How to Make Your Own Eclectic Decor

Use bright accents with neutral colors.

Eclectic decor is more than just a bunch of thrift store furniture combined together: Although the pieces used in the room are from different periods and styles, they are pulled together with a common theme and color. Consistent texture and line throughout the room imbues it with a feeling of comfort. Furniture from different periods and styles combine best when they have the same texture in fabric, and the same types of lines throughout the furniture.

Instructions

1. Select the colors for your room before you purchase furniture, then buy furniture in the same color scheme. If you already own furnishings that are different colors, tie the room together using neutral colors for the wall, with one of the colors of the furniture as an accent. For example if you have a red sofa, tie it into the rest of the room by adding a red rug or a red border on a beige wall.

2. Combine different styles of furniture, but keep the lines similar. For example, combine a square, modern table with an overstuffed, traditional sofa with soft lines. Combine Louis IV furniture with French Provincial, since they both have curly, decorative designs.

3. Use similar textures in one room. For example, combine a rich, traditional suede chair with a modern, velvet sofa and add suede drapery. Combine a knotty Americana sofa with a contemporary corduroy chair and add cotton curtains.

4. Place a combination of table finishes in one room. A modern glass coffee table will sit nicely in front of a traditional sofa. A marble side table matches well with a French country chair.

5. Use bold paintings on a neutral background. Bright, bold, ethnic paintings will become a focal point in an otherwise soft or quiet room. Coordinate the color with existing color in the room. For instance, if you have neutral colors and one green piece, adding a bold green painting pulls the room together.

Tips & Warnings

• Combine no more than three different styles. If each piece is a different style, it may start to look like a garage sale.

• Use accent pieces that are the same styles as the furniture. Place a modern lamp on a modern table; a French provincial lamp would look out of place on a modern table.

References

• Your Decorating Hotline: Exploring Style: Eclectic and Transitional
• HGTV: Eclectic Style 101