Eclectic look

Hello everyone, hope you are all having a wonderful week!

I thought I would talk about eclectic interiors, seeing that it seems to be the buzz word right now.

Actually eclectic interiors have been around long before the word become fashionable in design circles.  Centuries ago, humble abodes were filled with the eclectic look.  Ordinary people didn't have a choice.  Custom made furniture was expensive to have commissioned and they just made do with what they had.   It was only the very wealthy who had the means to commission craftsmen to make up pieces of elaborate furniture.  They were keen to show their prosperity by having identical pieces of furniture made up, like dining room chairs, and dressers etc for displaying their many pieces of bespoke china.  

The ordinary working folk just filled their homes and cottages with hand me downs or gifts from family and well wishes when they set up home. A rustic old chair sourced here, an old table thrown out of some Lord and Lady's kitchen became the elements that made up the inviting but humble kitchen of years gone by. 
   

Some of us having been 'doing eclectic' for years, long before we knew the meaning of the word!

In recent years there's been a leaning towards a less formal approach to designing and a more casual feel to our spaces.  Although of course there is method to the madness of putting disparate pieces of furniture from different centuries together and ensuring it all looks like it just happened accidentally!

The British love the eclectic look but there are many others who also enjoy decorating this way.

Not sure where this comes but our roots seem to suggest that we feel more comfortable with worn in objects.  
Perhaps it's something to do with nostalgia for times past.   We are so enamoured with our history, that it becomes part of our present and our future.

We are just not too comfortable with a completely formal look.

It puts us on edge.

But for those of  you (me included) who enjoy a muddle of choice pieces arranged together to form a cohesive whole (my own words!) - a few eclectic spaces across the globe to encourage you to mix it up a little!

here

here

here

here

here

here

here



And my own eclectic style board:



Have a great day!
Sharon
xxx