Keep it Eclectic. Keep it Eccentric.

A little courage.

An eye for that mix & match.

A cohesive balance.

A willingness to juxtapose.

A big personality.

Armed with those factors, you are set to create that kaleidoscope of an eclectic interior. There is a beautiful sense of eccentric balance when it comes to eclectic design. This charming strangeness has the power to evoke surreal living experiences, decorate spaces with a myriad of details and allow spaces to truly dress up in a characterized way.

Eclecticism first came about in Europe. It developed when architects and designers were at the peak of their being able to break from traditional molds and creatively express their visions. With inspirations from the Parisian Beaux Arts style and Victorian architecture, this movement has always been built on a mix & match principle. There are no essentially right or wrong choices when it comes to designing an eclectic space, there’s only what is right for that diverse space’s story and what is not.

It is essential to note that eclectic style does not denote that you throw together different elements, decorative pieces and wall paint colors. It is more about carefully gathering interesting but diverse elements and making them work together to tell a cohesive tale and construct a smooth, balanced space.

Make sure you keep it abstract, full of emotion, intentionally blended and most importantly, distinct. No two eclectic spaces should feel the same or tell the same story. That’s the beauty behind the madness of this style: the complete uniqueness and total individuality of the space.

So, how do you get to creating your own eclectic narrative of a space? Read on for more or watch Concept Me’s founder give you a 5-minute tutorial on perfecting your eclectic space here.

Initially, your color palette is your stepping stone. The colors of the walls, the fabrics and the floors are all details to consider. To make it easier, it’s better to choose one color that will serve as your unifying factor across the whole space. This color will serve as your equalizer, the thread that pulls together the overall look - maintaining cohesiveness.

Do not let that color limit you, however!

You can always layer the walls, the furniture and even the floors with differently textured and colored elements like wallpaper, throws and jute rugs respectively. This adds more soul and character to the space whilst also diversifying your color palette and marrying colors in a playful manner.

Simple painted walls are a great foundation to an eclectic interior, because they allow you to throw in vibrant accessories, artwork and patterned furniture without making the space feel burdened and crowded!

So, choose your color distribution right, because you also have patterns, textures and prints to play around with. Textures and materials are where you really get to expand on the strange eclecticism. Here, your ability to mix and match can range from contrasting ultra-modern coffee tables with burnished bronze lamps, having a Victorian fireplace with a highly finished mid-century mirror on top and even incorporating leather sofas with vintage pendants. The possibilities are endless. The idea here is to marry high shine finishes with matte ones, pair woods with plastic or rich, and quilted velvet with a jute rug for example. Opposites attract when in the land of Eclectic Design.

The trick with mixing and matching these textures and materials is to ensure balanced repetition. We return to achieving balance in eclectic design. Repetition of certain rough or smooth elements ensures that it is not sporadic but intentional. Moreover, it allows the space to have a consistent feel and layout, with the elements repeatedly distributed in a conscious way.

And finally, the third step is to fill up that space with the right furniture and eccentric decorative pieces. Those pieces are the heart and soul of your eclectic space. Be bold and instinctive with the way you choose your furniture. Do not linger too much on the palette as you should on what your impulse tells you would work!

Be playful and surprise yourself. Curating the right type of pieces will pour soul and vibrance into the space. So, go for wingback armchairs and art-deco statement pieces. Inject vintage elements along with minimal elements. As bold as you’re supposed to be, also keep in mind that you do not want to clutter the space. Balance & scale are essential to keep in mind. So, one or two statement pieces should be enough for a regular sized room. Just make sure it has personality!

That’s what eclectic design is all about. So, go on - keep it eccentric. Keep it eclectic.