Interior Design with Julia Luttrell
Exciting eclectic looks
Eclectic, the very word stimulates the imagination. Its rolling, eccentric click escapes the mouth with the agility of an exotic Inuit or African language. It�s one of those words whose sound conjures up an image of exactly what it means. In design, �eclectic� refers to a combination of different styles, not confined to one source, or one point of view.
What a concept! Think of the possibilities.
Picture a dining room with a Victorian ceiling fixture, an Art Deco standing lamp, Contemporary window treatment, Egyptian art, a Traditional area rug, and an Irish Harvest Table. Imagine a living room with classic Le Corbusier leather and chrome seating, a faux zebra rug, an antique French dresser as a bar, a Thai Rain Drum as a side table, and a Moroccan rug as a wall hanging. That�s eclectic.
You needn�t however, be living between the pages of Architectural Digest to achieve the excitement of an eclectic experience in your own environment. There is danger of getting mired in a mish-mash of styles if you go too far, but the light touch from the deft hand of a designer can help you explore the practical simplicities of an eclectic approach successfully.
The next time you�re ready to buy new furnishings, hire a designer to take a look around your home with a fresh eye first. You may be surprised by what you�ll discover. That teak bedroom �set� you bought in the seventies for instance, the one that�s you can�t imagine living with any more.
A designer may agree it�s just too matchy-poo to remain in its current incarnation. But it�s a safe bet she�ll see �retro� possibilities for individual pieces of it, to be refurbished and recycled elsewhere in the home. Mixed with the right combination of elements, that too is eclectic.
Yes, there are always extraordinary finds for the imaginative design mind
lurking among the collections of a client�s cast-offs.
Exploring the eclectic approach of combining elements in a space is an exciting way to give them new life, express a bit of wit and whimsy, and best of all it can save you money. It�s fun to have someone give new life to your old pieces and find function in those favourites you thought you�d have to part with.
So think eclectic, keep thinking of Design Matters, and let me know how your plans are proceeding.
