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10 Ways to Eclectify Your Space

by on Oct 5, 2010


That’s right, I said eclectify.  What exactly does it mean and how do you do it?  The first step is to mix it up. Get out of the matchy matchy mindset. Take some time to go shopping; thrift store shopping. (hint: take some Purel with you) The secret of getting the perfect eclectic combination of old and new is making things look mixed, interesting, without seeming cluttered and contrived. Combine cool, worn, vintage gems with your other stuff. Some people have a natural ability for this. Others (even some interior designers) make it look wrong.

created at: 10/05/2010

So, to all the many women I’ve known who expressed pure disgust at the idea of secondhand furnishings, Cheers!  Don’t underestimate the WOW factor of finding a caneback chair and reupholstering it yourself. Trendy and practical.

Here are 10 furnishings that will instantly add interest to your space.

 

1. Old chair with worn leather seat or old velvet diamond tufted upholstery

2. Settee covered in burlap or muslin with upholstery tacks showing

3. Dresser or nightstand that has finish crackled because it was saved from a real burning building (cool, new knobs added and wallpaper lined drawers)

4. Cane back chairs (Welcome to my garage)

5. Light, modern art framed in old carved frames or plain, weathered barn wood

6. Gigantic framed mirrors that have imperfections

7. You have to do some DIY art of your own. Paint a canvas, make a wire sculpture, make a pillow from an old textile. You need to have a hand in your decor–the realness thing.

8. Find an old rag rug or braided rug and add your own modern border around it

9. Get an old piece of 6″ or 7″ lace and add it to piece of upholstered furniture as a skirt

10. Buy some old serving bowls and silverware to mix it up with your new dishes

AUTHENTIC AUTHENTIC AUTHENTIC!

It’s all about authentically old and worn mixed with new. Ahhhhh! Contrast. The tough part is getting it right. When it’s overdone, it misses. Having the design sensibility to make it look natural and not too intentional is a talent, indeed. The real trend isn’t so much the  stuff you find, but the fact that you’re so sharp and design savvy that you know how to pick the right pieces and make it work. In reality, the person who can do that is the trend.

 

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