Times come and times go. Times bring with them certain things and take away with them certain things. It is this nature of time that gives rise and fall to the different architectural and interior design trends. One such trend that many people fall for is Eclectic. Ravi says that this form is the hardest to excel upon. But what exactly is this? And what are the things that one needs to know about to work through it? Know more about how interior designers can help you shape your home.
The good beauty about eclectic style is that it is nothing and it is everything at the same time.
An introduction to the Eclectic Interior Design Style!
There are people in the world who revere a certain style or icon. For example, there are people who are fans of John Lennon and thus they try following him in every aspect of their life. Enter their home and you’d be able to smell the hair of John Lennon and listen to his melodious musings. You’d be able to experience him even decades and decades after his death. Similar things happen throughout every other field in life.
Then, there also are people who are not fans of one particular thing but lots of things. They like a part of this and a part of that and the foot of this and the head of that. These people are what we call Eclectic.
Eclectic is a mindset that identifies itself with lots of things and not just one. For example, there are eclectic philosophers who do not belong to any particular school of thought but pick things they like from various schools.
Eclectic architecture and interior design!
When we talk of architecture and interior design, there are certain styles that have a soul of their own. For example, look at the Victorian Architecture which believes in aestheticism and grandiosity more than functionality. Just look at their dressing style and their designs and you’ll see a dire attempt to make things look grand. Similarly, there is Minimalist Architecture that believes in ‘less is more.’ These styles work through an ideology, says Radvi.
But Eclectic Architecture and Interior Design is something that does not believe in one style but many. It picks up bits and pieces from many different styles to create a style of its own. However, it does not believe in chaos but harmony. Picking up things from different styles does not make an interior Eclectic.
There are elements that an interior designer works through to create harmony instead of chaos (unless one specifically designs it to look chaotic.)
It is like a painting that you create using various colours. If one colour is prevalent, you call it by that name. Similarly, if there is a style that is prevalent in Eclectic, you create a compound name. For example, if you have more of Bohemian style in Eclectic style, you call it Boho-Eclectic.
Features of Eclectic Interior Style!
Just as we said, Eclectic is not about picking different elements from different styles. We call this approach chaotic. A child can do it. Eclectic is about bringing harmony in the discord. It is about creating order out of chaos. It is what life is. Here are the features of Eclectic Interior Style –
- It aims at bringing different elements and fusing them together.
- It tries to look at the common among the different.
- Eclectic tries to look at the different elements from different styles, judge them, their impact, and their outcome.
It is hard and only an expert in interiors known to the psychology and science of all can bring out a graceful outcome.
So, now you know what Eclectic style is about, it is time for some tips if you are a fan of the Eclectic approach.
Tips from Radvi to excel upon Eclectic Interior Style!
The first thing to keep in mind is that because you are not an expert, it will be a hit-and-try approach for you. You might win at it or fail at it, says Radvi. So, before you dive into it, know more about ways you can follow to make it through.
1 – Start with a colour palette!
There are various elements in the interior design that you’ll have to work upon. But the one most important element that you must work hard upon is the colour palette. The Colour palette is the overall colour range that you’ll be using throughout your home. It will include colour of the wall, furniture, floor, rug, upholstery, light, etc. Try to decide which colour style you want. Because the style is eclectic, there might be contrast in the colours too. Try to decide about these colours.
2 – Plan about other elements of interior design!
As we have told before, interior designers work about bringing a sense between different elements in a home. These elements are
- color
- texture
- space
- line
- light
- form
- pattern
These elements must be worked upon beforehand, says Radvi. You might want to decide what you actually want and then work on these elements.
3 – Have a focal point!
You would not want to make your mind feel cluttered. This is why it is generally recommended to have a thing as a focal point that works on bringing the eyes of those who walk through it. It could be a great piece of art, a vintage piece of furniture, a memento, etc. You’ll be using other elements to make this piece turn into a focal point. For example, usage of guiding lines and colour shades to bring in the eyes towards the object of focus.
4 – Provide some negative space!
Because Eclectic Style has the nature of bringing different styles together, there could be moments when your eyes start to feel heavy. This is where negative space works as an escape. Try to provide an area or colour for the eyes to rest upon and feel relaxed in times of overwhelming emotions.
Should you hire an expert for Eclectic Interior Style?
The general idea is to create an environment where different styles come together to sing in a choir. It requires a person to have expertise, imagination, and creativity together. If you have a huge home or a villa, Radvi strongly suggests you to look for experts in the field of Interior Designing. Know more about how interior designers work and how they can help you have a home of your dreams. If you have a small space and you think you can experiment with it, then you need not hire an expert. But know that you gain proper knowledge beforehand. It will save you time and money and embarrassment.
