10 Essential Tips for Creating Captivating Surface Pattern Design Collections

Image of a pretty Surface pattern collection design moodboard in peach, cream and sage green colours

Are you  thinking about creating a surface pattern design collection? Whether you’re designing for a client or creating your own designs, I have some tips which will help you create visually striking and cohesive collections. 

1. Research and Inspiration: Before you start designing, do some research and gather inspiration. Look at current trends, study color palettes, and gather images that inspire you in a mood board. Pinterest is a good source for this.

2. Define your Niche: Focus on a specific theme or style that will give your collection a unique look and feel. Is it for children? Traditional interiors? Retro? Choose a strong theme to make your designs more cohesive and easier to market.

3. Colour Palette: Choosing the right colour palette is really important for your designs. Consider the mood and tone you want to convey and select colours that complement each other.

4. Consistency: Consistency is key when creating surface pattern design collections. Try and use consistent elements and motifs throughout your designs. If you don’t want to create your own elements, you can often use graphic elements created by other designers (just make sure you check the terms and conditions).

5. Scale: Pay attention to the scale of your designs. Consider how they will look when repeated and how they will appear on different surfaces.

6. Play with Contrast: Incorporate contrast into your designs by combining elements of different sizes, colours, and textures.

7. Use Space Wisely: Don’t overcrowd your designs with too many elements. Leave enough white (or coloured) space to make your designs easy on the eyes.

8. Experiment with Layouts: Try different layouts and combinations to see what works best for your designs.

9. Pay Attention to Detail: The little details make a big difference. Pay attention to the alignment, symmetry, and placement of your design elements.

10. Keep it Simple: Keep your designs simple and clean. Don’t try and cram too many elements into one designs – it can look cluttered and overwhelming.