Abstract Northwest traditional patterns possess a rich history and a distinctive artistic style, offering immense potential for innovative design applications. This paper delves into the integration of these conventional motifs into contemporary design frameworks. Initially, we employ the semantic differential method to select vocabulary for the perceptual assessment of Northwest traditional patterns when incorporated into modern designs. We analyze the components of the design samples and utilize the partial least squares method to construct a correlation model between the perceptual assessment vocabulary and the design elements. This approach facilitates a detailed correlation analysis between the application of Northwest traditional motifs and their perceptual evaluation, leading to the formation of associative links between the imagery vocabulary and design features. Subsequently, we define theme, symbol, composition, and color as independent variables, with audience preference as the dependent variable, to conduct a multiple regression analysis. This analysis explores the impact of these dimensions on audience preference. The findings indicate that the significance levels of theme, symbolism, composition, and color are all below 0.05, demonstrating a positive influence on audience preferences. Notably, symbolism, with a regression coefficient of 0.356, exerts the most substantial impact on audience preference. The established correlations between design elements and perceptual evaluations, alongside the analysis of design dimensions’ influence on audience preferences, provide valuable insights for the application of Northwest traditional motifs in modern design contexts.