If there’s one interior design style that has almost no rules or limits, allowing you to fully express your creativity and personality, it’s got to be the eclectic style. Arguably, eclectic spaces are the antithesis of minimalist design. Instead of a clean and streamlined aesthetic, the style concept is all about maximalism. The goal is to curate a space with pieces from different time periods, styles, and influences while maintaining a cohesive overall design approach that’s both pleasing to the eye and intriguing to the mind.
This is one of the hardest interior design approaches to pull off since it’s so easy for spaces to look cluttered. The mix of patterns, colors, fabrics, and textures could get a bit too random and messy. To help you achieve a more harmonious eclectic interior design for your home, we are providing you with a few no-nonsense tips that you can take into consideration.
Define the Purpose and Layout of the Room
As with any interior decoration or renovation project, the first step is to specify the room’s purpose. Would it be a mixed-use space? Do you need couches or chairs for entertaining? From there, you can make a rough sketch of the layout, deciding where the large furniture pieces will be placed. These steps will help you in shopping for furniture like chairs for sale that actually fits the space, not just in terms of style but size as well.
Shop for Mismatched Second hand Furniture
Creating an eclectic space is one of the best times to shop for second hand furniture. Since you can get away with mismatched furniture, you don’t have to spend a lot of money getting a full set of dining tables and chairs or a set of living room sofas. You can just look for furniture-focused buy and sell online shops.
That said, you still have to take into consideration the collection of furniture in a room. They have to be cohesive as a set even if they don’t match. The way to do this is to pick pieces with similar shapes, textures, finishes, patterns, or colors. In addition, you have to use your critical eye and be ready to edit pieces that stick out from your curated space.
Choose Practical Pieces
While it’s important for your spaces to reflect your style, it’s also vital that they fulfill their purpose. That’s why you should choose furniture pieces that are both practical and aesthetically pleasing. After all, your home is not an art gallery or a museum where the objective is to appreciate works of art that don’t possess any functional properties. Your home should be inviting and comfortable for you, your family, and your guests.
Create a Focal Point
Even with an eclectic interior design style where you can bring in quirky pieces of art and furniture, the room still has to have a focal point. This vital element of your design draws the eyes of observers and serves as a stylistic anchor for the room. Without it, there would be no clear composition to your space, making it feel random and cluttered.
In eclectic style, the most popular way to create a focal point is to add a gallery wall. You can be as bold or as minimal with your wall hangings, incorporating vibrant paintings, sculptural pieces, and collections from your travels. What’s most important is that these pieces are meaningful to you and express your personality.
Decide on a Color Palette
In order to create harmony in a space, there should be some similar elements throughout the room and the house. One of these elements is a cohesive color palette.
While there are no strict rules in creating a color palette, an easier way to do this is to limit your choice to 2 neutral colors and 2 to 3 accent colors. You can use these colors throughout the room and your entire house for a more unified look.
Use Patterns in a Cohesive Way
Eclectic spaces often incorporate different patterns on the walls, rugs, curtains, and more. However, it’s often tricky to use more than one pattern in a space. Having different patterns in a room can be disorienting. Fortunately, there’s a simple way to achieve a harmonious space using more than one pattern. Following expert advice, you can either use different patterns with the same color or use the same pattern in different colors. This way, your room will look put together even with a variety of patterns on display.
Incorporate a Variety of Textures
Another design element that can add appeal to any room is texture. There are many ways to incorporate texture into your space such as by using contrasting fabrics, featuring accessories made from different materials, and adding plants to liven up the room.
You can use a variety of textures and finishes throughout the space, but be careful not to overdo it. Experts recommend using only 2 to 3 finishes for a small room and 3 to 4 finishes for larger rooms. Take note that being consistent with these finishes and textures throughout your home will make for a more unified feel.
Curating your space to achieve a cohesive and harmonious eclectic space can be challenging, even for experts. Combining different interior design styles, colors, textures, patterns, etc. into a cohesive space takes skill and talent. It also involves editing and evaluating the space with your critical eye. That said, as long as your space is true to who you are, and you’re happy with your home, rules don’t really matter as much.
