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Isn’t variety SO refreshing?

For what seemed like an eternity, we were collectively convinced that a beautiful interior consisted purely of muted neutrals and subtle pattern.

In 2025, the tide has definitely turned. Retailers are finally stocking bolder colour and pattern options, and the default neutral aesthetic is no longer being shoved down our throats 🙌

But if you’ve played it safe with the bones and bigger ticket items in your home, don’t worry — you can easily add colour and pattern without expensive renovations.

Here are 12 (relatively) simple ways to add more colour, pattern and personality to every room in your home 👇

1. Add a colourful rug

Rugs are art for your floor. They’re the best way to inject a BIG dose of colour and pattern in one hit, especially if your furniture is on the safer side.

Let your rug be loud! Then, pull the colours from your rug to help you pick accessories, like cushions, art and decor.

👀 READ: Why rugs make the room

No matter your design preferences, there’s a rug out there to suit your vibe. Most rug suppliers categorise their rugs by design style and colour to help you narrow down the options. Some of my favourite places to source rugs in Australia and abroad are:

• Maia Homes (ships internationally – use MISMATCHEDHOME at checkout for 10% off)
• Miss Amara
• Temple & Webster
• Early Settler
• AU Rugs

2. Add wallpaper to walls or cabinets

If you’re keen to introduce more colour and pattern to your home, why not install wallpaper?

I absolutely love the classic charm of wallpaper, especially when paired with wall panelling or wainscoting. From traditional patterns to whimsical ones, there are so many statements you can make with wallpaper.

Depending on the design you choose, it can be expensive to install a lot of wallpaper, but a smaller room like a restroom will only set you back one or two rolls.

If you’re not keen on wallpapering an entire room, you could add wallpaper to the inside of cabinets or drawers for a quick splash of colour and pattern.

Wallpaper is a big commitment, so make sure you order samples so you can try before you buy.

3. Add paint to walls, ceilings or trim

I hate painting and I kinda suck at it… which is why my other half does it 👏

Paint can be hard work but the pay-off is major.

There are so many ways you can add personality with paint. You could pick a colour you love and paint all your walls. You could paint the walls plus the ceiling for a colour drenched look. Or, you could just paint your ceiling to blanket the room in colour while keeping the walls white, like we have in our guest bedroom.

🎬 WATCH: Painted Ceilings

If you want to keep your walls and ceiling white, why not paint your baseboards, window architraves and door frames in a contrasting colour? Painting your trim will still make a colourful statement without much effort or surface area covered.

If you plan to DIY your paint job, it’s a relatively cheap way to completely change the vibe of your space. But before you get going, grab a sample pot so you can see how the colour reacts to different lighting.

4. Add colour with upcycled furniture

Have a piece of furniture that’s seen better days? Breathe new life into it!

Before I buy almost anything brand new, I doomscroll Facebook Marketplace. Especially with storage furniture, I’ll usually find something that’s got potential… it just needs some TLC.

If you have a boring or ugly piece, you could paint the whole thing. Or, you could use stencils and paint to create a bespoke pattern. Or, you could get creative and cover your surface with paintable wallpaper to add colour, pattern and texture. A triple whammy!

🎬 WATCH: If it’s ugly, paint it

If paint isn’t the answer, you can still add pops of colour and pattern by swapping out your existing hardware. There are endless pull and handle options available on Etsy, so don’t underestimate the difference a simple switcheroo can make.

Upcycling furniture is a fab option, especially when you can’t justify spending big on brand new but you still want something unique. Plus, it’s much better for Mother Earth!

5. Add art to your walls

In my opinion, every space needs artwork. I’m a ‘more is more’ kinda gal, but at the very least, you should have 1️⃣ piece of art in every space.

Art not only adds colour and pattern to your home, it can also completely change the vibe of your space. Art is a way to showcase your interests and personality — your brown leather sofa might not say much about you, but that Harry Potter-inspired masterpiece will 🧙‍♂️

Our beloved Twin Peaks x David Lynch print adds a fun pop of red to this wall, while repeating the wavy black and white stripe pattern from our rug.

🎬 WATCH: New gallery wall art

Some of my favourite places to source art include vintage markets, Fy! (MISMATCHEDHOME gets you 20% off), Etsy and Instagram. There are so many amazing artists among us — show your support!

6. Add cushions & throws

Choosing a non-descript sofa is a safe bet, and fair enough. Simple upholstery can be a lot easier to style long term, especially if your design preferences change with time.

Soft furnishings like throw pillows and blankets can spruce up a simple sofa in a flash — plus they’re inexpensive to swap when you want to change things up.

In our library, we went with navy and hot pink cushions to complement and repeat the colours in our rug.

I also love to fling a patterned throw in a contrasting colour over a sofa or armchair, just to break up any big expanse of colour and create some juxtaposition.

7. Add flowers in vibrant vases

I’m a big fan of florals! 💐

You’ll find dried native flowers in colourful corners all over our house.

Obviously I love fresh flowers too, but dried just has a longer shelf life so I don’t have to worry about them.

Flowers also add an element of nature to your space, which always makes for a more relaxing and inviting interior 🌹

Paired with vibrant vases, floral arrangements are the perfect pick-me-up for your space. I love collecting quirky vases and everlasting (but not fake) flowers — I even have Lego flowers scattered around where the four-year-old can’t reach them!

8. Add coloured book collections

If you’re an avid reader, why not create a colour story with your beloved books? 📖

You could arrange your books according to spine colour, or you could collect books that belong to the same family.

We collect orange, pink and green Popular Penguins, red Vintage Classics and black Penguin Classics, which really stand out on our shelves while looking neat and tidy. The majority of these have been thrifted; it’s always a thrill when I find one on my charity shop adventures!

Our evergrowing collection of Popular Penguins adds the prettiest pop of orange into our living room. This collection has become such a staple of our gallery wall shelfie situation that I don’t think I could ever move them!

9. Add bold curtains or blinds

Just like rugs, curtains give a room a huge hit of colour and pattern in one fell swoop.

You might be tempted to play it safe with curtains, but don’t be scared — there are so many colour and pattern options, especially if you have the budget for made to order, so definitely see what’s out there before you settle.

Most of the window furnishings in our home are from Blinds Online, who send out free samples so you can see what works best in the room 🪟

If you have a smaller window, try roman blinds instead of curtains. Roman blinds can either be recessed into your window frame or sit just outside of that, and are often available in the same patterns as curtains are.

10. Add colour to your shelves

Behold: my stuff!

You can add so much colour and pattern to your home with smaller decor items, like candles, sculptures, picture frames, vases and decorative boxes.

This is a great opportunity to have fun, showcase your interests and spark joy with happy little moments, like quirky souvenirs, vintage finds and family photos.

🎬 WATCH: Let me take a shelfie

It’s a good idea to repeat the colours found elsewhere in the room — for example, if your rug or curtains feature pink and blue, tie the colour scheme together with pink and blue accessories on your shelves.

11. Add decals to your walls or doors

Got an empty wall but don’t feel like painting?

Decals might be just what you’re after!

Decals are perfect if you’re renting or just can’t commit to something permanent.

The decals in our playroom are made of thin fabric and are removable, which will be super handy in a few years when our daughter isn’t vibing with ‘cutesy’ anymore.

🎬 WATCH: Cute Playroom Wall

Decals can work in grown-up spaces too, especially if you use a repetitive decal in place of wallpaper.

12. Add layered bedding

When you see display beds in homewares stores, they’re always styled with way more than what’s necessary… but don’t they look good?

A bed just looks so much more inviting when layered with pillows and blankets 😴

Each layer is an opportunity to add colour and pattern, so don’t just buy a matching quilt cover set and call it a day. Mix and match patterns across your pillows, fitted sheet, flat sheet, quilt cover, bedspread and throws.

In our current bedroom setup, we layer linen in three different colours, along with a patterned bedspread and lumbar cushion. I love the contrast between the colours, which has added some beautiful earthiness to our otherwise very black and white master bedroom.

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