Mixing interior styles: How to do it correctly?

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With so many interior styles, it might be difficult for you to choose the right one. On the other hand, you might want to go bold and introduce more than two styles.

In these cases, mixing interior styles is the right choice for you. With this, you can combine the features of two different styles and make them work for your space.

Or, you can simply add character to the home and tailor it to your taste. 

Mixing styles is approved by interior designers and is often used to add a touch of personality. However, it would be best to be very careful when mixing and matching. If you don’t do it properly, your home might not look tasteful. 

In this post, we share the ultimate guide on mixing interior styles. Once you go over it, you will know how to pair styles tastefully.

How to Mix Interior Styles Properly:

Define your color scheme

If you want to keep it consistent while still adding a touch of visual interest, you are advised to stick to a clearly defined color scheme. This is the thing that holds everything together and keeps your decor cohesive. Even if you mix two different styles, the colors will be a common feature. 

If the colors feel somehow disconnected, you can always ground them with the use of a rug. Get a rug that borrows colors from the color palette to create a tasteful space with excellent distribution of colors. 

Choose your styles

Choosing the interior styles that you will mix might be a little tricky. However, it isn’t impossible. Designers would advise you to find two styles that have something in common for a seamless blend. What does this mean? Every style has its signature features. You should find two styles that have one or more elements in common. 

For example, rustic and industrial share the love for the unfinished. Wood furniture and exposed brick walls are the mutual points of these two styles, making them easy to mix. You can opt for a mix of rustic and unfinished industrial furnishings, while the warmth of the red brick and the wood grain will add charm. 

Mixing two interior styles creates a charming and eclectic interior. If this is your intention, feel free to choose a more minimalist style and pair it with one that favors maximalism. 

Scandi and Boho are two styles that blend perfectly together. They both have a relaxed vibe, but the only difference is the presence of colors and details in Boho. With so many common characteristics, you can easily pull off a tasteful design without much effort. The two styles have an abundance of natural textures that bring a cozy and relaxed look. 

The use of wooden furniture adds charm to the space, while you can do a mix of Boho-inspired and minimalist furniture to achieve the desired look. Decorate with jute, faux fur, and lots of plants to bring the texture to play. 

Create a focal point

In some cases, one element might not seem like it fits your style. However, you can still pull it off. Make the odds a bold focal point that steals all the attention. For example, you might want to decorate with a fine antique piece that you found at your local thrift store. Even if it might not seem like it will fit your modern style, you can make it an accent piece. Continue to build around the statement piece and let it become a signature feature for your authentic style.

Go with proven interior style combinations

Mixing styles that have common features is straightforward. Modern farmhouse and bohemian are two cozy styles that merge into a tasteful space with relaxed vibes. 

Mix and match furniture

Mixing and matching the furniture might not be that easy to pull off. When done correctly, your space will have a unique look. One of the ways to mix and match furniture is to combine different dining chairs. This is a common trick that designs use to introduce playfulness to the space. 

There are a few tips to keep in mind to make it look cohesive and tasteful. First, you should keep some of the design elements cohesive. If you want to play safe but still add a touch of visual interest, you can get the same chairs in a different color. This will look fresh and modern, but also you can’t go wrong with it.

 Things might get more challenging when you work with antiques and thrift store finds. However, this doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to pair various chairs. All you need to do is pick the same color or paint over them. 

Therefore, we shared the secret formula for mixing and matching dining chairs. You should keep the design the same but opt for different colors. Alternatively, get different chairs but paint them in the same color. 

Or, you can pair two different chair sets. One of them can be in a neutral color. The other can be a statement color or an intriguing pattern that steals attention. Add accent chairs on the ends to add a signature stamp to your dining room. If you want to experiment and go bold, you can get chairs in different colors. But make sure that they belong to the same color family for cohesiveness.

Go step by step

If you don’t feel comfortable creating a mix, you can go step by step. First, you can introduce one or two pieces and see how they manage to fit in the space. Gradually build around to create a tasteful combination of elements. Designers would recommend you to go with the 80/20 rule when mixing in a new decor style. This simple trick makes it easy for you to implement a unique style. Introduce the new style in 20% of the elements and let the 80% be within your existing interior style. This makes it easy to play with the styles gradually and fix any decor mistakes for a tasteful look.