How to Recognize Ethnic-Eclectic Style

Ethnic-eclectic style mixes foreign folk art as well as functional objects in design schemes. Here are some ways to identify the look.

Things You'll Need

• Design Magazines Such As Architectural Digest

Instructions

1. Ask yourself: What's the overall feel of the room? If the decor includes accents that appear to have been collected on far-flung vacations, it's ethnic-eclectic.

2. Study the big furnishings. The large pieces can be ethnic in flavor, perhaps a sofa with fabric inspired by Native-American, African (including animal prints), Asian or Mexican geometrics, but often they will be plain, playing second fiddle to more eye-catching pieces with a pronounced foreign origin.

3. Cast an eye to the smaller furnishings. This is where the ethnic flavor is more likely to be expressed: small pieces such as carved and/or hand-painted occasional tables, natural-rattan chairs with a South Seas-isle feel, camel-saddle footstools and pillows covered with coarsely woven kilim rugs from Turkey.

4. Look at the walls, which may be faux-painted for an adobe look or possibly covered with a grass-cloth paper. You'll see folk art such as masks and hand-carved or hand-woven objects, needlework such as embroidered silk from Asia, and framed pieces such as antique maps and exotic landscapes.

5. Check out the floor coverings. Prime examples include hand-woven flat rugs from Mexico and India; Oriental-style rugs from the Middle East; furry flokatis from Greece; and animal-print rugs.

6. Scrutinize the window treatments. Natural bamboo matchstick blinds, woven-wood Roman shades and Mexican blankets (hung from big rings on wrought-iron rods) are excellent choices.

7. Examine the tchotchkes. They will be woven, painted, carved, molded, cast and sewn by hand, and they will be frankly foreign in appearance.

Tips & Warnings

• Clothing from another culture - especially old or finely crafted apparel - can be showcased as art in ethnic-eclectic decor. Kimonos and Native-American garb make excellent soft sculpture.