When it comes to designing your house, it is easy to find the right pieces at the furniture store. The actual creativity is in combining those furniture styles you have chosen for one living room or drawing area. Though it might look very challenging to combine these elements of different aesthetics, following the correct approach will enable you to create something strikingly beautiful and visually stunning.
Here are some tips from professionals that will guide you in combining furniture styles in your home without compromising the sense of harmony in design.
1. Establish a Consistent Color Palette
The easiest way to actually combine various furniture styles is by using a consistent color palette. A cohesive color scheme ensures that even though your furniture pieces are from different eras or aesthetics, they at least look like they belong together.
- Tip: Choose one base color and repeat it everywhere in the room. In case you are using neutral shades, color splashes can be integrated with space through accessories, such as cushions, rugs, or even wall art that might connect these pieces together.
- Example: A mid-century modern chair in bold mustard balanced with a sleek minimalist sofa works well when both share similar accent colors to balance these two contrasting styles.
2. Mix and Mingle Textures and Materials
Mixing furniture styles doesn’t need to mean everything has to match perfectly. On the contrary, mixing textures and materials creates great depth and interest in your space. Contrast smooth surface with textured fabrics or mix wood finish types for a layered look.
- Tip: Hard surfaces (wood, metal) need to be balanced out by something soft, like velvet or linen, to create an interactive tactile experience that adds comfort and style to the space.
- Example: A distressed wood coffee table blends surprisingly well with a sleek leather sofa when you throw in some soft wool throws or silk cushions, and you have an inviting and stylish living room.
3. Find a Common Design Element
The more you mix and match different styles of furniture, the more you want to find one thread that will run through your design. Anything from similar shapes or materials repeating themselves in your decorative elements will do.
- Tip: Keep your eyes peeled for more understated patterns or themes among those furniture store finds. Maybe the chairs all have a lot of curved lines, and the lighting all has brass accents. Just find one thing to tie disparate pieces together.
- Example: If one has a regular conventional armchair with carved wooden legs, then a modern glass table with brass legs will contribute to consistency in design through the use of the same material.
4. Balance Proportions and Scale
Mixing style generally works best when balance is maintained in the proportions and scale of the pieces. You want to balance the size and height of your furniture so that no one piece dominates others.
- Tip: Balance a large, statement piece—say, a vintage armoire—alongside a sleek, modern console by leaving equal space between the two and filling in the gaps with objects that complement both, like an area rug or lighting fixture.
- Example: It’s visual interest, not a weighty feel, when an outsized traditional armchair is juxtaposed with a slender contemporary side table.
5. Use Contrast to Add Visual Drama
Sometimes, contrast is the secret ingredient to make a space work. There is nothing wrong with combining bold, juxtaposed styles to make one dynamic and interesting space. When done thoughtfully, opposites can attract and create a beautiful visual story or narrative.
- Tip: Designate contrasting furniture styles as your focal points. A Baroque-style mirror over a clean-lined modern console would work beautifully, creating a juxtaposition which would catch the eye.
- Example: An industrial metal bed frame can be softened with vintage floral bedding, showing how two very different styles can harmonize with thoughtful design choices.
Conclusion: Make It Personal
Ultimately, mixing furniture styles is all about the creation of a space that feels personal and genuine to you. Do not be afraid to mix those bold pieces from the local furniture store with more cherished family heirlooms or flea market finds. It’s all about finding a balance and creating a space that reflects your style and way of life.
For more inspiration on how to fuse styles, from finding statement, one-of-a-kind pieces, visit Fibahub as we explore the latest trends and tips in home design.