Mixing styles isn’t just about throwing disparate designs together. Creating an eclectic aesthetic requires in-depth knowledge about design and how different colors, textures, and design languages can be united without making a space look like a hodgepodge of mix-n-match confusion.
Interior designers with a sharp eye for detail know exactly what kind of styles complement each other and use this skill to create gorgeous eclectic living spaces. What’s more, an eclectic mix doesn’t always have to be in large doses. A Mid-century modern living room, for example, can be accessorized with traditional or contemporary decor, or even just two styles can come together to form a stunning design contrast.
Listed below are some of my favorite eclectic living rooms created by interior designers who balance disparate aesthetics beautifully.
Global Design Language
The eclectic, modern look of this timber loft is a spectacular display of global design style. Designed by Chicago’s Chi Renovation & Design, it showcases art, fabric, and showpieces from across the world. The global-fusion decor showcases items from cultures across the world including pieces from the Sahara and India. It’s a stunning medley of modern furniture, patterns, and colors.
Above is a living room in an urban ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona. It is replete with an eclectic collection of art and artifacts: contemporary Southwest art, arrowheads, Navajo rugs, pottery, baskets, and tribal African art. In addition to the accessories, the furniture and materials come from a variety of styles and sources — it’s a mix of rich woods, stone floors, and custom finishes. The wood ceiling and beams complement the mixed decor beautifully.
Chicago’s Chi Renovation & Design designed the above Airbnb rental to suit the owner’s eclectic taste. The open-concept condo features a mix of over-the-top design contrasted with a restrained assortment of modern and contemporary furniture. The intricate gold-tiled ceiling makes a luxe statement and creates a stark yet stunning contrast to the exposed brick wall. The mid-century modern chair and sofa, and the contemporary, acrylic coffee table and chairs add a practical, functional touch.
Mixing Materials & Color
Having an eclectic living room doesn’t just mean mixing design style. You can even achieve the look by mixing materials. Denver’s Margarita Bravo used a mix of materials to give the above living room a timeless, contemporary look. Warm woods were juxtaposed with sleek metals, abstract art was contrasted with a landscape piece, and pops of blue accessories added just the right dose of color to the wood-metal interiors. My favorite part about this living room is the glass-and-metal, accent light.
Scottsdale’s Susan Hersker designed this autumn-colored living area in a Napa Valley home surrounded by vineyards. While the palette is an ode to the hues of fall, the natural materials used for the furniture and finishes are an eclectic mix of stone (onyx, granite, limestone), wood (Mahogany, Pommele, Koa, Brazillian Cherry), and metals (copper and polished nickel). The final look is a sophisticated design that’s rich in color and texture.
This open-concept studio (above) was completely gutted, renovated and designed by Chicago’s Chi Renovation & Design to be used as an Airbnb rental. A modern industrial look with an exposed brick wall is given an eclectic mix of furniture: each piece has a unique design sensibility. The overall look is a contemporary fusion of materials and finishes.
Denver’s Margarita Bravo used a combination of colors in this lively, contemporary living room. The turquoise door, the multi-hued rug, and the warm-toned wood flooring create an attractive contrast to the light walls.
An eclectic living room doesn’t always have to be an extravaganza of color or littered with Bohemian knick-knacks. The designs featured above are all eclectic spaces but with an elegant, sophisticated touch. I hope these designs will inspire you with ideas for your next living room remodel. ♥
