I can appreciate a lot of different interior styles, but often they can be pretty unforgiving if your lifestyle or home style doesn’t “fit” the look (looking at you minimal). Unlike most interior schemes, which often have quite hard and fast “rules”, a modern eclectic interior throws out the rulebook and gives you free rein to mix furniture styles, art, print and texture in whatever way you fancy really, and I LOVE it.
Source: Nicole Fuller Interiors
It's hard to pinpoint exactly what denotes this style as it can take on a lot of different visual looks but it's definitely all about the mix of old and new. The Nicole Fuller example above could look very retro if you saw the colour combination or chairs and sideboards in isolation, but the way she pairs it with modern art, the hard marble topped table and neutral rug really gives the vintage pieces a new spin and creates a modern, yet warm and inviting space.
Source: Kerrie-Ann Jones | Soho Home
What really makes this style is presenting your personality in a room, having fun with experimentation, layering and vintage pieces. I personally love it because it reminds me of home. My parents house has always been filled with bits and pieces from travels, various things that my mum couldn’t leave at a market and whatever else caught their eye, regardless of style or age. It’s a very unique mix and something you couldn’t possibly recreate, even if you wanted to, but the point is it becomes something unique. Don’t get me wrong, if you go too far it can quickly become a mass of stuff, but If you like it and curate carefully then anything goes!
Source: Alexander Doherty Design
Home should always be about the pieces you love and an eclectic interior definitely accommodates that! Whether you execute it as a gallery wall in one room or go full on throughout your home it really can work to complement lots of different interior styles, as the examples here show it can play into mid-century, traditional, or an industrial or relaxed Scandi vibe even.
Sources: escape from sofa | Hoxton Hotel
Although there are no real "rules" when it comes eclecticism (as there shouldn't be!) there are some tips to guide you and stop your rooms looking like a muddle - perfecting your eclectic style:
- As with most interiors, sticking to a key colour palette of 2 or 3 colours will give consistency, then you can experiment with shades, textures and layering
- Keep these key textures and shades flowing from room to room
- Have one key focus piece of furniture or art that you want the eye to be drawn to and build around that, this will help to keep everything working harmoniously
- Keep it curated with things you really love and give them breathing space to show them off and stop it becoming cluttered, white/blank space is as key
- For a more toned down version of this look bring it into mismatch cushions or prints in smaller objects that can be easily changed!
Source: David Boyle Architect