I only do recolors of Maxis originals...for one thing, even though most meshes are perfectly safe, I have had a few bad experiences and I hate how slow the game loads. For another reason, it became a challenge to me to create with those originals and make them look nicer.

For some people, this must work because I get a lot of downloads on my room sets and some very nice comments and requests.

Anyone can make great recolors if they use patterns and colors correctly.
First, find a pattern (stripe, floral, abstract, anything!)
Second, find one with THE SAME colors but in a differnt pattern.
Third, find 2 more colors that match but have a tiny pattern so they look solid at a distance.

Take all four blocks of texture and do your thing in your imaging program making sure you:
* Make it a seamless pattern
* And you copy/paste the texure several times and resize it so that the pattern matches the size of your Sims. On a sofa cushion, you want a flower to repeat several times, not be huge. Same for stripes or anything else.

It is all about resizing the pattern, making it seamless, and combining several complimentary textures and colors.

When using color, consider the color wheel...
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Blue/aqua/green
red/orange/yellow
purple, violet, red

(pick 3 all next to each other)

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Purple:Yellow
Green:red
Blue:Orange

(these make dramatic combinations and can be shaded to make them pleasing)

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use shades of Blue for a cool effect
use shades of red & orange for an energetic feel
purple is royal and calming, pink soft and comforting, green & brown are natural,
black is classy
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Consider how I combined textures in sets below:



If your target color is a peachy color, you can keep the color, but try a darker or lighter shade for more drama.

Curtains, rugs, walls, and accent pieces (like vases and plates) bring it all together.
Also, try starting with a piece of artwork you love and then find fabric that matches.

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Always begin with something you love and then build upon that....