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Mismatched Rooms Made in Heaven
Take a pass on Stepford Wives style. To truly show off the glorious personality of your rooms, practice the art of mismatching
Houzz Contributor. I am a former magazine editor specializing in travel and design. I just completed my first remodel, turning my crumbling 1941 kitchen into a beauty of grays, whites and natural wood. If I could, I'd sleep on the countertop. That's how much I love it.
You can also read my parenting blog on Baby Center http://blogs.babycenter.com/author/sschoech/
Houzz Contributor. I am a former magazine editor specializing in travel... More »
I believe in mismatching. It's practically my motto.
Bedroom sets kind of give me the willies. I just can't stand anything that looks like it came right out of a catalog or, worse yet, off the showroom floor. All that matchy-matchy stuff lacks a personal touch. And it usually has the personality of an earthworm (meaning blah).
I much prefer a room with lots of quirky personality, sort of a Maya Ruldoph of rooms. And it's not so difficult to achieve. You can make a room full of ragtag patterns, colors and styles work; all you need is a single unifying principle, something that brings everything together so the room doesn't look like a thrift store.
Obviously, an eclectic room works well with this philosophy. But you can also have a more formal setting, even a Hollywood Regency thing going on. Behold, 12 mismatched beauties.
Bedroom sets kind of give me the willies. I just can't stand anything that looks like it came right out of a catalog or, worse yet, off the showroom floor. All that matchy-matchy stuff lacks a personal touch. And it usually has the personality of an earthworm (meaning blah).
I much prefer a room with lots of quirky personality, sort of a Maya Ruldoph of rooms. And it's not so difficult to achieve. You can make a room full of ragtag patterns, colors and styles work; all you need is a single unifying principle, something that brings everything together so the room doesn't look like a thrift store.
Obviously, an eclectic room works well with this philosophy. But you can also have a more formal setting, even a Hollywood Regency thing going on. Behold, 12 mismatched beauties.
by ABCD Design LLC
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This room mixes styles and eras — a Chesterfield sofa, a modern sofa, a shabby chic credenza — and brings it all together with that burnt-orange color in the upholstery, art and pillows.
by Jeanette Lunde
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Bright white unifies this jumble of dining chairs, giving the set a modern Scandinavian farmhouse look.
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by betsy burnham
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This mixes color and pattern. But it also mixes feeling or, as I like to say, vibe. The ikat has an ethnic, boho thing going for it, while the pillows are more traditional. Mixing it up keeps the area from looking too themed.
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by Tamar Schechner
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| Oh, I just love this. It's like cottage shabby chic with all sorts of patterns and colors thrown in (check out that bright red wall). A neutral focal point (in this case, the white sofa) allows you to play around. What brings it all together is warm hues. |
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| What can I say? It just works. Mostly because the exuberant pattern is kept to three places, and the rest has a really low profile. |
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Color, pattern, era — it's all a mishmash. And yet it's all warm, welcoming and well put together.
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| Big, wide-open architecture, a dainty footed sofa, a modern red chair, patterned curtains and a bold striped rug. The matching things in this room are those two white table lamps. |
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I love the look of layered rugs. As long as they are the same basic weight, you can go crazy. They give a room that lux, boho, exploring-Medina feel.
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It's all mixed up, but it sure is elegant.
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Two different florals with clashing pinks and red? Sure!
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The closest this comes to matching are the two lamps and the color yellow. Otherwise, it's an exuberant mashup of iconic (Andy Warhol) and personal (the wall of snapshots) with a lot of citrus colors thrown in against an aqua backdrop. Amen.
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Isn't this lovely? Something about black walls really adds gravitas to a room. But the décor itself is a mixture of traditional, ethnic, formal and modern. Plus, there's that tongue-in-cheek Union Jack pillow.
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More:
Pattern Play: Mix Prints for a Traditional-Modern Look
So Your Style Is: Eclectic
Decorating Secrets: How to Layer Patterns Right
See the rest of this home
More:
Pattern Play: Mix Prints for a Traditional-Modern Look
So Your Style Is: Eclectic
Decorating Secrets: How to Layer Patterns Right
Comments
Cathy Lara I loved every single one of the spaces you shared in this piece. The first, third and last images are some of my faves on Houzz! Total eye candy on this dreary Saturday morning...
14 months ago · Like
Lara Stancich Interior Design So refreshing to see mixes of style and colour, and none of it looks contrived! Great Ideabook!
14 months ago · Like
robinsoquel Great rooms with Great Ideas. Thanks!!!
14 months ago · Like
horsewoman These featured room all create for my senses an uneasiness. Too many combined colors, styles, patterns, lines.
14 months ago · Like
CAROLE MEYER I think these rooms are so interesting and beautiful.....I don't think I could pull this off....but I love it!
14 months ago · Like
Visual Jill Interior Decorating Great ideabook. Makes me see that my own "eclectic" living room really does work, despite the strange assortment of colors I have going on. Thanks!
14 months ago · Like
heronchateau Just goes to show what you can do if you have the guts and a good eye.
14 months ago · Like
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newmouse This idea book exemplifies how difficult it is to pull off this look. Some of these are amoung my favorite Houzz photos (the first and last ones). Others, like the rose wall papered kitchen, are amoung my least favorites.
14 months ago · Like
Samantha Schoech Well, of course not all design is going to appeal to all people (nor should it). But yes, a style can work for you even if a particular example doesn't. I, for example, love the second-to-last room (with Marilyn), but I would not want to live in it. Still, I appreciate the style.
14 months ago · Like
Janeane Pittman Interior Design I am a big advocate of surrounding yourself with what you love. It just makes me happy. I love all the mix of colors and styles. They obviously are each a collection of the home owners "must haves". Great collection of pics!
14 months ago · Like
mcbriec I too get the willies when I see sets of furniture which also makes me think of the Stepford wives and that hideous conformity. Very much appreciated the sense of style in all the featured rooms even though not to my own taste. Down with hotel room or overly-themed decorating!
14 months ago · Like
Elena Vega @mcbriec: conformity squashes my soul too.These are gorgeous and inspiring, but I'd also love to see another ideabook that hits more middle ground, like mismatching for the slightly fainter of heart. :)
14 months ago · Like
berlinsylvie I love these! Every one of them. But the only thing I want to contribute here is that this look only succeeds if the room is picked up and tidy. Clutter makes the whole room uneasy and, well, cluttered.
14 months ago · Like
Samantha Schoech @berlinsylvie That is very, very true! A little bit of clutter and you've got visual cacophony on your hands. In a mismatched room everything has to be completely intentional and well placed. That's why it's hard to pull it off in a kids' room
14 months ago · Like
kimisu65 I agree! I hate that bed-in-a-bag look. These rooms are so refreshing and interesting!
7 weeks ago · Like
Ideabook published on March 24, 2012.
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