Scrappy doesn't have to mean random placement. My avatar quilt is extremely scrappy, with everything from batik to novelty print to calico and seasonal.
My rule for myself in making very scrappy quilts -- the more divergent the fabrics are, the smaller the pieces. Generally with scrappy quilts I like the individual fabrics and prints to be something only noticable with close inspection. From a distance I want all the various pieces to take a back seat to the overall design.