Ask an Expert: How to Mix Styles and Eras in Your Home
Few homes stick to one style throughout, but mixing and matching successfully is an art. Read on for expert secrets to getting it right
Michael Schienke
21 June 2015
RIBA Architect of the Month, February 2022. Houzz UK Contributor. Chartered Architect, director and founder at Vorbild Architecture Limited. The company was established in 2010 and specialises in a "one-stop-shop" services including land search, budget advice, planning application in the UK and France / Monaco, interior design, tender package, site supervision, contract management and full architectural and interior design services, as well as specialist services like : site and property search, feng shui consultation, presenting our projects with 3D and VR designs - inside and outside, client supply sourcing, furniture design and sourcing and landscape design.
RIBA Architect of the Month, February 2022. Houzz UK Contributor. Chartered Architect,... More
Many of our homes feature décor and furniture that’s a real blend of different styles and periods. Whether it’s mixing old and new architecture, incorporating an inherited family heirloom, weaving in pieces from trips abroad or simply contrasting colours, it’s rare not to find some form of experimentation in people’s homes nowadays.
But how do you mix and match without creating a clash? Try these simple guidelines.
But how do you mix and match without creating a clash? Try these simple guidelines.
How many styles in one space are too many?
There is such a thing as too many good ideas at once. When it comes to style, there’s a useful rule that helps to avoid this – the golden ‘rule of three’.
So, for example, if you have, or are designing, a Shaker-style kitchen, you could complement it with contemporary flooring and Art Deco pendants above the dining table. However, do not then choose a Victorian or 1950s dining table, as this will be an overload of styles. Alternatively, as seen in this grand kitchen, you could mix and match a more traditional Versailles pattern timber flooring with contemporary lights and Art Deco furniture.
When applying the ‘rule of three’, ensure two out of the three styles have a similar amount of detail, and the third style is kept plain. In this instance, it’s the modern lights that help keep the overall décor from looking too fussy.
On a final note, there are certain styles that help to gel otherwise incompatible ones: these are typically styles that historically evolved in-between two other periods and therefore contained pieces of each of them. For example, Art Deco can gel Victorian with Modern, while Georgian can blend Tudor with Victorian.
There is such a thing as too many good ideas at once. When it comes to style, there’s a useful rule that helps to avoid this – the golden ‘rule of three’.
So, for example, if you have, or are designing, a Shaker-style kitchen, you could complement it with contemporary flooring and Art Deco pendants above the dining table. However, do not then choose a Victorian or 1950s dining table, as this will be an overload of styles. Alternatively, as seen in this grand kitchen, you could mix and match a more traditional Versailles pattern timber flooring with contemporary lights and Art Deco furniture.
When applying the ‘rule of three’, ensure two out of the three styles have a similar amount of detail, and the third style is kept plain. In this instance, it’s the modern lights that help keep the overall décor from looking too fussy.
On a final note, there are certain styles that help to gel otherwise incompatible ones: these are typically styles that historically evolved in-between two other periods and therefore contained pieces of each of them. For example, Art Deco can gel Victorian with Modern, while Georgian can blend Tudor with Victorian.
How do I add modern lighting into a period room?
A super-contemporary light fitting hanging from this gorgeous Victorian corniced ceiling works because its complexity complements everything else in the room: the owners have replaced its historic counterpart with a piece that’s equally complex and detailed.
Choosing such a light fitting in place of its more traditional cousin opens up more possibilities, too, since, once you change one of a room’s key features – perhaps the fireplace, cornice, window, flooring or, as here, the central pendant light – it will feel natural to continue down this route with other elements.
This room feels light, elegant and, in places, almost austere, but all the details combined show a refined and grown-up character, where less is definitely more.
Learn what to consider before hanging pendant lights
A super-contemporary light fitting hanging from this gorgeous Victorian corniced ceiling works because its complexity complements everything else in the room: the owners have replaced its historic counterpart with a piece that’s equally complex and detailed.
Choosing such a light fitting in place of its more traditional cousin opens up more possibilities, too, since, once you change one of a room’s key features – perhaps the fireplace, cornice, window, flooring or, as here, the central pendant light – it will feel natural to continue down this route with other elements.
This room feels light, elegant and, in places, almost austere, but all the details combined show a refined and grown-up character, where less is definitely more.
Learn what to consider before hanging pendant lights
Can I add a modern fireplace to a period room?
If you are fortunate enough to have a period fireplace in your property, this can be a great start to a traditional room design. However, as in this living room, if the proportions and the windows are the only period features left, and if you don’t want to replace the fireplace with a reproduction or salvaged one, but a modern design, it’s important you keep the scale of the previous fireplace in mind – an oversized fireplace will make a small room feel smaller, for example. The traditional height for a fireplace is one third of a room’s overall height.
If you’re planning to mount a TV above your new fireplace, start with the ideal location for the screen, which will depend on its size and the distance to the seating. In this room, the owners chose a mirror instead – a painting would also work – above a small, landcape-shaped new fireplace. The fireplace has been positioned reasonably high on the wall, which works because it’s close to the traditional height.
Read advice on choosing the right fireplace for your room
If you are fortunate enough to have a period fireplace in your property, this can be a great start to a traditional room design. However, as in this living room, if the proportions and the windows are the only period features left, and if you don’t want to replace the fireplace with a reproduction or salvaged one, but a modern design, it’s important you keep the scale of the previous fireplace in mind – an oversized fireplace will make a small room feel smaller, for example. The traditional height for a fireplace is one third of a room’s overall height.
If you’re planning to mount a TV above your new fireplace, start with the ideal location for the screen, which will depend on its size and the distance to the seating. In this room, the owners chose a mirror instead – a painting would also work – above a small, landcape-shaped new fireplace. The fireplace has been positioned reasonably high on the wall, which works because it’s close to the traditional height.
Read advice on choosing the right fireplace for your room
How do I incorporate a dominant original feature?
A wonderful antique architectural detail in a modern space creates a stunning juxtaposition, as illustrated in this striking kitchen. The very clean lines of the kitchen, flooring and plain ceiling create the ideal setting for this window.
If your home has a feature that’s beautiful or one of a kind, protect it and enhance its uniqueness by toning down everything else around it.
A wonderful antique architectural detail in a modern space creates a stunning juxtaposition, as illustrated in this striking kitchen. The very clean lines of the kitchen, flooring and plain ceiling create the ideal setting for this window.
If your home has a feature that’s beautiful or one of a kind, protect it and enhance its uniqueness by toning down everything else around it.
How do I add period character to a plain room?
Exposed brickwork can bring a warm and rustic feel – and a sense of history – to a plain room or a modern extension. It’s a look that blends in particularly well in a country-style kitchen like this.
Brickwork can usually be revealed by stripping the wall down and cleaning the surface; if you’re keeping the brick raw, you’ll also need to seal it to stop dust and bits crumbling off. If it’s not in great condition, however, you can try to make it good, then paint over it, so the texture of the wall is visible.
Exposed brick walls can also be used to create a New York loft style home, a look that lends itself to mixing up eras. Achieve this by combining big and bold statements pieces with period furniture and accessories.
Exposed brickwork can bring a warm and rustic feel – and a sense of history – to a plain room or a modern extension. It’s a look that blends in particularly well in a country-style kitchen like this.
Brickwork can usually be revealed by stripping the wall down and cleaning the surface; if you’re keeping the brick raw, you’ll also need to seal it to stop dust and bits crumbling off. If it’s not in great condition, however, you can try to make it good, then paint over it, so the texture of the wall is visible.
Exposed brick walls can also be used to create a New York loft style home, a look that lends itself to mixing up eras. Achieve this by combining big and bold statements pieces with period furniture and accessories.
How do I tie together a room full of pieces in different styles?
One really simple trick for this is to keep one colour palette for each room. The secret to getting this right is, again, to refer to that handy ‘rule of three’, by choosing three colours of a similar nature, or similar saturation or intensity. In this elegant room, the colours of the timber floor and light blue walls are similarly intense.
The ‘rule of three’ is also a useful parameter if you’re a little nervous of colour. While the so-called ‘developer’s finish’ – grey, off-white, taupe – is popular because it helps to bind together the elements of a space, contrasts well against white architraves, and blends into the background, this room shows how easy it is to be a little more adventurous without creating a technicolour clash.
One really simple trick for this is to keep one colour palette for each room. The secret to getting this right is, again, to refer to that handy ‘rule of three’, by choosing three colours of a similar nature, or similar saturation or intensity. In this elegant room, the colours of the timber floor and light blue walls are similarly intense.
The ‘rule of three’ is also a useful parameter if you’re a little nervous of colour. While the so-called ‘developer’s finish’ – grey, off-white, taupe – is popular because it helps to bind together the elements of a space, contrasts well against white architraves, and blends into the background, this room shows how easy it is to be a little more adventurous without creating a technicolour clash.
How do I choose the right front door?
You see a lot of period front doors, with a central knob and a shiny metal letterbox. Why? Because a two- or three-panelled door looks elegant and is likely to match most traditional houses in the UK.
To work out how far you should mix and match your eras, the trick is to make sure your front door captures the essence of your prevailing interior style – at least on the ground floor, if not the whole house. For example, if your style inside is very traditional, with Victorian joinery, fireplace and wooden flooring, say, then ensure your front door reflects this – choose a reproduction or salvaged Victorian door.
However, the ‘younger’ the predominant style period inside becomes, the less detailed the entrance door can be. You could even, for example, use a very contemporary front door, but supplemented with a central door knob, which is a classic Victorian feature.
Get more expert advice on picking the perfect front door
You see a lot of period front doors, with a central knob and a shiny metal letterbox. Why? Because a two- or three-panelled door looks elegant and is likely to match most traditional houses in the UK.
To work out how far you should mix and match your eras, the trick is to make sure your front door captures the essence of your prevailing interior style – at least on the ground floor, if not the whole house. For example, if your style inside is very traditional, with Victorian joinery, fireplace and wooden flooring, say, then ensure your front door reflects this – choose a reproduction or salvaged Victorian door.
However, the ‘younger’ the predominant style period inside becomes, the less detailed the entrance door can be. You could even, for example, use a very contemporary front door, but supplemented with a central door knob, which is a classic Victorian feature.
Get more expert advice on picking the perfect front door
How do I complement my cornicing?
In this room, one of the first things you notice is the beautiful cornice, which tells you a lot about the room and helps to define it. If you want to keep your existing cornice, highlight its historical details by choosing more contemporary flooring and lighting. If you choose an Art Deco style, as in this room, you’ll find it helps to blend the cornice in with the rest of the room, rather than emphasise it.
If you have no cornicing left in your period house, there is nothing wrong with choosing a new one. The choice can, however, seem difficult and the obvious choice is often to pick a bigger cornice for a tall room than would be historically appropriate. If you prefer larger cornices, choose one that’s less detailed. If you want to be historically accurate, find out what style of cornice is in the adjacent rooms or even on the same floor in the house next door.
You are likely to choose a smaller and less detailed cornice if your ceiling is not very high. If you choose a smaller one, you are immediately moving into a more contemporary period. You could try one of the Art Deco cornices, which are low in height and seem to spread out onto the ceiling.
In this room, one of the first things you notice is the beautiful cornice, which tells you a lot about the room and helps to define it. If you want to keep your existing cornice, highlight its historical details by choosing more contemporary flooring and lighting. If you choose an Art Deco style, as in this room, you’ll find it helps to blend the cornice in with the rest of the room, rather than emphasise it.
If you have no cornicing left in your period house, there is nothing wrong with choosing a new one. The choice can, however, seem difficult and the obvious choice is often to pick a bigger cornice for a tall room than would be historically appropriate. If you prefer larger cornices, choose one that’s less detailed. If you want to be historically accurate, find out what style of cornice is in the adjacent rooms or even on the same floor in the house next door.
You are likely to choose a smaller and less detailed cornice if your ceiling is not very high. If you choose a smaller one, you are immediately moving into a more contemporary period. You could try one of the Art Deco cornices, which are low in height and seem to spread out onto the ceiling.
How do I add more details to a ceiling?
If your ceiling is high, why not introduce a coffer? Traditionally, these are decorative sunken panels in the ceiling, though it can be one large sunken area, as here. Think of it as if you were lowering your ceiling around the edge by about 30cm and imagine all the lights, speakers and even air conditioning units you could conceal within such a perimeter downstand.
Once done, you can dress the perimeter with cornices and recessed LED light strips for that little extra detail. This makes a coffered ceiling both a traditional and contemporary feature, a perfect example of two style periods working together.
In this example, the coffer in the ceiling provides another level of grandness and sophistication to the design, and it also conceals the curtain tracks.
If your ceiling is high, why not introduce a coffer? Traditionally, these are decorative sunken panels in the ceiling, though it can be one large sunken area, as here. Think of it as if you were lowering your ceiling around the edge by about 30cm and imagine all the lights, speakers and even air conditioning units you could conceal within such a perimeter downstand.
Once done, you can dress the perimeter with cornices and recessed LED light strips for that little extra detail. This makes a coffered ceiling both a traditional and contemporary feature, a perfect example of two style periods working together.
In this example, the coffer in the ceiling provides another level of grandness and sophistication to the design, and it also conceals the curtain tracks.
How can I add a contemporary feature to an old, rustic building?
This is about juxtaposition – old and new, contemporary and rustic, smooth and rugged.
The choice of the fireplace in this Cornish barn conversion is ideal. The clear juxtaposition between the old and the new, the detailed and the restrained, and the clean finish of the plaster against the unevenness and rustic beauty of the timber beams makes for a striking space.
TELL US…
How have you mixed styles in your home? Share your ideas or photos in the Comments below.
This is about juxtaposition – old and new, contemporary and rustic, smooth and rugged.
The choice of the fireplace in this Cornish barn conversion is ideal. The clear juxtaposition between the old and the new, the detailed and the restrained, and the clean finish of the plaster against the unevenness and rustic beauty of the timber beams makes for a striking space.
TELL US…
How have you mixed styles in your home? Share your ideas or photos in the Comments below.
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Close up of the counter and tile
Together
@meiraperl - Thanks for sharing!! ;-))