If you like the best of everything, you might be a fan of eclectic design. The style is all about choosing favorite items across all design influences to create an effortlessly curated, yet visually interesting dining room.
But when you can pick anything at all to deck out your dining room, how do you keep the space feeling like a gourmet-catered meal instead of a potluck dinner? The answer comes in the oh-so-subtle design principles of eclectic style.
This mix and match dining room nails one of the secrets to eclectic design. It brings in global influence with a bright printed rug and wallpaper, and add just a touch of luxe design with printed curtains and gold accents.
There are so many bold prints in the room, yet it doesn’t feel overwhelming or chaotic. You can credit the meticulous organization for that. Everything has a place in the dining room–surfaces are clear and there are just a few items displayed on the matching shelves.
With so much going on in the room, the utility helps center the space, making it feel cozy and bright, instead of busy and distracting.
To avoid chaos and visual discomfort, traditional room layouts strive to be symmetric, but playing with that balance can make a room feel more eclectic.
Take the farmhouse style table. Instead of a full set of mid century modern chairs, one side has a classic farmhouse bench. That unexpected element is a key party of eclectic design. Similarly, the mid century modern buffet juxtaposes the piano and oak cabinet on the opposite side of the room. Combining all the styles in a neutral palette gives the room a sense of cohesion.
Because of the play between design styles, some of us might think eclectic just means “anything goes” when it comes to staging the space. But, that can make a dining room feel cluttered instead of layered. Even eclectic design loves a little minimalism now and again.
You can marry a modern design table and chandelier with boho art and chairs without making the space feel overstuffed. Doing less with more even brings in simplistic Scandinavian vibes with a natural color scheme and hygge pillar candle arrangement.
In eclectic design, rooms can range from elegantly understated, to artfully blended and bold. If you want to go the bold statement route, it’s important to keep each element in harmony, so it can’t ruin the impact of another piece. If you go all out with big, busy patterns, it’s going to make dinner guests feel confused, not comfortable.
Try making a big statement with vibrantly printed wallpaper, then work the design from there. Maintaining the bold green and black palette, mix and match design styles. Try playing Parisian-inspired black cane chairs against luxe green velvet seating around a modern wooden table. Balance it out with asymmetric lighting and you’ve got a delightfully bold room that doesn’t overwhelm.
An eclectic dining room can be the perfect space to show off your personality while playing with bold moments and new styles.
Are you into eclectic design? Take Havenly’s style quiz to find out.