6 Tips on How to Mix Furniture Styles the Right Way

Does your home consist of antique furniture handed down from your grandparents, along with some contemporary pieces? If so, the good news is that you can easily mix different styles to create a stunning room. In fact, a home that’s layered in different furniture styles, as well as several time periods, can be downright interesting. However, it won’t be that dynamic if your furniture pieces aren’t tied together. Here are six tips on how you can successfully combine various furniture styles and eras the right way.

1. Understand the Different Styles

First, it’s important to have a general understanding of the main types of furniture styles. Once you have an understanding of each style, you’ll be better equipped to combine them cohesively. There’s the traditional style, which emerged from the original country styles. Another popular style is the transitional look, which is a mixture of traditional and contemporary décor and furniture. There’s also the maximalist style. This style is a blend or mesh of several styles.

2. Decide on a Theme

One way to combine different styles of furniture is by using a common theme. For example, if you live in the city but long to have a mountain cabin in the woods, you could opt for a vintage bed, along with contemporary furnishings. Just make sure your pieces depict a mountain or woody theme. Using a theme for a room is an especially ideal way to decorate a kid’s bedroom.

3. Use Repetition

One of the best ways to combine furniture styles is by using repetition. By repeating the same items within a space, you can create a feeling of uniformity. For instance, having a set of chairs next to a different style table can make a room look more coherent.

4. Stick with a Limited Color Palette

To be sure the pieces of furniture is a room tie together, limit the number of colors. It’s actually best to stay with neutrals. By having a neutral palette, your items are less likely to compete with one another. When you include tones or colors that are similar, you can draw your furniture pieces together better than if you had several colors. If you want to add a little splash of color to a neutral palette, you could always add something colorful, like greenery, or brightly-colored houseplants.

5. Make Sure Your Furniture Is Balanced

Balance is huge when it comes to mixing furniture styles. If most of your pieces are of a contemporary style, you could use a piece that’s of another style, such as traditional furniture. Avoid dividing up a room so that it looks as if one side is one style and the other side is another style. Instead, look at each item and give it a “buddy” piece. This way, you’re balancing your items as well as your textures. As a result, this makes it easier for the eye to move around the room.

6. Consider Scale

When arranging furniture, it’s critical that you consider scale, which pertains to proportion or the comparative size of items within a space. For instance, you shouldn’t put an oversized couch between two dainty end tables. Therefore, when pairing different pieces together, consider how they complement each other, regarding scale.

Other Tips and Warnings

• Rather than having a large-scale pattern on a larger surface area, choose more subtle patterns for a smaller surface area. In other words, avoid having a space look too busy.
• Consider how two totally different periods of furniture work well together when they’re constructed from the same wood. Just be sure to choose wood tones that are consistent so that the pieces can be tied together.
• Use a wood stain for mismatched wood pieces that seem to go well together.
• Don’t spread a collection of items, such as wall photos, throughout a room. It looks more effective to have the items grouped together as this can create a greater impact.
• Add contemporary art to a classic room or consider including classic art into a room with contemporary furnishings. By mixing these two different styles, you can add interest to an otherwise boring room.
• Start with a single focus object and them build from it. If you have a curved coffee table, why not add curvy chairs or rounded light fixtures.

Don’t worry about having not having every item in a room match. You could even say that too many matching pieces can be boring. Regardless of the particular furniture style you prefer, you can find all of them at our showroom at Matter Brothers Furniture, your one-stop furniture store. Don’t hesitate to visit us at one of our five convenient locations or contact us.