There is one sure way to prevent the space from looking ho-hum or one note: and that is to combine design methods, chosen among many methods and past times. That’s how you’ll make sure your home isn’t a slave to style, and it’ll add a lot of personality to the process.
For example, my home is a mix of 1970s bohemian with sleek mid-century pieces. The combination makes for exciting, interesting visuals, and no one else has a decor like mine, especially since it’s made from vintage finds.
Eclecticism always lends tons of personality to any home. You can achieve that diversity by blurring the lines between decades and turning to mixed styles (think: cottagecore meets maximalism, for example). But this hybrid approach it does it’s likely to cause conflict, leaving you with things inside that feel heavy and chaotic. As Caroline Kopp, founder and chief designer puts it, “True visuals need empty spaces for the eye to rest.”
To achieve that tailored, cohesive and cohesive look, we tapped interior designers for their top tips and tricks.
Why Is It a Good Idea to Combine Design Styles?
“Combining design styles in one space is key to making a space feel alive,” says Bambi A’Lynn Bratton of Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design. “I like to combine different styles to make the room feel organized and collected. Not only does it prevent it from looking clean and tidy, mixing styles is also a great way to reflect the owner’s taste, personality and travels.”
Emily Spanos, creative director of Emily June Designs, says it also works to mix eras and styles, especially if you’ve inherited furniture and decor from family, have been designing over time, or may have some financial problems. In other words, you won’t be locked into one theme – instead, you’ll embrace an eclectic vibe that gives you more freedom.
How to Mix Design Periods and Styles
✔️ Combine different types of vintage art. “Accessories and patterns are the easiest ways to bring in a vintage design,” says Kopp. “There’s so much out there, and it’s easy to pick up at your local antique store.”
✔️ Repeat the silhouettes. To keep your mix looking cohesive, Spanos recommends “repeated silhouettes,” in which you’ll wrap in similar shapes throughout the space. “Finding things that communicate, like circular or rectilinear shapes in styles, creates harmony and ties things together,” she says.
✔️ Avoid maximalism if you haven’t yet. Even if it happens visible As if you need to be concerned with maximalism when mixing styles, Kopp says you don’t — in fact, he thinks the maximalist look is a combination of “professional level”, “tread carefully!” he adds. He advises, “I would approach this by adding a few pieces at a time, which allows you to slow down if things start to look like a junk shop.
✔️ Combine culture and age. “Mix traditional and modern,” advises Spanos. “Balancing opposites creates energy and prevents any style from overwhelming the space.” For example, a mid-century chair can give a modern feel to a traditional farmhouse table.
✔️ Check out the features. When it comes to mixing chairs from different styles, A’Lynn Bratton suggests making sure the sizes work together. He says, “For example, you wouldn’t want to mix a mid-century modern sofa with a long English wing chair, because the weight and size won’t match.”
✔️ Meet the color. “Use color as the glue that binds disparate moments together to create a cohesive palette,” says Spanos. “It makes very different pieces feel connected.”
✔️ Consider the choice of fabrics. “One of my favorite ways to make sure everything that’s put together works well is by choosing a thoughtful fabric,” A’Lynn Bratton shares. “Reupholstering is an important way to ensure that a space feels cohesive.”
Shelby Deering is a freelance lifestyle writer who frequently covers home design and interior design publications. She has worked as a full-time freelance writer for over ten years, and has worked in the industry for nearly 20 years, documenting her travels, interviewing top designers, and decorating her home. She has a master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and when she’s not writing, you can find her at thrift stores and flea markets, running, or exploring local trails in Madison, Wisconsin, with her husband and corgi, Dolly.
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