Mix and Match to Find Your Eclectic Style
One of the hardest styles to perfect is definitely the eclectic style. It's a look that seems the most laid back and effortless due to the mixing of different styles and elements, but it is so easy for this look to become cluttered and in disarray.
The eclectic style is a highly personal, curated look and highlights unique and personal touches as the main focus. With this style, you are able to combine pieces from different eras and styles to create a truly cultivated look.
Because of its personal look, the biggest enemy of this style is matching furniture sets. Having all of your furniture pieces match can take away the opportunity to bring personality into your space.
Color
One of the easiest ways to keep this style cohesive is by the use of color. Keeping your colors mostly neutral allows the personality of your items to really stand out. Now, just because you're using neutral colors, it doesn't mean it has to be boring. While a soft neutral wall color such as white, cream, taupe, or a soft gray keeps your room feeling light and airy, you can also use a charcoal or a navy to give your room a dramatic or moody feeling. Also, following a color scheme will help avoid the cluttered look. Again, stick to mostly neutrals, but feel free to bring in an accent color.
Furniture
The next big part of creating your eclectic style is making sure your furniture pieces all work together and fit your room. Like I said earlier, if you buy a matching set of furniture, you lose so much personality in your space. So instead, choose pieces that have similar lines and proportions. Don't be afraid to mix your styles here. Just make sure the proportions, scales, and shapes of your furniture work well in the room as well as with the other décor. This helps you create your look while also feeling purposeful.
Fabrics
Just like furniture, fabrics are a key element in creating the eclectic style. Having a multitude of textiles with different textures and patterns is an easy way to achieve this look, just make sure they draw from a shared palette. One fun way of using fabrics to bring cohesiveness to your room is to reupholster two different chairs in the same fabric. This allows you to find that creative feel with your furniture selections while minimizing the distractions of having too many unique individualized pieces.
Textures
Textures are a big part of keeping your space interesting while sticking with a more neutral color palette. Use a natural woven window shade or a fluffy shag rug to add dimension. Feel free to layer textures as well. Pair a woven rug with a hide rug, or throw a furry blanket on top of a jute chair. Because most textures affect a room in the same way as a neutral paint color, you can fill a room with varying textures without it feeling too overwhelming.
Tips and Tricks
If you follow these main rules, you should be on your way to creating a personalized, eclectic space. But here are a few more tips and tricks that will help you along the way.
- Art: when using artwork on your walls, try finding one thing to tie them together, whether it is all black and white pictures, a collection of items featuring the same type of subject, or matching frames.
- Accessories: a unique blend of accessories is what really pulls together the eclectic style. A fun way to create a focal point out of accessories is to use several of the same type of item but in different styles together, such as a bunch of candlesticks on a mantle. Because they are the same type of item, they can each look different and not feel like clutter.
- Don't forget to keep a focal point in your room. Your eye will wander the room because of the multitude of unique pieces in there, but having a focal point will ground the room.
- Contrast plays a big part in eclectic design, whether it's through texture, color, or finish. Feel free to play up the contrasting features in your room to help set the atmosphere of the room.
- Make sure your room feels personal to you- that is the whole purpose of the eclectic style!
- Art: when using artwork on your walls, try finding one thing to tie them together, whether it is all black and white pictures, a collection of items featuring the same type of subject, or matching frames.
- Accessories: a unique blend of accessories is what really pulls together the eclectic style. A fun way to create a focal point out of accessories is to use several of the same type of item but in different styles together, such as a bunch of candlesticks on a mantle. Because they are the same type of item, they can each look different and not feel like clutter.
- Don't forget to keep a focal point in your room. Your eye will wander the room because of the multitude of unique pieces in there, but having a focal point will ground the room.
- Contrast plays a big part in eclectic design, whether it's through texture, color, or finish. Feel free to play up the contrasting features in your room to help set the atmosphere of the room.
- Make sure your room feels personal to you- that is the whole purpose of the eclectic style!
This was the most helpful article I’ve seen on tying together elements in eclectic design. I’m trying to work several chairs into my weird living space and couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t working. Now I get it!
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