appear much like the teeth of a dog. Most of the time, it is black and white or a combination of neutral colors. This fabric works well in your eclectic or contemporary room.

Ikat

This material is super trendy and is comprised of the dying and weaving of the fabric. It looks like a geometric shape that has been stretched and blurred around the edges. You can find a large verity of color combinations and shapes. This trendy style works well in any contemporary room.

Jacquard

This fabric is also woven on a Jacquard loom, as the brocade and damask types are. It has a raised pattern and looks embroidered. Jacquard is rather formal and traditional and usually is found in a subdued color.

Leopard

The leopard print is based on the beautiful coat of the wild cat. It has a sexy touch that many like in the bedroom. It is close to a cheetah print, which is made up of small black dots, but this print has open irregular circles that are found on a leopard’s luxurious coat. You can add a touch of leopard in any room of your home.

Medallion

This is a large print of elaborate round medallions. You can also find it with diamond or oval shapes, though they are not as popular. The pattern often incorporates florals or foliage designs in addition to the geometric shapes. If you cut a medallion in half, you will have two identical shapes because it is symmetrical. It works well in any room no matter what the style is and you can find almost any color combination that you can imagine.

Moroccan Lattice

An updated print from the classical lattice is the Moroccan lattice print. It appears as a trellis but is in a grid design that is formed by lines that intersect. It is distinguishable from its four sides in which two are rounded and the other two are pointed. This pattern works well in a contemporary room in your home.

Ogee

This fabric pattern looks much like an onion or a diamond that is rounded on two sides. It is used most often in Middle Eastern décor, but is also used throughout the entire world for centuries. You can find ogee patterns in a large variety of colors and fabrics to complement your room’s theme and color palette. It is a complementary pattern to global, boho, contemporary and eclectic styles.

Paisley

Paisley originated as a Persian design and it was hugely popular in Europe in the 1600’s. It takes its name from a town in Scotland. Paisley is a teardrop shape with intricate designs and now has a retro feel after it was most popular in the 1970’s. It adds a touch of color and interest in contemporary style rooms.

Polka Dot

The familiar polka dot pattern is cheerful and includes small dots in evenly spaced rows of the same size. It works well in children’s rooms or a master bedroom, as it is very versatile and works with any other pattern. You can find polka dot patterns in just about any color scheme that you can imagine.

Stripes

Stripes are about the most basic fabric pattern in the world. You can find quite a few variations such as awning stripes, which are broad stripes that are separated by thinner stripes, or barcode stripes, being stripes of varying widths. Stripe patterns can be added to just about any other pattern without a fear of clashing.

Tartan

Tartans were designs that were traditionally woven in wool and used for the Scottish clans. You may think of tartan as a Scottish kilt pattern. It includes stripes of different widths mixed in different colors that are duplicated in both the horizontal and vertical directions. Plaids differ because they do not duplicate the pattern in both directions. You can use a tartan fabric for warmth in the winter or any type of a traditional or formal space.

Toile

Toile pattern is printed on a white background and was very popular in 18^th century France. The pattern may be scenes of country life, people engaged in everyday activities or county life. It works well with any other pattern and is a hallmark of the French country style of décor.

Trellis

You can find the trellis pattern with interlocking lines that look like a fence or a trellis for plants to climb. Most of the time, the palette is formed with only two colors. Trellis patterns of all types are popular on any interior decorating scheme.

Zebra

The most popular animal print is the zebra print. It is a black and white color scheme that works as a neutral in one color. The irregular stripes combine easily with other patterns and give you a touch of wild style for sexy fun in any design or style. Children’s rooms often involve animal prints including the zebra patterns for a whimsical vibe. Read more for a complete guide on baby's room decor ideas. All of the types of fabric patterns may still be a bit confusing, even after an explanation. Our highly experienced design team can help you to mix and match patterns in any setting.