19/10/2026
Layering patterns can feel daunting in a space, but they do so much to make a place feel good. And for me, the biggest tip isn't to find matching patterns, but to balance them.
In the courtyard of Sultanahmet Camii in Istanbul, pattern and scale play on every surface, across different materials, and with varied treatment of light, dark, and transparency.
The rust and cream colouring of the large striped arches is applied with finesse and fine pattern to the inside of the domes; the arched form is repeated in the shape of the white filigree windows; the circular pattern of the filigree is replayed in the k***s on the bronze doors; and the arabesque star finds its place in the inlay of the marble floor and, at a finer detail, in the bronze door panels.
When the detailing is fluid and continues in quiet conversation from the biggest elements down to the finest detail, things just feel harmonious and right.
At home I recommend choosing a colour palette and an overarching style, then varying the scale from large pattern all the way down to tiny pattern repeats, so that the layering will feel natural, serene, homely, and right.
Here, in the courtyard of the mosque, the layered, recurring patterns add ornament and detail, and the balance of the scales and their repetition creates cohesion and calm.
