Mixing design styles is a great way to add visual interest and personality to your home.
Another bonus — it's a great way to bridge the gap between different people who live in your home who may have different design preferences.
And let's face it, for design-obsessed homeowners, it's a fun challenge to bring together different elements and make them work in harmony.
Before you can mix design styles, you need to know which ones you’re drawn to.
Is it contemporary with clean lines? Scandinavian? Or do you still love farmhouse? There are no wrong answers. If you don't know, dive into an image search and see what grabs your attention — and your heart.
pick a star of the show
Sure, you can mix design styles. But you do need to choose one dominant style to anchor the room.
Make it a mishmash of too many different things and it will feel chaotic and uncoordinated.
And I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you don't want that!
A good rule of thumb is the 80/20 rule: 80% of the room is your dominant design style and 20% incorporates one or more other styles. The art and creativity is in curating a look that's truly you without going overboard.
If you're new to this, remember less is more. So start simple.
For example, add in a modern light fixture and accent chair to an otherwise traditional room with classic architectural details. Or pair a sleek, modern couch with a traditional wooden coffee table. Once you get comfortable, you can layer in more elements.
stick to a colour palette
Colour is the biggest unifier that can make nearly any shape or style go together.
A a vividly coloured modern accent chair paired with a sleek light fixture can help to freshen up a traditional space. Then repeat the colour in your decor, such as pillows, drapery and art. Repetition is one of the important elements to create a cohesive and harmonious design, so use it to your advantage.
Focus on the overall feel you want to create in the room and make sure that you're not creating chaos by adding too many different styles in one space. Don’t be afraid to mix interesting items from different periods together. Mixing design styles is all about taking risks and trying new things.
You want to not only feel inspired in the room but also help to spark conversations with your loved ones and visitors.
With a little creativity and a lot of trial and error, you could curate a truly unique space.
Want to try this but feel stuck about where to start or how to pull it all together? We'd love to help. Book a call with us today!
