Concentrating on simple patterns this week, and I just wanted to share some design inspiration of various repeats and cool surface design reference you can find around our home – enjoy!

Some people update the pillows on their couches and beds all the time, and I think I may get into that soon… because how cute would it be to have halloween ghost pillows? But in the meantime, these bright graphic pop florals have brightened our couches for almost ten years now.

Not really a repeat pattern but don’t judge me – this rad felt piece of art by my bff Jenn Norwood would be an awesome starting off point to create some simple repeats.

I threw this wooden Christmas tree our son Phil painted when he was 3 into the design reference mix because I really like the texture that happened when the paint kind of bled out at the edges.

You could totally do something cool inspired by these brightly colored rocks in our fish tank.

While you’re at it, come clean our fish tank.

Thanks!

I love this dinosaur head Phil made at school, like, so much. The slightly off kilter squares for the teeth, the teeny tiny eyes… I am in love.

Too bad this thing will eat my face if he gets a chance.

I know there’s not a ton special about this basic ironing board cover I got at Target ages ago – I just really like how one thing you can  do to punch up simple repeats is to use the same element over and over, but color it up a different way each time.

We have two black dogs and live in the country so don’t judge my dirty rag rug in the kitchen. Just dig the millions of lines in it, and picture how you’d make a repeat that looks similar.

This old crock pot’s gotten a lot of love, and it’s gonna get a little more in the form of me telling you a plant themed repeat would be a really cool engineered print “growing” up off the side of some fabric.

I love the line quality and the basic shapes of this antique coffee mug. Joy picked out that little chicken from Hobby Lobby a few months ago and it’s been perching on the windowsill ever since. Various feathers we’ve found from our ladies in the mug.

Dear Orla Keiley, I love you.

Here’s a cool example of more detailed hand drawn plants in the repeat pattern on a vintage dress in my closet.

Another dress from my closet, but a more updated one. I like how there’s a few different prints going on, all laid out for a very bandana feel.

Josh got me a green dress for Christmas a chunk of years back.

But not a real green dress, that’s cruel.

P.s. we do not have a million dollars.

Check out this design inspiration – punch up simple repeats like this houndstooth by introducing texture!

This is hands down my favorite thrift store find, like, ever. Gorgeous handpainted watercolor blouse from Express. I got it for like four dollars.

I win.

This is a bunch of cute illustrated trees printed on a hoodie I’ve worn eighty bazillion times.

And some bright happy birds with lots of airy space in between them, with little hits of other simple icons on my to go pouch of illustration pens.

If you advance token into the office bathroom, you’ll find a little curtain I sewed out from the coolest fabric ever on the planet. This is like, beyond simple repeats. It’s large hits of detailed illustrations, simple icons, florals, birds, ditsy patterns, all rolled into one. It makes me smiley.

And last but not least, I’m wrappin up today’s design inspiration with the cutest cat dress ever. This is from our daughter Joy’s closet – I found it at Target a few months ago. Pretty much anything covered in Shy Little Kitten cats is a slam dunk winner in my book.

Which was your favorite design inspiration?

Do you like simple repeats or more intricate ones?