Interesting. Complex. Layered. Unexpected. Yeah, the eclectic design style brings up lots of words that show its tricky side. It’s all about mixing things up, matching them, and adding layers. The concept of eclectic interior designs isn’t just about being fancy and having a lot; it also brings a fun surprise that fits with any other style—but it can be tricky to get right. First, follow the rules until you get the hang of it.
10 Tips to Master the Eclectic Interior Design
Take inspiration from these eye-catching interiors and use the following eclectic home decor and design ideas.
- Texture Play: Mixing Rough and Smooth for Intrigue
Using both rough and smooth textures makes a room more interesting, especially if you stick to simple colors. Think about adding fluffy rugs or pillows, fabrics with a bumpy or thick weave on furniture, rough wooden items or furniture, and smooth finishes on metal or iron.
While mixing textures is important, it’s also good to use the same texture in different places throughout your home. Try to use one texture at least three times in different spots. It helps everything look like it belongs together.
- Balancing Fullness with Restful Areas
When you’re decorating in an eclectic style, remember to give your eyes a break. Leave some spaces on shelves and tables empty, and think about arranging your artwork in an interesting shape on the wall behind. It’s not only about what you show off but also about what you don’t.
To keep your space full of personality, mix things up. Choose only your favorite pieces, and switch them around for variety, maybe with the seasons.
- Swapping Décor for Seasonal Flair
Even if all the furniture matches, a room full of randomly placed pieces isn’t eclectic—it’s just chaotic. Have a plan: Begin with the big, important pieces and then add on from there. Don’t forget about important layout basics, like having good flow and places for guests to set down drinks. Consider what each piece of furniture is for, where it’ll go, and how it fits in with everything else.
- Choosing Furniture to Reflect Room Ambiance
The mood of the room should match the eclectic furniture and decorations in it. For a formal dining area, go with traditional things like a crystal chandelier, not something breezy like a paper globe pendant. And for more casual rooms skip the stiff wingback chairs and go for fun, cozy seats that set the right vibe, like a vintage lounger or a hanging bubble chair.
- Anchoring the Room with Bold Focal Points
In an eclectic room, a big, attention-grabbing piece is usually what really makes it pop. Whether it’s a huge artwork or a standout furniture item, it should be front and center, taking all the attention. Having two big focal points—unless they’re part of one scene, like a cool mix of modern and traditional furniture with a living wall—or having them in a really big room, can make them compete and mess up the room’s story.
- Curating a Diverse Yet Cohesive Art Collection
Art is really important in eclectic design. Luckily, it’s now easy and cheap to build up a cool collection. Mix framed and unframed pieces, cool objects, and sculptures. Change up the size and shape and look for things that match in color, theme, and style.
- Curating an Eclectic Gallery Wall
The eclectic gallery wall, also known as the “salon-style hang,” is a quirky, mismatched, but cool way to arrange art that looks great in your own space. Start by hanging the biggest pieces first and then add smaller ones around them, leaving some space between each piece. You can bring everything together by using similar frames or grouping things by color, type (like landscapes or portraits), material (photos, oil paintings, prints), or style (abstract, Surrealist).
- Leveraging Odd Numbers for Visual Impact
Interesting groupings are really important in every eclectic room, and follow the interior design rule of three. It says that odd numbers of things (like three, five, or seven) look better and stick in your mind more than even numbers. Always put similar things together in groups, like by size, color, or what they’re for, to make the biggest visual impact.
- Adding Dimension and Interest through Size Diversity
Variation in scale, which means having different sizes of things, keeps eclectic rooms interesting. We would suggest that you aim for big differences by mixing up how tall, wide, round, or long things are.
- Infusing Personality into Eclectic Designs
The eclectic design style loves surprises and unique touches, both with the objects themselves and how you show them off. For instance, if a really traditional room seems too formal, spice it up with funky Pop art pieces and bold throw pillows with graffiti prints.
Now since we’ve gone through the rules and know what all to keep in mind while designing your space let’s talk decor ideas specific to each room.
- Eclectic Living Room Ideas
Designing an eclectic living room gives you lots of freedom and fun when you’re decorating your house. Before you start picking out statement pieces, think about the colors you want. Getting your colors right will keep your room from feeling all over the place and make it a cozy spot to chill.
We suggest painting your walls in simple colors and using bright colors for your eclectic furniture and accessories in the living room. Throw in a few different colors to make some things pop and stand out.
A big thing for an eclectic living room is having different textures. Using different textures is a quick and easy way to make your room look cool. You can put a patterned rug on a wood floor or a plain rug on a tile floor to make a statement that’s totally you.
Mix leather and metal for a modern look that also has a vintage feel, or use wooden furniture with fabric accents to make a cozy space for you and your family.
To really make your textures stand out, try using them in different places in your room. This makes everything feel like it goes together and shows off your cool style.
If you’re intrigued by these eclectic living room ideas but don’t know where to start, try using old furniture mixed with bold patterns and expressive artwork. This has been a popular trend lately.
For an eclectic look, it’s important to have artwork and unique furniture. You could make a gallery wall to catch people’s attention, or use different chairs with flamboyant details as your statement pieces.
- Eclectic Bedroom Ideas
We recently read this quote from interior designer Bunny Williams: “If you love something, it will work. That’s the only real rule.” And we totally agree! Don’t worry about following the rules if you’re making a room that makes you happy every day.
Having a metal nightstand and a wooden dresser doesn’t have to be weird. You can use little things to hide some details while showing off what makes each piece of furniture special. Try changing the handles on your drawers. If you pick unique handles, people will notice those instead of the different finishes.
Your bedroom doesn’t have to match perfectly. But if you don’t like having a mix of stuff, you can keep some of your different furniture and just get a few things that match. The most important stuff is your bed, nightstand(s), and dresser. By the way do read our article on Are Prefab Tiny Homes Right for You? A Guide for Aspiring Tiny Dwellers
- Eclectic Kitchen Ideas
When you’re planning on how to set up your eclectic kitchen, keep it simple and useful. Using open shelves can be both handy and nice to look at, giving you a place to show off your cool stuff. Just remember to find a balance – your main things should be simple but inviting, so you can add more fun stuff later. Explore what are the latest trends in kitchen interior design.
When you mix different styles, try to keep it balanced so one style doesn’t take over everything else. For example, if you have an old or a vintage painting, mix it with some modern stuff that’s more contemporary elements. Texture is important too. A smooth countertop can look beautiful next to a rough brick wall, making your kitchen feel different or unexpected but still cohesive.
- Eclectic Bathroom Ideas
Eclectic designs are brave, fun, and most importantly bold! You don’t have to do what’s trending or follow any rules. You can make your space totally unique and do whatever you want with it.
Some elements to consider while looking for eclectic bathroom ideas:
- Various textures
- Rugs
- Patterns
- Accessories
- Bright colors
- Different materials
- Mix of fixtures
- Plants
