I mix and match things on a daily basis. I mix gold and silver jewelry, fitted shirts with the perfect boyfriend jean, and traditional style with modern accents. Call me crazy but it's possible! You can rock any style your heart desires by flawlessly executing: "cohesiveness".
Eclectic style encompasses a variety of time periods and styles with uses of color, texture, shape, and finish. Eclectic may be the catch-all phrase that terms for any room that doesn't fit a particular style but it is more than a miscellaneous style. To create a "Collected" look it takes thought, knowledge, and balance.
Ultimately, choose your color palette. Pick one item as your jumping off point for design. This could be a piece of artwork, an oriental rug, or a family heirloom.
This living room has used the Persian rug as the foundation for this room. Pulling the colors from the rug by use of artwork and accessories really blended the different styles effortlessly.
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Although this room could be classified as contemporary, the slipcover sofas, the traditional ottoman, and the modern chairs create a cohesive look by sticking to the same color palette.
[houzz=http://www.houzz.com/photos/106780/Living-Room-Dining-Room-contemporary-living-room-other-metro]
A black and white color palette seamlessly ties together diverse items to create a collected look. Notice the global influences and textures mixed with contemporary bedding and side trays. There is even a dinosaur head that pops his way in!
[houzz=http://www.houzz.com/photos/117353/The-Olivers-House-eclectic-bedroom-dallas]