Q: First, I want to say that I love your blog! Your home seems so fresh and inviting! I love your style! On the other hand, I feel like I have so much trouble with decorating indecision. I think I have a great plan all laid out for a room but when I get to the store I immediately find a million other things that I like even better! I can’t focus on a plan! I think part of the problem is that I like so many different decorating styles. I get bored very easily, and I think my husband gets tired of me changing things around constantly (although he would never say anything, he’s a gem!). Anyways, my question is… does this mean I have an eclectic style? Any tips for pulling it together without making my rooms look like confused spaces? Thanks a million! -Kristina
A: We totally know what you mean! It took us years to really figure out what we loved and what materials, styles and colors would work together to create a cohesive and inviting home. It’s important to note that what you love and what should come home with you are not always the same thing! There are lots of things that we love but they wouldn’t work with other items, color schemes, and elements that we already have in our home so we’re perfectly happy admiring them from afar! For example, here’s a boldly patterned navy rug that John and I both adore, but recognize that it doesn’t jive with our light and airy existing aesthetic.
Our best advice for pinpointing your style once and for all (and feeling more focused and less frenzied on shopping trips) would be to tear out favorite rooms from magazines and collect online images that inspire you in a desktop folder. That way you can easily pick out the reoccurring themes that may otherwise have been less obvious to you (ex: all your favorite rooms have a lot of white in them, most of them are punchy and colorful, they all feel uncluttered and minimal, etc). For example, many of the rooms in our inspiration folder have a similar serene feeling, soft colors, and natural textures accompanied by a bit of dark wood or metal.
Once you have a better idea of what you consistently like, take a good hard look at what you have. If all of your inspiration rooms have white slipcovered sofas but you’re working with brown leather ones, you might want to grab a few inexpensive slipcovers to instantly add more of the style you gravitate towards. This will also help you to develop a foolproof shopping plan that you can effortlessly stick to. For example, if your favorite inspiration rooms have warm yellow and burn orange accent colors, it will be easier to steer clear of that cool blue and white pillow that happens to be on sale.
This home that we crashed is a great example of how every room has its own points of interest but it flows together well and feels cohesive (more on it here).
It’s also always a good idea to keep larger items neutral (rugs, sofas, walls) if you find yourself attracted to a lot of colorful eclectic accents, which can really help the mixed & matched thing work without creating a chaotic room that feels like it’s fighting with itself. Here’s an example of a great eclectic living room that doesn’t feel frenzied or overwhelming thanks to a neutral rug, sofa and walls (while the smaller pieces add punches of color and interest from all different eras). Or, like the living room above, if the walls are white and the furnishings are all pretty neutral, a bright sofa might be a fun pop of color and interest in the room.
And finally, the most important thing to mention is that a room is never really done (and especially isn’t done in a day or a week). A place that feels like home will constantly evolve and grow with you, so don’t despair if it takes a while to create a space that truly feels like you. It’s all about trial and error, learning as you go, and having fun along the way!
What about you guys? Do you have any tips and tricks to add to the mix? Tell us how you make sense of a room full of eclectic pieces or how you keep your eyes on the prize when you’re shopping for home decor!
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