Purposeful Eclecticism

There is a trend afoot in decorating and entertaining that I will call 'purposeful eclecticism.' It's where the home/apartment dweller has purposefully mixed styles and eras and colors and textures... not because they had to (think hand-me-downs) but because they wanted to... and they want it to look 'effortless', like they accumulated their goodies over time.

I find this intriguing and delightful.

It used to be that people aspired to have "the complete set", or... sorry, hate this furniture term... the "suite". The bedroom suite, the dining room suite, the living room suite: think sofa, chair, and loveseat that ALL MATCH. People saved their pennies to buy their furniture this way, and then they lived with that 'suite' all the rest of their lives.

Which makes me think that today's eclecticism is not something born of 'need' but because of 'want'.

Think about it... true eclectic decorating usually starts out of need: can't afford the 'matched set' so you figure out how to make the mismatched one look terrific. My parents' apartment while my dad was in grad-school was the ultimate in mismatched items, many of which were later painted this odd shade of green because, naturally, they had gallons of leftover green paint from some other project. Items are repurposed from bedspreads into draperies and pillows. It was recycling at its finest.

Now, however, the appeal of DIY, the lure of the thrift store or yard sale, and the encouragement to re-purpose and recycle, has created a new level of eclecticism that is truly purposeful (with the illusion of appearing 'effortless').

On a recent episode of Dear Genevieve (yes, like many of you, I HEART HGTV, especially Genevieve, Candice, David, and Vern...)... Genevieve Gorder (who got her TV start on Trading Spaces many moons ago) brought life to a couple's Victorian era dining room by buying them MISMATCHED dining chairs from different periods. She then covered the seats in the same fabric, to bring them 'unity'. Her decorations? Fruits and vegetables. There were two big pieces in the room that she bought new: the table and the chandelier. Everything looked great.

Okay... so why would I - a retailer of NEW furniture - be espousing the ideas of purposeful eclecticism? Well, first off, because I like it, and I do it myself. My living room has an antique carved Brazilian cabinet, an early 20th century baby grand piano, an original-to-the-house stone fireplace, and... lots of modern furniture, lighting, & rugs.

Designers are touting the beauty and benefit of 'mixing things up.' LaDiff friend and Richmond designer Kathy Corbet recently led a seminar titled 'Mix it up! Incorporating Contemporary Styles into a Traditional Home.' On her blog, Kathy says "Simple touches can provide a smooth visual transition when combining periods and adding modern touches."

We LaDiffers love to mix things up. Our belief is that as long as each piece has integrity unto itself, and YOU love it, you can make it work. If you trust your own instincts, you'll find that you are drawn to similar colors or textures, that, when mixed together, become something layered and wonderful. (In fact, mixing things up is part of the reason we started Vive - more global/ ethnic/ one-of type furniture, located next door to LaDiff.)

Compare it to fashion:
* a beautiful antique cameo pin worn on a chic black sweater is truly elegant
* a vintage 1960's dress looks sexy with sleek modern boots
* jeans and a t-shirt are instantly dressed up with a vintage scarf and handbag

Now let's do it with furniture:
* you've inherited Gramma's antique iron bed - flank it with glass tables for a modern update or warm it up with solid cherry
* vintage 1950's white laminate kitchen table? how 'bout some Danish inspired colorful bent-ply chairs to go around?
* that exquisite antique Persian rug from Aunt Mary? sleek black Corbusier-inspired leather upholstery lets the rug be the star
* naugahyde lazyboy circa 1974? ... we recommend that you donate that item to Caritas' furniture bank and start OVER (there are some things we just cannot help)

You don't have to start from scratch! In fact, we wish you wouldn't. If your furniture has character and 'good bones', work with it. Just add some quality, fun, and color where needed.

Purposeful Eclecticism... hard to say... fun to do! Let's do it together. Get started at: www.ladiff.com