The eclectic home is probably the most forgiving interior style because there are no rules to play by. It simply reflects the tastes and preferences of its inhabitants. But one thing that probably makes an eclectic home stand out from other interior styles is its penchant for colour and prints. If you’ve always wanted a unique home that truly reflects your personality, then an eclectic home is for you. This is where you can mix and match your favourite furniture, accessories and colours and get away with it – almost. However, it is so easy to go overboard with this style. Here are some tips and ideas to help you curate your very own eclectic home.
- Start with a neutral background
An eclectic home is one that shows off the homeowners’ taste in a careful, well-thought-out manner. So if you and your spouse have different style inspirations, the eclectic theme is for you. To make everything less jarring – and more harmonious – tie everything together with a neutral backdrop. Go for big items – sofas, dining sets and wall colours – that sport a neutral palette. Then jazz things up with your favourite prints and pops of colour.
Photo by Wong Weiliang
- Use lots of greens
The lived-in and cosy look of the eclectic style celebrates three-dimensional textures. And an easy way to replicate the look of the trendy Jungalow style is to prop plenty of plants around your interiors. Plants of various sizes and shapes can breathe life literally and figuratively into your space, all while giving it a certain kind of warmth.
Image by Bureaux
- Choose a dominant colour
Unsure about how to incorporate colour into your space? Start with a small corner of your home first and go with a main colour. Once you have chosen a dominant colour, carefully select smaller accessories and furnishings in complementary hues. You can use a colour chart to determine complementary and contrasting colours to your main hue.
Image credit: E&A Interiors
- Get personal
The eclectic style home is all about personal tastes so take this opportunity to show off your favourite photographs, artworks or collectibles. Hang them up on the wall to create a feature wall or designate a door into your very own gallery wall.
Image credit: E&A Interiors
- Include textures
With an eclectic home, you are allowed to include interesting textures and patterns into your space. But tread lightly or the effect would be a clash of disorienting styles. Choose one area of your home to highlight – like a wall – and lay on some interesting textural details. To keep things from becoming too overwhelming, stick to a palette in the same colour family.
Image credit: Dan’s Workshop
- Choose a focus
Some people shun away from the eclectic style because it can be done wrong so easily. The thing to remember about this interior style is to keep everything in balance. Choose two main ideas for your space – it can be a statement colour or a patterned floor – and keep everything else neutral.
Image credit: James Wong
- Play with shapes
There are no limits to this style so you can have as much fun with as you want. You can start by introducing unusual shapes and colours into your space if you are new to this style. Once you feel more confident, add more mismatched items to the mix and you’ll slowly have a home that truly reflects your unique tastes.
Image credit: Minimo & Minimology
This was adapted from an article originally published in IdealHomes vol. 9. Featured image courtesy of Three-D Conceptwerke.
