Make Them Say “Wow!” With Eclectic Interior Design

Go into Willy Wonka’s home, you’ll be presented with an Eclectic interior design. That’s because Mr Wonka, was crazy.

But what genius wasn’t also a bit mad?

I doubt you’d be here if you didn’t know that.

Eclectic design is simultaneously simple and straightforward and very difficult to pull off.

You need to be designing for the right reasons. You can’t be trying to show off how enigmatic and well-travelled you are.

It’ll be clear from a mile away that you’re desperate to get a square peg into a round hole.

You need to take a bit of time to chill out. Let things take their course and buy the right furniture at the right time.

It’s more important to really love each part of the decor. All the way from the rug on the floor to the large cheetah print on the wall and yellow chairs at the open-plan dining room table.

Interior design is all about keeping every element balanced. The color contrast, the textures and the size of the furniture need to align with each other.

Common traps

Although this design style is full perceived randomness and even chaos, there are guidelines you can stick to which help you on the way to the prize.

Individual items

Buying big sets of furniture makes furnishing your home much easier, there’s no doubt about that. But you’re not here for the easy life, are you?

Buying it all at the same time with the same color, same style – it’s going to look like you’ve entered a mannequin’s lair. A boudoir for the boring.

You’re not boring. You’re a trend setter, someone who wants to make their own way in life.

The trick? You need to keep a common theme amongst the furniture without them identical.

Texture and color are typical options for keeping the same because it’s very obvious when they work well. I’ve written an article on how color affects our mood which is perfect for understanding eclectic interiors.

Here’s an example for you to muse over.

Each chair around the dining room table are the same type of wood (the same color and texture) but each have a different style to them.

The table can be any design you like, it doesn’t have to be wood. Get a marble one in there. Everyone love marble.

Color palette

This is an extension of the last section. You can marry lots of different items together if they share an obvious theme.

You could concentrate on one dominant color very clearly running throughout the room or the home. If you pick a dull color then people are going to hate being in your home.

If you enjoy having friends then keep it interesting.

If you’re fine with not having human contact for months then gray or brown it is.

You can start with different tones of the same color and work your way around the room.

If you’d like to have a room with a few colors with equal visual weighting, make sure you get a piece of furniture (a rug or a sofa) have has a color which compliments each.

Multiple colors will take some planning but if you put the effort in then you will end up with an insanely beautiful home that you’ll be proud to show off to anyone that will listen.

There are many Eclectic rooms that have white walls. This could be a great place to start if you want to build up slowly.

The great thing about white is that it emphasises all of the colors around it so you don’t have to be as flashy with everything else.

Old and the new

There’s a certain class about a well constructed Eclectically styled room that no other design can match.

Being able to match the old with the new is essential. You need the best of both worlds.

The old inclusions create elegance and the new provides the comfort needed for a space that you can actually live in and be relaxed.

You’re a fan of many eras of interior design. Try contemporary accent chairs alongside Mid-centurty modern cabinets.

Get some 1930s Italian sidetables to go with your Art Deco sofa.

Texture variation

Ahh the tactile sense. The one that no one cares about.

Until now.

Altering the texture of something doesn’t just change the feel of it, it also very gently changes the way it looks.

This is ideal when you have a lot of variation alreay, you only need to add tiny percentages here and there.

It’s all about the details if you want to reach the top level of anything in life.

What sort of things are we talking?

• Stone
• Glass
• Linen
• Leather
• Suede

The list goes on but there’s a limit on my bullet points.

What have we learned?

You know when you were in high school and you found yourself looking over at how others did things?

Everyone was awesome at something and you’re sitting there trying to count to 15.

Those annoying adults would try and drum into you that you should be yourself and to never compare.

The Eclectic style similar.

You may look at pictures, trying to draw inspiration and feel that it’s just not working.

That’s because it’s not your design.

That’s the whole point.

There’s a philosophy behind the movement.