One way to go is to pick a print that you love and build around it, pulling fabrics in that complement your print.
Another way to select fabrics is to use complementary colors (those opposite on the color wheel) in a quilt, experimenting with value (light/dark) and texture.
Yet another approach is to use fabrics of a single genre like 1930s or vintage reproduction.
It's a shame you don't have a great quilt shop in your area, but maybe you can compensate by attending a few quilt shows in your area; studying the quilts there should help with your research. A visit to the quilt book reference section of your local library can also provide you with a lot of ideas.