Decorating
Decorating Myths Busted: Mixing Different Styles Can Look Fantastic
It’s not true that your room needs a single coherent ‘look’. These schemes show why eclectic is where it’s at
Once upon a time, everyone agreed you needed to pick a decorating style and stick to it. Whether your choice was country or contemporary, coastal or colourful, the number one rule was to coordinate your furniture and furnishings for a uniform look.
But times have changed and, these days, a matchy-matchy room looks bland, unimaginative and, frankly, soulless. A carefully curated mix, on the other hand, gives a space character and personality. If you’re not convinced a space-age coffee table can ever look good next to an antique sofa, let these ideas inspire you to break the rules and start a style mash-up of your own.
But times have changed and, these days, a matchy-matchy room looks bland, unimaginative and, frankly, soulless. A carefully curated mix, on the other hand, gives a space character and personality. If you’re not convinced a space-age coffee table can ever look good next to an antique sofa, let these ideas inspire you to break the rules and start a style mash-up of your own.
Team midcentury and ultra-modern
A classic piece of mid-20th century design, such as this sofa, will look at home just about anywhere. Here, its clean lines complement the streamlined kitchen units, while the pale wood adds a hint of warmth to the cool colour scheme.
A classic piece of mid-20th century design, such as this sofa, will look at home just about anywhere. Here, its clean lines complement the streamlined kitchen units, while the pale wood adds a hint of warmth to the cool colour scheme.
Remember opposites attract
The exposed brick walls in this converted warehouse scream rustic, so you might think you’d need to steer clear of anything modern, but you’d be wrong. Colourful plastic chairs and a sleek glass table are juxtaposed beautifully against the setting and stand out for all the right reasons.
Explore 10 ways to mix and match your dining room style
The exposed brick walls in this converted warehouse scream rustic, so you might think you’d need to steer clear of anything modern, but you’d be wrong. Colourful plastic chairs and a sleek glass table are juxtaposed beautifully against the setting and stand out for all the right reasons.
Explore 10 ways to mix and match your dining room style
Think about placement
This carved table is something pretty special in its own right, but positioning the white chair, with its smooth finish and angular shape, right beside it is a neat trick that serves to highlight the table’s elaborate ornamentation even further.
This carved table is something pretty special in its own right, but positioning the white chair, with its smooth finish and angular shape, right beside it is a neat trick that serves to highlight the table’s elaborate ornamentation even further.
Play around with storage
You’d hardly notice this vintage sideboard if it were in a country kitchen, but put it alongside glossy white units and it becomes the star of the show.
You’d hardly notice this vintage sideboard if it were in a country kitchen, but put it alongside glossy white units and it becomes the star of the show.
Be confident
From the chesterfield sofa and retro lampshade to the tufted floor cushion and decorative bird, there’s so much going on in this room, it’s hard to know where to start. But it’s all put together with such panache, you can’t help but want everything in it.
From the chesterfield sofa and retro lampshade to the tufted floor cushion and decorative bird, there’s so much going on in this room, it’s hard to know where to start. But it’s all put together with such panache, you can’t help but want everything in it.
Update a period bathroom
An elegant roll-top bath is the centrepiece of many a period bathroom scheme, but the addition of the fuss-free modern basin unit and sculptural neo-Baroque wire chandelier pulls this room out of yesteryear and brings it bang up to date.
An elegant roll-top bath is the centrepiece of many a period bathroom scheme, but the addition of the fuss-free modern basin unit and sculptural neo-Baroque wire chandelier pulls this room out of yesteryear and brings it bang up to date.
Consider colours
A Baroque-style mirror, an elegant balloon-back dining chair, a modern dining table – the law of reason states that these things should not go together. Yet they do, and it’s largely thanks to the choice of colour palette – a harmonious blend of greens, greys and caramel.
A Baroque-style mirror, an elegant balloon-back dining chair, a modern dining table – the law of reason states that these things should not go together. Yet they do, and it’s largely thanks to the choice of colour palette – a harmonious blend of greens, greys and caramel.
Mix it up
Take one simple white room, add a traditional dining table, two Knoll Tulip armchairs, an upholstered bench and a pop of scarlet and what do you get? An incredibly striking, one-of-a-kind dining space, that’s what.
Take one simple white room, add a traditional dining table, two Knoll Tulip armchairs, an upholstered bench and a pop of scarlet and what do you get? An incredibly striking, one-of-a-kind dining space, that’s what.
Blend old and new
Have an historic home but modern tastes? Don’t try to downplay your home’s period features – emphasise them, as this designer has, to create an eye-catching contrast with your contemporary furniture.
Discover stylish ways to mix old and new
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Do you try to mix different styles? Show us your results in the Comments below.
Have an historic home but modern tastes? Don’t try to downplay your home’s period features – emphasise them, as this designer has, to create an eye-catching contrast with your contemporary furniture.
Discover stylish ways to mix old and new
TELL US...
Do you try to mix different styles? Show us your results in the Comments below.
At first glance, futuristic Burke dining chairs and an antique wooden table may not seem like natural partners, but stark contrasts are what this scheme is all about. Limiting the colour palette to crisp white and rich wood emphasises the different furniture styles even further.