Eclecticism in the interior: unique and amazing apartment design

When choosing a certain style in decorating a room, a person starts from his tastes and gives preference to the direction that best suits his spirit. All styles are subject to strict requirements for the presence of certain colors, shapes, materials, textures and combinations. But there is a type of design that lives outside of any rules - eclecticism. It combines all the best, using the practice of all existing stylistic approaches. In this review you will find information about the origins of the style, a description of eclecticism, as well as recommendations for decorating your home.

Room design in Eclectic style

Eclecticism in room design

Eclecticism in the interior of the room

History of style development

At first glance, decorating a room in this direction will seem bad taste, because the design uses incompatible, often opposing elements. A well-thought-out eclectic style in the interior looks harmonious and functional. It combines details from different eras, materials and quality. This creates a charming image. Some things have a dynastic character and are restored, preserving the budget spent on repairs.

Eclecticism will not suit a person who likes minimalism. The colorful and original style fits perfectly into the lifestyle of creative people who are ready for bold experiments for the sake of an ideal result. Properly implemented eclecticism looks harmonious and creates elusive comfort in every room. It adapts to the lifestyle of all residents and stores favorite items.

Room design in Eclectic style

Eclecticism in room design

Eclecticism in the interior of the room

The term “eclecticism” began to refer not to philosophy, but to architecture in the middle of the 18th century. The popularity of this trend remained relevant over the next two centuries. The style was modified, supplemented with new solutions and adapted to the milestones of progress. It became a kind of post-classical style in conditions when people were tired of strict frameworks and ostentatious high prices. In the first stages of its development, eclecticism was considered banal bad taste. Then, under conditions of prevailing freedom of thought, the value of this style began to be recognized and included in the general classification.

If we compare eclecticism with other trends, we can see that it is a “hodgepodge” of everything that was once fashionable. For this reason, the eclectic interior is inviting and gives a feeling of slight nostalgia.

Using these trends is convenient for people with broad preferences and interests. For example, if you like oriental style, classics and African motifs, then they can be harmoniously combined in exotic eclecticism. At the same time, you will receive a unique interior that can surprise a lot.

Eclecticism in the interior of the room

Eclecticism in room design

Room design in Eclectic style

See alsoClassic style in the interior, photo.

Finishing features

Eclectic design can be recreated both in a wooden house and in an apartment

At the renovation stage, it is important to choose the right finish

Stan

There can be several options for cladding wall surfaces:

• coloring;
• wallpapering (paper-based, fabric-based or metallized);
• covering with decorative plaster.

Wood paneling and brickwork are also popular. Walls decorated with silk wallpaper and artistic painting look impressive.

Paula

The flooring is made from various materials made from natural wood. You can lay carpet or laminate in the bedroom and living room, and porcelain stoneware or linoleum in the kitchen. The floor covering must be appropriate to the surroundings.

Ceiling

The ceiling is decorated in neutral colors, its shape should be simple. You can use structures consisting of two levels, stucco elements or wooden beams, if mixed with the loft style

Doors that combine various shades of wood, decorated with glass inserts and metal parts, become an important interior component. The design of door panels uses circles, triangular shapes and zigzags

How to decorate an interior in an eclectic style?

Despite the openness to experimentation, decorating an interior in an eclectic style is not so easy. At first glance, it seems that for this it is enough to place in one space a set of necessary items that do not necessarily combine with each other. But in this case, you will get a chaotic and sometimes annoying “cocktail”. Where to find the golden mean for the right design? Take advice from experts in the field.

Eclecticism in room design

Room design in Eclectic style

Eclecticism in the interior of the room

1. Do not try to combine more than three directions in one room. This is an elementary requirement of psychology to ensure a comfortable existence in space. One of the selected styles should become a priority, and the rest should complement them competently.
2. Incompatible styles can be combined with creative imagination through overlapping colors in the decoration of objects.
3. Don't combine elements that are too dramatic. The eye should be drawn to the correctly selected sets. For example, on a sofa in an old classic French style, you can place oriental style pillows with buttons and tassels.
4. To prevent eclecticism from looking cheap, leave furniture that is made from natural materials and emphasizes the sophistication of the interior.
5. A typical mistake of an innovative designer is overloading with various accessories. Try to avoid tackiness to maintain elegance.

See alsoAmerican interior

Useful tips

As mentioned above, eclecticism is a combination of items from different styles, cultures, and eras. To successfully combine all these items and not end up with a mess, you need to put in a lot of effort. The following tips will help you adapt this style to the interior of your home or apartment:

1. Scale plays a huge role. When choosing a particular piece of furniture, carefully monitor how it relates to other things. Use the principle of layers. Place large objects in the background and bring small ones to the front. This will create depth in the design and make it interesting.
2. Use contrasts in everything. This is the only way you can achieve the desired effect. Combining two items from similar styles will not give any result, but combining two opposing styles will produce an explosive effect. An example of such a combination is an ultra-modern picture in a black frame and an elegant white classic table.
3. Don't use too many styles. Three will be enough. But within the framework of these three styles, you can act as you please.
4. You also shouldn't use too many colors. Be sure to choose one main color that will “tie” all the items together. Add additional color to it. In addition, you can use two more colors in the interior, with the help of which color accents will be placed.
5. Add so-called “connecting bridges” to the interior that will connect different elements. Here is an excellent example of such a bridge: in the interior there is a baroque table and a completely different modern sofa. You can knit them using table napkins and sofa cushions of the same color and from the same material.
6. You need to hang a lot of decorations on the walls, or not hang them at all (and it will be limited, for example, to the panel described above). If you hang a black and white photo at one end of the room and an avant-garde painting at the other, it will simply not be clear what they are doing in the same room. But if you cover the entire wall with black and white photographs and avant-garde paintings, our eyes will perceive this decor as something single.
7. Eclecticism and minimalism are incompatible things. Let it be better to have more items in the interior than needed rather than less.
8. And finally, the most important rule of eclecticism is – don’t be afraid to experiment. It is through experimentation that you can come up with a design masterpiece.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=EJSo57mcmFM

Basic rules of interior eclecticism

In the classical sense, eclecticism in the interior involves the combination of objects that represent not only different styles, but also times. Most often, for eclecticism, oriental motifs and ethnic elements are used in the decoration of a prefabricated room. You can emphasize the color with the help of new furniture that fits correctly into the composition. To “diagnose” eclecticism in the interior at first glance, you need to:

• choose accessories that are similar in style;
• don’t be shy about colors;
• use unusual decorative elements;
• experiment with the shape of objects;
• connect all the details to get a cozy interior.

The most important thing is not to burden the room with collected rubbish, which is high time to throw away, but it’s a shame. Stylish design can be slightly eccentric, but not chaotic.

Room design in Eclectic style

Eclecticism in the interior of the room

Interior of a room in Eclectic style

See alsoContemporary in the interior

Walls and ceiling

To decorate the walls and ceiling, which act as a canvas, you can use any materials. At the same time, the priority is to use neutral shades that do not overload the overall picture. Wallpaper, decorative molding, paint and textured plaster are used to decorate the apartment. It is permissible to zone space in rooms using a combination of textures.

The ceiling serves as a neutral zone, which is not particularly highlighted with paint. For example, in an ensemble with blue walls, the ceiling is painted white. It is permissible to decorate the ceiling area with sculpting and an original lamp. Typically, in eclecticism, tension or suspended structures are not installed, and the main load falls on the furniture. Excessive decorations in the ceiling and wall areas burden the space and create visual dissonance.

Room design in Eclectic style

Interior of a room in Eclectic style

See alsoInterior in fusion style

Color spectrum

Eclecticism is characterized by pure natural colors. The color palette can be bright or pastel, but not dull. Beige, gray, cream, white or ivory tones are used as a basis. In addition, blue, pink, brown, muted orange, lemon or olive green colors are selected.

The overall perception of the design depends on the harmonious combination of colors. Therefore, when decorating a room, it is not appropriate to use too harsh combinations and use more than 5 shades.

The photo shows the interior of the living room in an eclectic style with walls painted in mint color.

The eclectic style loves monotony and does not involve gradient transitions, shadows or highlights. Sometimes the most incompatible combinations coexist here, for example, purple-green and black.

The photo shows the design of a white kitchen made in an eclectic style.

Furniture in an eclectic style - a meeting of eras

The fashion for eclecticism continues to this day, largely due to the uniqueness and the ability to preserve old interior items. When decorating the premises, it is recommended to use antique furniture and accessories that were inherited from grandmothers or purchased in an antique store. Among art lovers there are many supporters of eclecticism. They often restore old things to give them new life and bring original ideas into them.

It is possible to get an authentic interior by restoring old furniture. Often, simply replacing the upholstery and repainting an item will completely change its appearance. Thanks to this, fans of eclecticism do not strive to buy new items on the market, but prefer to find solutions that are already at hand. It's amazing how sometimes furniture from different centuries can look interesting in one room.

Interior of a room in Eclectic style

Eclecticism in room design

See also Design of a one-room apartment of 36 sq. m. Where to start the renovation?

Throw it away or use it?

The desire to declutter, to get rid of things that are very outdated, visits everyone. But not everyone raises their hand to do this. After all, so many priceless family memories can be associated with them; antique things can be dear to the heart. The eclectic style warmly embraces various rarities, both furniture and decorative ones. Thanks to the democracy of this design solution, when purchasing an ultra-fashionable chair, you can place it next to your grandmother’s chest or put a pillow from your childhood on it. This way you will give an individual and non-trivial look to your apartment, your own mood and vision of life, without disturbing the overall harmony.

Eclectic colors

The shades in the decoration of the room depend largely on the preferences of the owners. The basic rule is to have a smooth transition between light neutral shades and bright splashes of decor. Items of a single neutral color are appropriately diluted with a bright accent (for example, a colorful pillow on a sofa with pastel upholstery). Bright curtains can highlight the neutrality of the wall, and a carpet that echoes the color scheme used in the interior will look good on the floor.

Eclecticism in room design

Eclecticism in the interior of the room

See also: Apartment design in a classic style is always in fashion

Design of different rooms

Black ceiling in the living room interior: application, photo

Eclecticism gives each family member a chance to deviate from the rules and show their own imagination when decorating an apartment, using details that belong to different styles.

Living room

For decorating halls, living rooms, and rooms where family evenings take place, this style is most suitable, helping to create coziness and comfort. It is possible to combine different styles based on preferences: pop art and loft, baroque and boho, which is a classic version of eclecticism.

The foundation of the living room design is usually upholstered furniture. It can be complemented by accessories and antique elements (shelves, sideboards, massive chests of drawers, cabinets)

The main thing you need to pay attention to when choosing a sofa is the shape and texture of the textiles. It would be appropriate to use velvet or leather sofas in the living room.

Everything looks good in this direction. Here you can arrange both high-price items and budget options. The material capabilities of the owner of the house do not affect the creation of an interesting and unique design.

Bedroom

When creating a romantic bedroom look, rich textures, velvet, crystal, complete with modern cabinets and carpet will help. One of the popular ways is to decorate the ceiling or walls with a mirror surface. They will emphasize the pretentiousness of an antique bed with a headboard upholstered in velvet. Creating a successful mixed interior can be achieved with the help of your favorite little things and elements, this is especially true for a woman’s or family bedroom.

Lovers of minimalism and hi-tech have the opportunity to diversify and complement the interior with interesting ethnic elements or add things from the pop art direction.

The atmosphere of the room should be conducive to relaxation, so you should not use a lot of details when decorating. You can hang photographs or paintings on the wall near the head, this way the style will be respected and a large number of details will not interfere with falling asleep.

Kitchen and dining room

A large dining table on which embroidered napkins with flowers in the Provence style, tiles with ethnic patterns and a massive wooden kitchen set in a classic style can be ideally placed are examples of eclecticism in the kitchen or dining room.

Flooring can be made from different materials:

• laminate;
• parquet;
• Cork tree;
• tile.

Warm wood options are suitable for the dining area, and tiles will look good in the food preparation area. For the kitchen and dining room you should use easy-to-care textiles; upholstery made of linen, cotton, and eco-leather will fit perfectly into the decor.

What does a contemporary style interior look like?

Contemporary design is a modern variation of eclecticism. The main features of this direction are laconicism, the presence of functional (built-in) furniture, geometrically correct lines, comfortable zoning of space and practicality. Contemporary is associated with modernity and comfort of living space. Traditional eclecticism in the interior is easily adapted to this option in the decoration of the apartment.

See alsoDesign of a one-room apartment of 37 sq.m. m. and layout options

Provence with a Russian soul

Russian Provence is considered a current variety of domestic eclecticism. A characteristic feature of this style is the presence of classic rustic motifs. This eclecticism is characterized by an abundance of natural materials and antiques that have a practical purpose. Frankly grandma's design objects stand out against the backdrop of a Provençal-painted white wall, artificially aged furniture and lace textiles. This design option is also used for finishing a city apartment.

Eclecticism in room design

Interior of a room in Eclectic style

See also: How to create something extraordinary out of the ordinary? Original design solutions in the interior of houses and apartments

Character traits

Interior features:

• A combination of different stylistic details that are harmonious in texture, color and overall design solution.
• The comfortable and functional interior combines modern items and elements of a bygone era.
• In furniture upholstery there are patterns in the form of stripes, zigzags or circles.
• Wallpaper with patterns and carved tiles are used for decoration; door and window openings are decorated with draperies.
• The furnishings are decorated with oriental bedspreads, carpets and pillows in a rich palette.

Eclecticism in the living room interior

The best way to emphasize the elements of eclecticism is in the design of the living room decor. When decorating an apartment, most of the items are moved to the living room, and this is a challenge for a fan of this trend. The main thing is not to overdo it in the process of decorating a room and create a harmonious combination of existing utensils. It is necessary to maintain sufficient distance between objects for comfortable seating of guests. The overall impression of the house depends on how correctly this room is decorated.

Room design in Eclectic style

Eclecticism in the interior of the room

See alsoLoft style in the interior

Recommendations from professionals

Here are some recommendations from leading experts in the field of interior design:

• combine no more than three directions, otherwise you will overload the room;

focus on details; combine only compatible elements. A skillful combination of decorative details, textures, shades and shapes will help create a harmonious design and avoid clutter and chaos;

create smooth color transitions. Motley shades should gradually flow into pastel ones, and vice versa. It is advisable not to use eye-catching bright colors in the rest room. The furniture should have calm, muted colors; the bed can be decorated with pillows in bright pillowcases. Hang colorful curtains on the windows, and decorate the wall with a painting that stands out against the background of the pastel surface finish; When decorating your bedroom, be guided by your preferences, combine styles that suit your character.

Eclectic design exists outside the rules; it combines the best and takes into account the features of all existing design approaches.

If you are not a supporter of a certain interior style, and there is a certain amount of rebellion in your character, decorate the recreation room in your house or apartment in an eclectic direction.

This style has a lot of advantages: modern, classic and vintage elements can coexist in such an interior. The design is harmonious, and the premises have an original and modern look.

The charming interior of an eclectic bedroom will give you positive emotions every time.

Furniture in the living room

For the most interesting design, you can use contrasting objects. In the living room, these are sofas of different colors, soft corners in retro style, coffee tables with elaborate legs. Bookshelves and various accessories will look great. To expand the space, you can install wide mirrors and stylistically draped lamps. In contrast to natural materials, glass and metal look good.

Experiment with decorating different rooms in your apartment to get a unique look that you won't see anywhere else.

See alsoStylish options for brown color combinations in the interior

Eclectic decor combination

Your decor choices greatly influence the appeal of your eclectic living room. For rooms with bright colors, a pair of table lamps or floor lamps arranged symmetrically, paired chairs and a few lovely vases can make all the difference. Even if a space is filled with contrasting colors and textures, symmetry will make it seem much more harmonious and beautiful.

The author of the project is designer Alena Khmelinina.

Use a geometric print, accent color, and overall style as a unifying element to elegantly pair completely contrasting pieces.