How to Combine Different Styles in a Single Interior Space
If you are someone who is unsure about how to choose the right design elements to create a warm, inviting home environment, this article is for you. We can help you create a welcoming, harmonious, and tasteful space that includes treasured keepsakes that reflect your personality. Try a variety of designs out on your interior and stamp it with your personality.
Combining Different Styles is a Way to Awaken Your Creativity
Before you dive into designing your interior, think about the style you want to predominate. Modern, traditional, or industrial? The main style you choose should play the leading role and the others can be reflected in the accessories you choose (carpets, candlesticks, paintings, etc.). When combining elements, try to maintain a natural transition between styles. This doesn’t mean you have to focus on just one texture. You can combine them so that they flow naturally into one other. Different colors and patterns can help you bring your interior to life and create an authentic feel.
Aesthetics are very important of course, but you should also place equal emphasis on making the room practical and fully functional. You need to feel comfortable in it and enjoy the pleasant energy it radiates. You may be surprised, but you can sum all this up in one word — eclecticism.
A kitchen countertop in the Noble Pro Frost decor. Private residence of Theresa Gromski.
Eclecticism Combines Different Interior Styles
A relatively modern style, eclecticism, emerged at the beginning of the twentieth century, combining a variety of designs that still must respect certain rules in order to create a perfect, harmonious whole. While it may seem that using several different styles at once will create chaos and confusion in a room, this need not be the case. Just introduce some really tasteful pieces and combine them with other furniture and decorations. Together they can create a strong, surprisingly unique room design.
- Combine different styles of furniture, such as modern, retro, industrial, and more.
- Combine modern trends with older ones.
- Use a variety of materials and textures in the room.
- Accent the finished interior with tasteful accessories in a variety of styles to give the space a unique feel.
How to Furnish an Interior in an Eclectic Style?
At first glance it may seem like furnishing your home in a style where you have permission to use “almost anything” would be a quick and simple job, but that isn’t the case. An interior in an eclectic style requires time and attention to detail, and finding the right combination of different kinds of furniture, colors, textures, etc. If you rush through the process, the end result won’t be worth the effort. Below, we’ll give you some specific tips to help you make sure your finished interior is not only eclectic but tasteful and original as well.
- Look for inspiration. Find out what you like, what has value to you, what’s important to you, and what you hold dear. Browse through fashion magazines, search the internet, etc. If something catches your eye, go for it. Enjoy the journey along the way to the home of your dreams.
- Take your time when you choose your furnishings. Don’t be afraid to visit flea markets, where you can find a lot of interesting pieces.
- Feature one main piece in every room, for example, a couch, a picture, the kitchen cabinets, or something else. Then add suitable furnishings that work well together in an eclectic way and create an interesting combination.
- Bring a bit of energy and playfulness into your space. Eclecticism expresses your own personality. Do you get bored easily? Put your personal stamp on your home and furnish it in a way that makes you feel good.
- Try out some bold colors, which can appear in several different places. Many things go great together in unexpected ways. Keep in mind, though, that there should be no more than four different colors in any one room.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment with different patterns, either. Try multicolored wallpaper, animal or geometric themes, oriental accessories, and floral paintings.
- To avoid chaos and disorder in the room, combine at most three different styles that go well together.
- Think about this rule: No one pattern, piece of furniture, or accessory should appear twice in your personal space.
A kitchen countertop in the Noble Arco décor. Private residence of Viktoria Askerow.
An Eclectic Color Scheme
That being said, eclecticism is not defined by bright colors alone. For a person with a playful nature, sticking to a certain interior style can be restrictive. With eclecticism, you can spread your wings and let yourself go. An eclectic color scheme brings together different elements and textures that complement each other and create a unique look. An interior can feature bold combinations and unexpected twists. It all comes down to personal preference. Whether you like cool or warm tones, pastels, flashy colors, or combining neutral shades with bold accents, the eclectic style is right for you. The key is creating an unusual mix that reflects your individual preferences and personality.
How to Balance the Proportions of a Room
Nothing is off-limits with this unique style, even in the choice of the various elements that will form the core of a room. It’s a matter of combining different designs and textures. Ideally, you should choose a central element around which the rest of the interior will revolve. We’re thinking of, for example, an extravagant plaid sofa strewn with multi-colored cushions and accompanied by a glass coffee table. You can also furnish your bathroom in an eclectic style by tiling it with a bold pattern of engineered stone and adding touches of gold. It’s all about individual taste and personal preference. So, if you’ve fallen in love with a retro sideboard, don’t be afraid to bring it into a modern home. Then play around with other pieces of furniture and accessories until everything works perfectly together.
In Eclecticism, Textures Pull Things Together
An interior would be completely boring without a variety of textures and colorful accents to give it “juice” and an air of freedom. Combine a shaggy fleece with solid wood furniture or glass side tables with a luxurious leather sofa. Or put smooth surfaces together with rough stone — that’s a combination that makes for an interesting contrast and adds a new dimension to an interior. Make use of accents in various colors and patterns to attract attention and enliven the space. Wallpaper is very popular for doing that, and the more daring among us can use floral or animal paintings, cushions, or rugs with geometric patterns. Don’t be afraid to play around with them — they’re great for adding depth and a distinctive look to a space. The right use of textures will ensure balance and a natural transition between elements of different styles.
Accessories Play an Important Role
It’s enough to add just a few bits and pieces in different styles to an interior. Combine vintage with industrial, rustic with glamour, or art deco with country. In an eclectic style, having space on small bedside tables, coffee tables, cabinets, shelves, etc. plays an essential role. That’s where you can display a variety of small, eye-catching objects. Don’t forget the walls, which should be decorated with interesting pictures. Do you own an original piece of art? Great! Hang it proudly on the wall and accessorize the room with small items that won’t overshadow it but rather enhance the energetic charge of the room. Such pieces might include vases, candles, decorative bowls, and designer lamps. Grouping several accessories together in one place — like candle holders with tall colored candles on one shelf — is also very effective. Spread a carpet out on the floor and put a lavish bouquet of flowers in a vase on the table. Accessories add character and style to a room.
Add Something of Yourself to the Room
If you’re a creative type of person, now’s your chance to express your personality. For example, paint an interesting picture and hang it on your wall. Have you discovered a beautiful retro chest of drawers? Spruce it up and dress it in a new coat of paint. Can you sew? Get some interesting fabric and sew an original cover for your sofa.
When Furnishing an Interior, Listen to Your Inner Muse
Eclecticism is about personal freedom and flexibility, expressed by a combination of elements from more than one style. With it, you can create an inspiring and distinctive space in which you’ll feel comfortable, relaxed, and completely free to be yourself. Be mindful of your inner feelings when choosing colors, textures, accessories, and large pieces of furniture. You can introduce some of your favorite pieces into your interior, such as your grandmother’s vintage armchair. You’ll find they have a soul of their own and bring calm and comfort to your personal space. In short, the freedom and flexibility of the eclectic style allows you to make the most of your home in a personalized way, without being limited by strict boundaries.
Ready to Combine Different Styles in Your Home’s Interior?
Have we inspired you with this brief introduction to eclecticism? Take it slow and steady when renovating a space or building a new one. Create a plan that will make the whole process easier. You’re sure to succeed in the end. Are you afraid to take on the task of furnishing your home in an eclectic style all by yourself? Reach out to a skilled, professional interior designer who can advise you and help you combine different elements in a tasteful, individualized way.