Eclectic and Aspirational design trends are driving more adventurous interiors. These design styles often “break” the rules - providing a challenge to execute. Fear not my friend, because we’re here to share design secrets that will make your life easier! Your design success will be the star story of every cocktail party, perhaps even the most #hashtagged interior between you and all your “friendly” acquaintances.
Here are some tips we picked up along the way to help you design an eclectic and aspirational spaces:
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ECLECTIC DESIGN
An eclectic design style should be a thoughtful combination of old and new, soft and hard, extravagant and serious. Eclectic design can be hard to execute gracefully! Too often, people assume that eclectic equates to a cluttered, everything-goes space. In truth, be considerate in selecting design elements to utilize. Granny’s violet vase is just one pawn in the overall scheme of the design and you don’t want it to get lost in the chaos!
3 TIPS TO CREATE AN ECLECTIC SPACE
create a focal point
One of the best pieces of design advice I’ve ever received was from a florist early in my career. Pretend to take a wet paint brush and whip it across the room. You’ll notice that the splatter of the paint is concentrated at the start of your swing. But, the color is artfully distributed throughout the room. What’s the lesson here? We’re creating a story for your eyes - a circle of interest that keeps you entertained with the start and finish coming back to the same focal point. Make a statement wall using wallpaper, a bold decorative item, or an existing architectural feature such as a fireplace to create a center in your space and ground the room.
One of our client's color choices was gold. They wanted a dark, intimate feel for their study and utilized our Pressed Cane silk screened wallpaper in Ebony Black to introduce elements of gold in a subtle way.
be consistent
Consistent and eclectic sound like competing ideas, and they are. For eclectic design to work, you need to balance rival ideas and styles. Use opposing textures, colors, and patterns. Just remember though, eclectic design is not an excuse to pull design elements from every era. Don’t explore how victorian furniture contrasts with modern textures in one corner while another corner showcases boho chic paired with hygge. Limit your palette to a few colors and design styles to explore.
pick a color!
An easy way to build consistency and a cohesive design is through color choice. At outset, choose a go-to color that can be utilized throughout the space. Take some paint chips while examining various design elements - wallpapers, fabrics, furniture, lamps, etc. to ensure that there is a common thread across your design. You will be fascinated with how prevalent your preferred color is in the universe.
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ASPIRATIONAL DESIGN
Aspirational design is a new trend, HOT OFF THE PRESS at Fresh Home. In their recent article, Annie Kip defines this new style as, “designing spaces based on how people want to feel. At home, people are done feeling the pressure to impress their friends. They don’t want a generic home that looks like a magazine.” We are excited about this trend. Building a whole design based on your emotional center, gives you the freedom to color outside the lines and truly express yourself. Sometimes though, too much freedom can be daunting. Too many options without limitation can create analysis paralysis!! We found the three tips below to be extremely helpful in guiding us in creating aspirational spaces.
3 TIPS TO CREATE AN ASPIRATIONAL SPACE:
write a mission statement
A mission statement sounds like a very boring and counter-intuitive way to start a design about your “emotional center”, but hear us out! When you’re several months into a remodel and looking at faucets & fixtures, it’s difficult to see the forest but for the trees. When your design is completely driven by an intangible emotion, having a simple statement to refer to as you make decisions will help. For example, “I want my home to feel earthy, intimate and casual.” If you feel embarrassed about writing a mission statement, know that you can always burn it after your finished writing it :) Just don’t forget what you wrote.
Our Shibori Banding wallpaper in Metallic Gold on Azurite Blue, transformed this industrial loft into a rich space reminiscent of the golden hour on desert dunes.
consider value
If the ideal feeling for your bedroom is animal passion, it’s tempting to purchase a lifesize jaguar statue (where do you find lifesize jaguar statues? Blog post coming soon). As you consider that purchase, ask yourself, “What is the purpose of this statue?” If you don’t have an answer, let it go (by the way, “make me laugh when I wake up,” is a valid answer). Fill your space with items that communicate the feeling you look for and add value to your life.
add personality!
Create a unique space that speaks to you. Push boundaries with your favorite colors and patterns. Go big with statement furniture and wall coverings, utilize throw pillows, add rugs and accent walls. Use one of your own photos as a piece of artwork in this self-proclaimed space. Innovators such as Susan Tynan have made it easy for you to frame your photos using Frambridge. It’s your prerogative to create a space that reflects your experiences and personality.
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Whether you want to go eclectic or aspirational, be bold - use exciting design elements like hand-screened wallpaper, a family heirloom, or an overdyed rug to express yourself!
Remember, you set the rules, but you also have to stick to the rules.
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Sofia is a brightly painted jaguar that runs through your dreams, finding refuge in the concrete jungle of Los Angeles.
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