Are you ready to give your living space some personality? Incorporating some elements of eclectic style into your decor might be the way to go. Of course, different people may give you different answers to the question: “What is eclectic style?” Still, at its core, this style means just that—giving your space some personality. If we had to provide you with a definition, we’d say that this style is all about mixing disparate styles, colors, and textures, and making them somehow fit together.
Are you ready for a deep dive? Let’s jump right in!
Characteristics of Eclectic Style Decor
Now that you know what it is, we’ve got to mention that there aren’t any strict rules for decorating in this style. However, we will note some of the critical eclectic interior design characteristics, and hopefully, you’ll get inspired!
Mixing Prints
Combining Textures
If you’re not brave enough to have every wall in a different design, don’t worry! You can try mixing textures, instead. Adding smooth textures next to rough ones, or soft objects close to rough surfaces in your eclectic decor, you’ll take your space to the next level. It would help if you started with small pieces, but don’t be scared to experiment!
Something Old, Something New
Do you have a vintage coffee table or an old TV console? Juxtapose it with a modern armchair or couch! That’s precisely the sort of mix-and-matching that builds an eclectic style living room.
Different Styles of Furniture
We already mentioned mixing old and new furniture and elements. If you liked that idea, you’ll be happy to know that it’s okay to mix styles, too! For example, eclectic decor lets you style that Victorian coffee table with a Scandinavian couch and an industrial TV console. Furniture industry statistics tell us that the oldest pieces of wooden furniture are over two millennia old, so surely you can find a way to incorporate something that’s only seen a few decades!
Negative Spaces Are Your Friends
Mixing different styles and colors is fun, but your guests’ eyes still need a place to rest. So don’t forget to leave some empty or at least not overly crowded walls. You can also leave the TV console without decorations or just put one picture on a big shelf, for example.
Global Influences For the Win
Adding elements into your eclectic room design that come from the opposite side of the planet from the other stuff you have in your space is great! However, when it comes to global influences, you should always be mindful and make sure to do it respectfully rather than opt for direct appropriation.
Eclectic Style Ideas
Now that you have an idea of what you should be doing, we’re ready to give you some basic ideas to get you started. We may have made it sound complicated, but it’s neither that nor is it particularly expensive, so you can easily achieve this kind of decor on a budget!
Eclectic Living Room Design
The living room is the crux of every home and the primary place for entertaining guests. Let’s look into some simple living room ideas:
- Pillows for your couch: If you’re not ready to go wild, it’s fine to start small! Choosing pillows with different textures and patterns, contrasting to the sofa, is a good beginning. Try to find cushions that center around the same color. Let’s say you chose a green pillow with white dots for your eclectic home and its design. Find another one that is beige with green lines. Maybe your next one can have some green leaves on it. It’s that easy!
- Play with your curtains: Chances are, your living room has some big windows. If this is true, maybe we can start your eclectic living room decor with some mismatched curtains. Let’s say the curtain on your left window is lavender. What if your right window is dressed in a colorful print that features some small lavender flowers? How great does that sound?
- Put wallpaper on your ceiling: You may be thinking, “That sounds like too much!” but bear with us for a second! What if all the walls in your living room are white or ivory, and you just add a wallpaper that is not too risque? It could just be beige wallpaper with some delicate pale dandelions, so it doesn’t close the room up, but brings along a splash of color.
We’re giving you various eclectic style furniture ideas, but you don’t necessarily have to change everything now to fit within this type of decor. However, if you decide to remodel or renovate, you won’t be alone in it. According to home remodeling statistics, home improvement is the most popular retail category, so you’re sure to find plenty of people who can give you tips on how to style your dream home.
Eclectic Bedroom Design
Your bedroom should be truly reflective of the person sleeping in it. So, of course, if you decide to bring all those patterns and textures into your bedroom, you’ve got to be comfortable with them! Here are some things you can try out:
Throw in Animal Print
Some people are hesitant about incorporating animal print in their eclectic decorating style, and that’s okay! Take a baby step by adding a tiny zebra print carpet at the bottom of your bed. If you keep your walls and bedsheets a solid color, this is the perfect way to start you on your eclectic journey.
Multi-Colored Walls for the Win
If you like all your furniture as it is, but still want to add a bit of eclectic design, change your walls! You can choose color-blocking, a floral, or even a marble wallpaper.
Multi-Colored Pillows for Your Bed
Yes, we already mentioned this for your living room, but you can also put this in your bedroom. You can start your new eclectic bedroom decor with multi-colored and multi-textured pillows in similar tones.
Gallery Bedroom Wall
If your bedroom has a TV, adding art around the TV console may be a little too distracting. In that case, adding some paintings and wall hangings above your bed might be just the thing.
Add an Accent
Maybe you have a home office in your bedroom. Instead of a boring black office chair, you can get a padded desk chair or an armchair with graphic upholstery. Doesn’t it sound fun? You can opt for some eclectic wall decor, too!
Turn Your Wall Into a Gallery
Choose the pictures for your wall by playing with colors, frames, and size. If you think that different-colored frames will be too much, you can always choose black frames of varying thickness. And if that’s too much as well, just select colorful art in different dimensions. Try combining different art styles, or even photos and paintings – you’ll know if you’ve overdone it.
Pro Tips:
Plan
While modern eclectic decor is all about mixing, you can’t just throw things together haphazardly. Before you start decorating your room, you should think about where a pattern or texture fits. Take your time to consider where you can incorporate the same contrast in a few places in the room. It looks effortless, but the reality is that a room with personality takes lots of planning!
Choose the Main Color
Putting all those colorful prints in one place will have probably made your room seem very bright. Still, it’s important to choose the main color that centers and balances it all, so the room looks put together instead of like storage space for things you had nowhere else to put.
Make It Personal
Whether you’re turning your space into a totally eclectic home or just redecorating one room, you need to turn it into something where you’ll love spending time. It’s not just supposed to look nice for your friends and family. It’s about you, so don’t be afraid to make things personal! Here are a few ideas:
- Did your partner get you a pencil portrait for your birthday a few years ago? Put that portrait into one of the frames on your gallery wall.
- Give your eclectic style some personality with souvenirs that you bought when you went abroad! Details reminiscent of a different culture are welcome additions to your mantle or coffee table!
- Have you got a favorite TV show, movie, or band? Why don’t you find a photo of your favorite scene or album cover and put it in a frame above your couch? If the picture itself isn’t too colorful, maybe you can play around with the frame!
- Grab your favorite plants and find suitable pots for them. Don’t be scared to play around with the pot colors—this is a great way to achieve eclectic home decor with minimal effort.
- Make your entryway extra eclectic! The first thing anyone sees of your home is the front door. Paint it a vibrant color that suits your character, or even add a pattern!
- If you live in a house with a staircase, customizing the railing or the stairs themselves can be a great way to spice things up. Maybe you choose a patterned carpet, or paint each step in gradient tones of the same color.
Our list is not exclusive, so you’re welcome to think of any other ways to customize your soon-to-be eclectic style home! Don’t shy away from DIY projects, either. According to DIY statistics, more and more people are trying to spruce up their homes by themselves, often with amazing results!
Conclusion
The eclectic design style is all about fun and personality. Since you’re living in it, we already know that your home has a whole bunch of character! So, with our guide for navigating the ups and downs of eclectic design, you should be all set to start letting that shine through. And don’t worry. As we’ve said, you can start small! Maybe you’re looking into eclectic kitchen design, or just want to fix up your den. Anything is fine, as long as you feel comfortable in that space.
FAQ
What is an eclectic interior style?
Eclectic style interior design is characterized by mixing prints, colors, patterns, shades, textures, furniture styles, and more! You don’t need to follow a strict definition to make your space eclectic.
Is eclectic style bad?
Of course not! No interior design style is bad, and this style is no exception! Some people may think that ‘eclectic’ just means messy and haphazard interior design, but the reality is that nothing is random or unplanned with this style.
How do you style an eclectic home?
There is no one right way to decorate your home, not even within a specific style. That’s why there are so many guides on the topic of how to decorate in an eclectic style! You already know that it’s all about mixing. Choose your shades, patterns, textures, and items and see where it takes you.
What is the difference between eclectic and bohemian?
You may think these two styles are pretty similar and have trouble telling them apart. However, the one significant difference between the two is that eclectic style can incorporate bohemian elements, but it also includes things contrasting to them. The only rule is that not everything can be from the same category. On the other hand, bohemian style is centered around the use of natural fibers, colorful fabrics, and woven furniture, and generally evokes a feeling of comfort and effortlessness.
