You love mid-century modern. Your partner loves industrial. Or maybe it’s you who likes bohemian AND Hollywood glam? Either way, you might be wondering if it’s possible to use more than one interior design style in a space. The answer is ‘yes’, but of course, there are guides to follow for mixing styles seamlessly.

Let one style shine

Splitting the styling down the middle may seem like the fairest solution when decorating with a partner who has different taste to you. However, a 50/50 split risks creating a space without a focal point. Let one interior design style be the star and the second an accent. An 80/20 split will be more conducive to creating a space with visual harmony. Bigger furniture and decor objects like sofas and area rugs will dictate your main design style. Add smaller elements like lamps and cushions in a secondary style.

Restrain your colour palette

When combining interior design styles, it’s easy to overwhelm the eye with information due to too much variation. Using a limited colour palette can help elements of even wildly different styles look unified. Stick to a handful of colours at most for the best effect.

Put it on repeat

The same rule of restraint and repetition goes for textures, finishes, shapes, and patterns. For example, if you have a Memphis-style sofa with brass legs, decorating with a Moroccan brass serving tray will continue the look with a difference. If you have a globe-shaped pendant light, mimic the shape elsewhere with a spherical glass vase. This builds the relationship between elements so that they all belong.

Keep it even

Grouping too much of one style together will make the space feel unbalanced. Once you’ve defined your palette of colours, textures, shapes, and patterns, spread these elements evenly throughout your interior. Pull colours from your wall art to use on window coverings on an adjacent wall. Echo the tone of your hardwood flooring in timber photo frames. Help draw the eye around the space and take it in as a cohesive whole.

Need extra advice on decorating your interiors? Talk to the team at Andersens.