Chelsea's Garage: Make your eclectic style work {5 Tips}

Posted by Chelsea

Hi friends! This is a topic I've been excited to talk about for a little while. It's my own little collection of tips on how to decorate with an eclectic style aesthetic. Eclectic style is simply having a broad range of tastes and inspirations. I am sure that many of you, like me, cannot define your decorating style in one category, (elegant, bohemian, mid-century, country, etc). In fact, I have walked into only a few homes that are of one style aesthetic the whole way through. Personally, I prefer a more mixed and less match-y feel. Most people like a bit of this and a touch of that - and that's wonderful! But, sometimes it's hard to figure out how to use this and that in the same space together. So, let's take a look at some ways to make various styles work in one space!

1 - Earthy tones & a few pops of bright
You really can't go wrong with an earthy color palette. It makes combining various elements in one room much easier when you keep the big things, (walls, sofas, large area rugs), relatively neutral. Then you can play around with distinct snaps of color on lesser committal things, (pillows, wall art, lampshades, small area rugs, window treatments).

{I really wanted our chandelier to be something funky and unusual, so I kept the rest of the dining room pretty low key so the fixture could stand out - how to found here}

{Even a furniture piece, like a coffee table, can be fun to bring out your favorite color}

2 - Layering

Who says that everything from floor to ceiling needs to be of the same style genre? A geometric pattern on a rug with an old chippy wood coffee table is just one example of combining modern with vintage. Or a traditional Persian rug with a Lucite coffee table, (looks completely clear, like glass or plastic); a different way of combining old with new. If you pull together a color scheme that works well, (keeping the big things neutral), mixing various styles gets easier.

{I found this funky area rug at a thrift store, originally from IKEA - since it's neutral, it is the perfect modern element to offset our antique heirloom bedroom set}

{With both a traditional, neutral area rug and a rustic coffee table, I added some bright and colorful ombre throw pillows, (made from placemats, how-to found here) and a metal hexagon side table}

3 - Natural greens, (fresh or faux)

Bringing nature indoors is a simple trick for tying an eclectic space together. Greens often add a peaceful and calming vibe to a collected, layered space.

4 - Edit

It is hard to pull the reigns back, especially when you have an eclectic aesthetic, but sometimes it's necessary when your eye is drawn to a variety of styles. I do love a rustic vibe, but I already have several rustic pieces floating around my home. I contrast those with my white furniture and walls, simple, clean lines for light fixtures, and a bit of shine here and there.

5 - Don't take the decorating too seriously

Your home is your own retreat and sanctuary. If you try to copy what you see in the magazines, you'll probably be disappointed when all is said and done. Own your style and have fun with it. Be surprising, be different. Don't over think. Decorate for the fun of decorating. Here are a few of my own ideas that I didn't have to think twice about; they're just for fun.

{Red tool box used as bench for my kids to pull their shoes on}