Mixing Vintage & Modern to Create an Eclectic Style
How do I mix Vintage & Modern Furniture?
Mixing vintage and modern furniture and decor is a great way to create your own unique eclectic style and add a huge amount of personality to your home!
And with a bit of practice you’ll be creating the beginnings of your own unique eclectic style in no time! Whether you’re combining retro furniture from the 1970s, classic midcentury pieces or something more eclectic, there are plenty of options that will help you create an inviting and unique space.
When mixing differing styles, or eras, you need to find some commonality in your pieces that will help everything sit together without clashing. Think similar textures, colours or tones, undertones, shapes or even patterns. Then you can concentrate on the era’s you’re looking to mix. Perhaps 1970’s glam – chrome in gold or silver, mirrored finishes, smoky glass, rounded edges and warm, autumn colours all speak to this era. Then you might mix in some midcentury pieces which will usually feature – clean, straight lines; teak, bamboo or other warmer toned timbers; simplicity and understated elegance; simple, non-fussy patterns.
By adding a bit of 70’s in the form of some smoky glass side tables and flashy lighting, add some larger midcentury pieces like a buffet or console table and some modern pieces you’ve found – usually the soft furnishings or sofas because they’re the easiest to find, you’ve got yourself a beautiful combination!
As you can see from the dining area (right), Troye Silvan’s to be exact, you’ll see midcentury and 1970’s influences throughout the area. The dining chairs are a late midcentury design, as is the couch and armchair. The pendant lights are midcentury modern designs and the floor lamp is pushing towards the Memphis art era – 1980’s. The flooring and rugs have a distinct 1970s feeling and the modern dining table works perfectly to tie everything together.
How do I add colour and texture?
To create the same feeling in your home you can start by introducing rich autumn tones and texture with rattan, cane, and bamboo furniture. Then add some rounded cantilever chairs and a smoky glass dining table for a touch of modern flair. With the right mix of colors, textures, and shapes, you can create a truly one-of-a-kind look that will be sure to impress your guests.
As you can see by the corridor in this historical apartment (left) the combination of eras works perfectly! The flooring and architecture has a very early 1900’s to art deco era feel and mixed with the modernist chair and sideboard and the little peep of chairs in the room at the end of the hall. The colours are all earthy and muted and the different, natural textures keep everything interesting and cohesive. The pops of gold on the photo frames, the hanging art, the flooring and foliage help pull everything together as well.
The key to creating an interesting mix of furniture is in the details. Choose rich autumn tones for your upholstery fabrics and look for rounded shapes in your furniture pieces to contrast the more angular lines of contemporary furniture. With careful selection and placement of your pieces you can create an inviting atmosphere that celebrates both classic design and modern innovation.
Don't forget the fine details
Kelly Wearstler is the undisputed Queen of Upscale Eclectic decorating and you’ll see by this gathering area she designed at the San Francisco Proper Hotel that she has mixed every kind of pattern, texture and era possible in one space. Yet, none of it looks out of place and the entire room – which is huge by the way – looks and feels cohesive and pulled together in a very upscale, yet bohemian way.
The key that unlocks the perfect mix in this space is that all of the colours the somewhat muted with cool undertones. The blues, yellow, greens and even the brighter and warmer pops of colour on the walls all have the same undertones and make the look work together. You can see the differences in eras of furniture – the beige Club Chairs are from the Art Deco era, the sofa has distinct modernist lines as do the wall lights and dull gold lamp. The ceiling light fixture is almost Deco or could even pull from a Memphis style with the repeated triangles which as you can see match with the floor lamp which also has a triangle ‘hat’. All of the lights feature matt or dull metal, which helps pull things together too. The console piece is very modernist but could also be Deco with it’s simple, clean lines. Ultimately this space is a masterpiece of eclectic décor that is inspiring and interesting.
I'm now kinda confused! Where do I begin if I want an eclectic and unique space?
Begin with what you love! Find your favourite piece of furniture or decor and start there. Sometimes if you look at other examples you can begin to see a pattern take shape, so look at the examples below and see what you can see.
Modern furniture often features clean lines and minimalism while antique pieces are usually more ornate and detailed. By combining the two, you can create an interesting look that is both classic and modern at the same time. You can use retro furniture pieces as accents to add some color or texture, or even mix in some 1970s style pieces for a truly eclectic feel.
Can you see the pieces in each space from the same era? What about the other era’s they’ve added? What colours have they used? Is there a lot of texture or just a little? What pieces really stand out in a space and what ties everything together. Once you’ve found your starter piece do a rough sketch of your room and add that piece first, then think about what else the room needs? More furniture, more accessories, colour, texture? Even a list of what you need can help you begin. Then start looking online or in vintage and antique stores for other pieces on the list that you love.
With careful planning and creativity, you can create an amazing space that perfectly combines modern and antique elements. This is an excellent look for a modern home. The versatility of this decorating style makes it perfect for a wide range of spaces, from the living room to the bedroom.
Remember to save the rooms that you find online that inspire you – start your own Pinterest Board for everything Vintage & Modern like I’ve done and get your inspiration down so you don’t forget! I understand that creating an eclectic look isn’t necessarily easy, nor is it something that everyone understands but I hope some of the tips I’ve given can help and remember, I’m writing about a subject I know well and have had a lot of experience with. The other thing is, this is why Interior Designers exist! We know how to create these looks, we understand the different furniture eras, the colours, the textures and what to add and what to omit – so get in touch and together we’ll create something amazing!
This is only the first of a series of articles I’m writing on mixing Vintage & Modern Furniture to create eclectic spaces, so don’t forget to sign up and follow along and learn how to create your own amazing mix of vintage and modern furniture and decor to bring your own personality to your home.
Take a look at our eclectic collection of images in the Mixing Vintage & Modern Pinterest Board for more inspiration and don’t forget to get in touch if you’d like some guidance to create a similar style in your home.
