If you want to describe eclecticism with one word, it's "unexpected." Therefore, it is difficult to refer eclecticism to a specific style or epoch, for eclecticism is a mix of styles.
Eclectic is for bright personalities wishing to stand out using different means, such as colors, shapes, and textures.
Yet, using eclectic wallpaper in home design is a subtle art. It requires feeling, knowledge, and experience. In this article, we'll share some tips on effectively using eclectic wallpaper in home design.
Let's get started!
Tip # 1. Create a neutral base
If you want to go bright, you need a clean canvas. Eclectic wallpaper cannot be a base; it's strokes. So, before using it, you have to decide on the colors of the ceiling, floor, furniture, and design elements. It doesn't mean everything needs to be plain. You just have to start with a neutral base and then introduce elements for depth, like wall lights, décor elements on the furniture, etc.
Tip # 2. Harmonize colors
If your neutral base and eclectic wallpaper look well together, you may accentuate the main wallpaper color pattern by adding bright spots with furniture or décor elements like pillows.
Tip # 3. Embrace contrast
Eclectic styles are all about contrast, so it's a necessary element in your attempts to create an eclectic design. The contrast may refer to colors, shapes, sizes, and more. It is important to stick to the 60-30-10 rule, where the 10 is the brightest color or the most pronounced texture in your design.
By the way, Huffpost recommends quite unexpected wallpaper uses for creating contrast. For example, you can use a piece of wallpaper to decorate a lamp, turning it into a style statement. "You can achieve the exact, unique look you want by using wallpaper.”
Tip #4. Find harmony with your lighting
Lights add a special touch to any interior; you cannot create an eclectic design with wallpaper if you don't harmonize your wallpaper and your lights. It is recommended that they coincide in style, colors, and shapes. For example, if you introduce a Victorian-era-style piece of wallpaper, your light choice should be directed to objects of a similar epoch.
Tip #5. Combine the old with the new
The contrast between epochs will play an important role in distinguishing the eclectic style from the retro style. Also, it is a great way to incorporate the pieces you love into your new design. For example, you can combine old tiles and modern minimalistic wallpaper in your bathroom or kitchen, or vice versa—combine modern tiles with antique-looking wallpaper and mouldings.
Tip # 6. Consider your furniture
Work with your furniture. You can achieve an eclectic effect by applying your wallpaper not on walls but rather on pieces of furniture, such as cabinets, bookshelves, or tables. In this way, you'll turn the functional elements into real décor pieces, reaching two aims at once: functionality and style expression.
Tip # 7. Don’t forget about greenery
Your eclectic wallpaper will shine when you complete the ensemble with the right choice of home plants. According to Nina Dervin, an editor at Martha Stuart, "Plants are literally a breath of fresh air in any room, and they help bridge the gap between indoors and outdoors.”
Tip # 8. Work with patterns
Patterns, whether geometric, floral, or abstract, tell a separate story in the overall impression of your room, so they must find their place in your décor. Yet, there may be one issue when working with patterns. When there are too many of them, they can kill your effects. The key factor of success here is the work with color. While using patterns, choose the common color scheme that ties them together. You can find great examples in the design of the New York architect Niki Cheng.
Also, it is important to remember that patterns are pronounced by themselves. So, when using the colors of your patterns, it's better not to choose too bright variants.
Tip # 9. Select moody colors
Moody wallpaper colors are a great way to create a special atmosphere in your place. They can add charm and character and become a solid base for your ideas. Benjamin Moor palettes are a great place to look for ideas.
Final touch
When selecting eclectic wallpaper, it's important to remember that our choices stem from our psychology. Eclectic style speaks about your desire to stand out, experiment, create something new, and move. So, the final result of your place should evoke the same emotions. If, at some point, you don't feel your aim is reached, it is a sin that your project is not complete, and you need to add more experimentation to your projects.
The main key to success in this story is to follow your heart and taste.
