Patterns or no?

For all the gorgeous pattern paper out there - a thing I am quite addicted to and in love with - I find myself drawn to the simplistic when it comes to design. Maybe that is the graphic designer in me but I find that award winning pages tend to include one thing and lack in another - they are usually on plain paper and have very little to NO patterned paper!! Disheartening when I look at all my beautiful paper :( I will have to be on the hunt for some good pattern inspiration - in the meantime I think I may stray from trying to use all the pretty patterns and retreat into my roots of design and make the photos be the stars. Afterall, isn't that what scrapbook was all about to begin with?