I've always liked mixing things up. I found this armoire on Craigslist for $100 and bought it to house my microwave, toaster and drawers with snacks and breads. Now that it's in the space which is still not finished, as much as I like it, it looks too fancy. I really wanted a cross between a French country with some rustic elements of open wood shelves and maybe some rattan shades on the Windows. Not sure that can happen with this armoire, so I've been considering distressing and painting it. I suppose there's a definition for eclectic somewhere, but I guess I just make it up as I go along. :-)

Btw brdrl, I love the fabric on your grandmothers chair.

brdl, great examples, I love the different styles of chairs.

design, I would leave that armoire exactly as you have it, it is gorgeous, adds so much warmth to your kitchen.

Looks like I have a good general definition in my mind about eclectic decorating. Could we talk about lighting fixtures in eclectic decorating. Can different styles be mixed there as well or should all lighting be the same general style?

design savvy, every time I see a pic of your black cab, it makes me smile. It is absolutely brilliant where it is and part of that is that it is unexpected. It's interesting to hear that it was a happenstance choice. When I first saw it, I thought, "wow, whoever chose that has a very sophisticated design-sense".

Did you ever watch the old sitcom Frasier? His apartment is eclectic decorating. In the pilot, his Dad says something like "nothing matches" and Frasier goes on to explain that eclectic decorating is the idea that if you use really fine pieces of furniture, they will just go together and look well together--Coco Chanel's sofa, an Eames chair with a Wassily chair, etc... So now that I am admitting all of my tv watching, I think Carrie Bradshaw and Mr. Big's apartment in Sex and the City 2 is another good example. She has a very traditional dining table with a very contemporary oxidized metal chandelier.

I call my house eclectic. :) But that's because I have never really tried to "decorate" and we have quilts in all different color schemes everywhere.

Donna

Thanks RoseAbbey and Daisy. I planned to put more cabinetry there with microwave above, but it wasn't in the budget. An Armoire was my second choice. Planned on a stained wood one, but couldn't find the right one. When I saw this, it was beautiful. I can always replace it down the road if I tire of it.

RoseAbbey, I wonder about the lighting, too. If, say an antique gold pendant chandelier is hung over the sink, can a black chandelier hang over the kitchen table? I'm a little lost on that myself. Perhaps you can mix different colors as long as they're in the same style family? Or different styles as long as they're the same color? (Shrugging shoulders). :-/

I think I have an eclectic style, and part of it is what design savvy has done -- using objects or furnishings as they weren't necessarily intended to be used. I use an old church pew in my home office; for seating in my dining room (which is more like a library) I use a leather settee/loveseat; I have an old wood piece from a bureau hung on the wall as art; etc. I also have a mix of furniture that to my eye works well together but wouldn't be found together in a furniture showroom; Stickley mission, Room & Board, European country and other antiques. I have a lamp base that is a pig, and one that's a rabbit (not taxidermied, ha ha, brass!). Nothing is too serious or precious or strictly matched. I have a very expensive leather sofa in the same room with a cheap (but cute!) Target corner chair.

I think it's hard for hesitant or "shy" decorators to do eclectic. I do it because I figure what the heck, let's try this and this and see how it looks. I know a lot of people who are afraid to try a mis-matched look and would rather buy the whole "set" of showroom furniture.

My "dining" room: Crate and Barrel bar cabinet, Stickley dining table, antique school desk as occasional table, Pier One chair, leather settee from local store.

Yes designsaavy, that is what I am wondering too about lighting. In one sense, we all seem to agree that eclectic is a mixture of styles, and I also read a lot of "decorate with things you love", but then there are comments to the opposite stating one style doesnt go with another style, (shrugging shoulders also ).

Sue, I always liked the look of your house, to me its classy yet comfortable.

RoseAbbey: I love you. ;)

I consider mine eclectic.....it sounds better than "crazy mixed up"!

I have a feeling that 99 percent of us have eclectic decorating in our homes whether we think we do or not.

I think most folks who don't make an effort to stay in a certain style are probably transitional and/or at least a bit eclectic. But I think when we talk about eclectic design, we mean different styles brought together in a way that compliment and harmonize and create something new or different. And that's where it can get tricky.

I like lascatx's definition and I think that's how I would explain it too - had I found the right words to say it, like she did. :-)

I like when you see the "unexpected" which does not mean harmonize but does mean different.

I think it's the repetition of shapes and forms, though mixing old and new, that makes it work well. The elements relate to each other in some way.

I like that definition dyhgarden.

I think mixing old and new and different styles is a simple def. I also think of adding the unexpected where you have to stop and think wow! I have no idea what style my house it. I might say it is traditional, with straight lines but also has mix and match old and new and I love color. I look at our living room beams and tongue and groove ceiling and see rustic.

gw · More Info

aktillery, I definitely do see eclectic decorating in your home and yes the ceiling is that unexpected element. Great job.

Thank you Rose! That is a very kind comment!

aktillery, you've done a wonderful job. Every room is tasteful and decorated with a great sense of color. I would say it's eclectic because dark gray paint to me spells modern but wood beams and tongue and groove ceilings are, as you say, rustic. It works though, and what a lovely view to the outside.

Thanks Ingrid. Actually the living room color is a gray brown green.... leaning more to a green. We do not have anything painted gray. Maybe my pics do not show it very well. Thank you for the comments!

Aktillery, I would consider your home transitional and a bit eclectic, which is pretty much how I see my home too.

I think the unexpected could come from the different ages of pieces, but also the unintended use of a particular item, a touchy of whimsy or something more (or less) formal than the rest of the room -- so many options and age is just one.

I think eclectic design combines items and furnishings in a way that makes the design work as a whole. One of my favorite designers is Portland based Garrison Hulliger who does a terrific job with eclectic interiors and especially mixing light fixtures. You can see what he does here: http://www.houzz.com/pro/ghid/garrison-hullinger-interior-design-inc 

I think the photos shown here are more of a Transitional style. I think you need a bit more crazy for it to be described as Eclectic.

Transitional style is more neutral color based, example in this photo.

budgetdecorating.about.com/od/designstyles/a/Decorating-In-The-Transitional-Style.htm

ak, is that bedroom your guest room you showed us in another thread? In any case, I want it, all of it. Whatever the style of that room is, whatever box is checked off, that is the look I'd have throughout my house if I had the energy and talent to do it.

I think eclectic just means combining more than one style. It doesn't always look good. Just like all one style doesn't always look good. I think some styles are more amenable to blending than others. For example, I think it is easier to blend modern and mid-century modern than it is to blend mid-century modern and Victorian.

This is is the first picture I saved in a Houzz idea book and I think it is a good example of eclectic.

sfgirlbybay · More Info

I don't think a room needs to be crazy or colorful to be eclectic. I also don't think transitional means neutral. I think many color schemes could be transitional. I think transitional just means somewhere between traditional and modern.

I used to think Transitional was neither Traditional nor Contemporary/Modern (I still don't have a clear understanding of the differences between Contemporary and Modern). However, when I recently did a search for light fixtures and clicked the Trans box, I got some stuff I'd consider way over on the Contemp/Modern side. I'm not sure I even know what Transitional means anymore.

I've never considered transitional to be limited to neutral colors. Linelle, I agree that it can be hard to figure where lines are drawn. But then, I only care for ease of communicating ideas.

Linelle, I think it's become a blur due to "tags" websites/companies want to use to generate more traffic.

Dyhgarden hit it for me too - Old and new. Mix of styles. Items flow and/or relate to each other somehow. And as Chispa said " bit (more) crazy" is what I used to consider eclectic. Now, not so much.

I had always thought eclectic meant there was something a little quirky added and like Crl thinks, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Everyone has different tastes so I just figure, go with your gut.

I agree with you designsaavy, go with your gut. Usually when I do that I feel I made the right choice, for me, whether some like it or not. When I second guess myself, or get talked out of something, my DH is great for that, is when I am not happy with the outcome. I always know what I DONT like but sometimes have a problem knowing what I do like and want. I think that happens because I havent found "it" the special one I am looking for so I compromise. I dont want to do that anymore.

I agree with you Allison,. As I said in a previous previous, it needs to be done carefully not carelessly, aka, with some forthought. IMO, it's not as simple as 'going with your gut'. I love to mix in an antique piece or two, but this depends on what else is in the space. A good example might be very rustic benches layered in paint in a formal DR table, with formal window treatments, and a persian rug. What *could* make it work is upholstered chairs at each end of the table, since that would soften the look. I couldn't see a Tiffany lamp in a very contemporary space either, or an antique crystal chandelier, but a newer trendy one for sure. This is *my* personal opinion only, and not intended to offend anyones personal taste.

That's what makes us all unique, no offense taken. :-)

Linelle, you are sweet! Thank you and yes it is my guest bedroom.

Transitional to me sort of equals Pottery Barn -- neither really traditional nor really modern, somewhere in that middle ground. And pretty "safe" if you know what I mean. Nothing too wacky. I bet transitional means different things to different people, moreso than other decor styles. I have never associated it with a particular color scheme either, but when you think about it, the big furnishings in the PB catalogs are mostly neutral!

Eclectic is more...Anthropologie!

Speaking of PB, my newest addition to my dining/library room is this bunny lamp...from PB Teen, of all places.

Now that bunny, in that setting, is what I mean by a bit of crazy (in a good way). Love it, it is perfect for that space

Chispa. LOL, thanks!

I love Anthropologie! (In small doses)

Love the bunny lamp. I always think of eclectic meaning mixed styles (and therefore mixed time periods) and things brought in simply because the person likes them, whether they "go" with a style or not.

Sue, I love your bunny lamp. Your vignette and walls etc are gorgeous! What paint color did you use?

Love that bunny lamp and the shade is fantastic! Did it come with the lamp?

Sue, I love your bunny lamp.

Much better than this one from Anthropologie (that you can't even see!)

atk, thank you! The wall color is Stonybrook. I agonized over using it because I am not a "blue" person, and it is pretty dark, but I do love it.

kswl, believe it or not, the shade came with it. I was prepared to swap it out, but it works. (Originally I bought the lamp for the family room, but it didn't work there. Total luck that the shade worked fine in the other room!)

I, too, think that Lascatx's definition sounds right. My living room is very eclectic, in my opinion. No, actually, in pretty much anyone's opinion (LOL)! A Contemporary adobe hacienda with exposed, painted adobe walls, brick floors, wood ceiling, beams and hand-carved corbels = Southwestern. Add in cream colored linen sofas. From there it gets a bit mixed. My two large-ish rugs are Persian. My coffee table is an antique from India. One end table is an antique from Great Britain. An antique family heirloom lamp from France. An inlaid game table from Syria along with two hand-carved antique chairs from New Mexico stand in one corner of the room. On it is my precious (to me) antique Japanese Kintaro statue (boy riding a carp). A brass deer statue from India or Thailand sits on the fireplace hearth. The box that holds wood for the fireplace is an antique ammunitions box from Oklahoma. Most of our paintings, pottery and statues are from New Mexico . . . except for a painting from India on silk with the paint made from (I swear) ground precious and semi-precious jewels (it was a gift from an Indian colleague of my husband's). Another wall has a bookcase and framed photos of DH's ancestors who ranged from Oklahoma farmers to a famous Chickasaw leader and statesman. Oh, and a handmade wooden vase holding two carved walking sticks from Africa stands next to the fireplace in one of the pics. Yes, I'd say my living room is a bit eclectic. (LOL)

To most visitors, the room looks fine. But, I truly don't care. To me, to us, it looks great and that's what ultimately counts.

Eclectic at my house is a unique collection of unmatched items that are a reflection of our life experiences and interests - some family antiques, other things inherited from childhood, some things we've picked up at various times in our life that don't necessarily match what we picked up at other times but things we love none the less sometimes because of memories - times when we were too poor to buy much or times when we splurged on something special. It includes inexpensive artwork we bought as a remembrance of somewhere we've been or something we've done. Our eclectic reflects a home where interesting (we hope) people live - not a perfect showpiece, boutique hotel or designer showroom.

Sue, love, kove, LOVE your bunny lamp~is it still available? I'm going to check!

Since we're talking bunnies, I had several on my Christmas tree, many bunny ballerinas and ballerinas in general. There isn't a season OR a holiday where a bunny or two(or more!)add a little whimsy. I couldn't bring myself to put her away so she's sitting on top of a candlestick. Here's my little girl bunny. I added the earrings and angel wings.

SueB20: I love that bar set up you've created in your library! Your choice of mirror is perfection. Love the lamp, too. What a beautiful space!

Patty Cakes: cute bunny! I have 5 candleholders very similar to yours there. I bought them for my dining room table at Christmas and now am loathe to put them away. I've been wandering the house looking for a place to keep them out year-round, which is not easy in this place. You've inspired me to group them in the empty corner of our MBR, as I like the look of yours against your shutters.

Patty, I do think it's still available, and there is a white one, too.

Um, I might have a bit of a bunny fixation, Patty, so I can relate: