Dawn Matthews | Aug 06, 2024
How to Mix Décor Styles for a Unique Look
15 Minute Read
Your home needs to reflect your own personal style, and let’s face it; few of us fit our style into just one bracket! With that in mind, in this post we’re going to take a look at the different interior décor styles, and how you can mix them together in your home to make them look incredible.
If you’re already thinking about mixing styles together, then you’re probably already aware of many of these styles. But just in case you’re not, and there’s one or more styles here for you to discover and love, here’s a quick round up of what defines each.
Rustic style is defined by the use of natural materials, earthy tones, with a tendency towards cosy, handcrafted, and vintage elements. A touch of the rugged is definitely welcome here. There’s more about rustic style here.
Scandinavian style focuses on beauty in functionality. Bright, open spaces are key, with natural materials, more clean lines, and a minimalist aesthetic – but with a big dash of “hygge” cosiness. We discuss hygge – and Scandi style – in more detail here.
Maximalism is all about bold, vibrant hues, with layered patterns. Often referred to as eclectic, maximalism is full of personality – more is definitely more with this look!
Minimalism is the absolute opposite of maximalist décor. The fewer items, the better in a minimalist home! Sleek lines, functional materials, neutral colours and a calm, serene atmosphere make up minimalist spaces.
Contemporary style – not to be confused with modern style – is what you’ll see most of on Instagram. All the current trends, with mixed materials, comfortable pieces, and the Pantone colour of the year (Peach Fuzz for 2024!).
Modern style, first emerged in the early to mid-1900s, and is another style that favours sleek lines, with neutral colours, natural materials, and a focus on the functional.
You can read more about the difference between contemporary and modern style here.
Art Deco style is the one if you’re looking to create a luxurious, glamourous space. Bold geometric patterns, rich colours, and opulent materials such as velvet feature in art deco homes.
Shabby Chic is about the distressed look – worn in, comfortable, and getting better with age. Think quality pieces such as vintage Chesterfield sofas, and décor featuring whites, greys, and pastel colours. Want to know more about Shabby Chic? Find it here.
Bohemian spaces are eclectic, with carefree designs. Rich patterns, vibrant colours, and a real blend of pieces from different cultures all come together.
Industrial style is all about the raw, unfinished look – think of trendy New York loft apartments in old factory buildings. Lots of metal and wood, neutral tones, and a utilitarian vibe. Read more here.
Japandi style is a fusion of Japanese minimalism with Scandinavian functionality. You’ll see clean lines and natural materials, with an uncluttered feel; simplicity is key to this look. Read more here.
How To Mix Interior Design Styles
There are some designers that advocate for following rules when decorating your home. While rules can be a useful guide, our tips are exactly that – a guide.
Establish which is the dominant interior design style
Designers sometimes call this the 80/20 rule. Start out with a primary style that dominates the space, and choose furniture and fixtures that reflect this choice. Then, accents such as soft furnishings, art, table décor and so on can draw from the secondary style.
For instance, if you’re mixing rustic and industrial, then a rustic wooden desk and rattan light fixture would look great with our recycled brick mould shelving unit and an aged brass lantern.
Turn a misfit piece into a highlight
If you end up with a piece of furniture or artwork that really doesn’t suit the space, turn it into the focus. Instead of trying to hide it, drawing attention to it makes it feel like you deliberately put it where it is.
Use a theme rather than a décor style
If you already have furniture and decorative pieces and you’re not buying anything else, then working with a theme can help create an aesthetic that works. Working with a theme such as beach house, mountain lodge, or country kitchen means that the theme will come through rather than trying to shoehorn styles together that just don’t work.
Look to achieve visual balance
We’ve talked about creating visual balance before, when we talked about styling the perfect #shelfie, and wall décor ideas. Our brains want to see symmetry in spaces, so be sure to vary the heights of your furniture and fixtures; balance visually heavier pieces of furniture with similarly substantial pieces; and (unless you’re going for a Maximalist or Bohemian look!) reduce clutter so there’s enough space for your furniture and decorative pieces to have an impact.
Create a coherent colour scheme
Choosing complementary colours is one way to bring your chosen styles together. Dulux recommend the 60/30/10 rule if you’re using a mix of colours in a space. Here’s how it works:
🎨 60% of your space features the primary shade
🎨 30% should be the secondary colour, which complements the primary shade
🎨 10% should be an accent colour, which could complement, or contrast with both the primary and the secondary colours
If you go for colours that are in a similar temperature (warm or cool tones) then tonally they will work together.
Which Interior Design Styles Go Together Well?
Mixing interior design styles can create a unique space that is completely personal to you. Some styles naturally complement each other, enhancing the overall aesthetic of the space. Let’s take a look at the styles that work well together.
Rustic and Industrial
These two styles work well together because of their shared emphasis on natural materials and rugged aesthetics. Rustic design features elements like reclaimed wood, stone, and cosy textiles, while Industrial design incorporates exposed metal, brick, and utilitarian elements. Together, they create a warm, inviting space that blends with edginess for a look that feels very contemporary. Try putting together natural wooden dining tables with powder coated steel legs and industrial style lighting that features copper or steel.
Maximalism and Bohemian
If you love vibrant, eclectic interiors, putting these two together is a match made in heaven. Both styles indulge bold colours, rich patterns, and layers of textures. Maximalism embraces the “more is more” approach, encouraging layers of décor, while Bohemian adds a free-spirited, artistic vibe with global influences – perfect if you’ve travelled extensively and brought souvenirs home. Blending Bohemian and Maximalist styles creates incredibly personalised spaces with plenty of character.
Art Deco and Contemporary
Art Deco and Contemporary styles complement each other perfectly, because of their shared goal of luxury and modernity. Current trends in Contemporary styles feature plenty of sleek lines, comfort, and luxurious metallic finishes such as brushed gold, brass, and silver, while Art Deco is known for its glamorous, opulent designs with bold geometric patterns, rich colours, and luxurious materials. Together they create beautiful, sumptuous spaces that look and feel wonderful.
Which Interior Design Styles Don’t Mix?
While mixing some interior design styles can look incredibly chic, some combinations simply don’t work together. Where the contrast between the two styles is too stark, trying to combine them can lead to a disjointed, unbalanced look. Let’s take a look at the pairings that don’t go.
Maximalism and Minimalism
These two are absolute polar opposites in style – there’s simply no way that the two can blend without losing the soul of each. Maximalism emphasises bold, layered, and vibrant decoration, while minimalism focuses on clean lines, simplicity, and a “less is more” approach. Trying to mix the two just won’t work.
Art Deco and Rustic
Rustic décor is all about natural, earthy elements, with a cosy, yet rugged feel. Art Deco is about luxury, glamour, and bold geometric patterns, with deep, rich colours. The materials in each style are hard to match, and the aims of each aesthetic are simply too different to make them work well together.
Bohemian and Industrial
The clash between these two styles make it hard for them to come together well. Bohemian is eclectic, with a carefree mix of colours and an “anything goes” approach, while Industrial design is raw and utilitarian, with stark neutrals and raw materials. While some elements of each style might work together in a space if done carefully, blending these styles is likely to be hard to pull off.
Our Final Thoughts
While we’ve shared our thoughts on which styles we think work together and which don’t in this post, feel free to throw the interior design rule book – and our opinions – out of the window! If you have a vision for your home, play with your furniture and your decorative accessories until you get it just as you want it. At the end of the day, you can always move things around, paint walls, move rugs and so on until you get it just right. If we’ve inspired you with this post, share your photos with us by tagging us in your Instagram posts @bensimpsonfurniture.
