Merging odd furniture seamlessly into your home
Sentimental value is great - but it's still possible to feel some resistance to holding on to a piece you've been given, fallen in love with or inherited because it bears no resemblance to the style of your home. Or maybe the budget [or hubby...] just won't stretch to something new.
So what to do?
Well, I'm in this boat a bit with a new house and our old furniture, and although it can be easier to give advice than to take it - I will have to learn to.
Luckily this is a favourite design challenge of mine!
First, try on some of these design styles for size
See if they fit with your personality and if there is a thread you can follow. It may be that you were fighting what you're actually drawn to because Pinterest suggested you wanted something else, like hard white floors and Corbusian loungers. But you actually live in an 18C cottage with wonky beams.
It's ok to do you. You can still express yourself and incorporate 'clashing' items elegantly and with flair, without feeling swallowed by the second hand charity shop aesthetic.
Eclectic
Eclectic is really culture rich so perfect if you describe yourself as a ‘citizen of the world’ who loves to have keepsakes from your travels around you. It is the perfect balance between old and new and doesn’t belong in any specific ‘time’.
Think of it as a high-energy collection of carefully selected pieces brought together to create a rich interior. But – tread the line carefully between layered and collected, and busy and distracting. Don’t just throw everything at it!
I use a neutral colour palette as a backdrop (although that doesn’t necessarily mean white!). Then select a few accent colours and pieces from different eras to bring in the worldly vibe I'm looking for. Use texture, aged finishes including mirrors and pieces that tell a story to create a unique home packed with personality. Suddenly that old armoire doesn't seem so out of place?
If you have kids (or boisterous pets/friends!) then go for sturdier pieces and minimise trip hazards. Add interest with wall art and freestanding book cases. Keep an eye out for washable fabrics too! If you love entertaining, think about mood lighting and side tables for serving cheese, biscuits and wine glasses. Board games? Look for boxes, pots and cabinets that can hold the pieces. Like your own quiet space? Pick a spot and furnish it with cosy textiles and candles.
If sustainability and being close to nature are values you cherish and want to translate into your home, then Boho is more of a lifestyle choice than a ‘look’.
Where Eclectic is influenced by different cultures and travel, curated and displayed over a neutral backdrop, Bohemian is bolder and places a greater emphasis on nature.
Use strong natural dye colours for furniture accents, and organic materials for texture and interest. Upcycle or reinvent found pieces. Get creative making your own fittings and decorations.
Boho is an interesting, laid back, DIY and casual style. Think festivals and free. Hang a rug on the wall or panel and stain the ceiling. Add candles and scent diffusers. Play with mood lighting and get the record player out. Really focus on finding pieces with integrity – made with care for the environment. Often older pieces are a great fit.
This is the style for you if you want an uplifting and playful space that celebrates innovation. Display that KitchenAid and think of Hollywood fondue parties! If the old piece you're trying to place is colourful, plastic or a bit wacky - embrace it and add some more for context!
What I love about this style is that it also includes a lot of greenery to blur the lines of indoor and outdoor living. It is very free spirited. Celebrate window seats with views out to the garden and enjoy the benefits of living house plants inside. ‘Vintage’ colours like mustard yellow, chartreuse and avocado often feature.
Be bold and colourful with prints and patterns though, accent with wooden bowls and fun glassware ready for a champagne cocktail. Get a bar trolley. But also introduce modern innovations in the spirit of the time, like 3D printing, resin and recycled materials.
Found your thread?
Hopefully one of the above have struck a chord and you can use them to guide how you work with your piece or pieces. These styles all work really well for rentals too where you have less control over the surfaces and interior, relying on your furniture to create a mood.
Check out our items by style on KVIST Boutique too for accessories and furniture to add to your look.
But if you're still feeling a bit awkward about adapting your style, I am actually a big fan of embracing asymmetry and things that make you stop and pay attention. A piece that seems to clash with the rest is actually a great talking point and adds serious interest. Make it feel deliberate by following these simple rules;
1. Create a Cohesive Color Story
Figure out what colours you have most of or that stand out the most, then find either a large piece of art that incorporates these colours or a rug that has the majority of the colours within the design.
2. Make it pop
Pick out and celebrate your furniture's accent patterns, features or colours with cushions
3. Get creative with hardware
If a piece of furniture is throwing off the space, try swapping out the handles, pulls and hinges to tie in with your other items. Got rose gold kitchen cupboard handles? Swap out or refinish the legs on your old coffee table to tie in.
4. Give it a new personality
Fix what's broken and refurbish your piece to bring back the shine and original quality. A tired piece always detracts, no matter how beautiful.
Or, if you're feeling creative, check out some of these up-cycled antique pieces for inspiration. [If you're not so hot with a paintbrush, hire someone who is!]. A lick of paint and some altered detailing has given them a completely new lease of life!
5. Frame it
If it's smaller items you're working with, create a curated selection in a book case, display cabinet or as feature wall art.
6. Play curator
If you really don't feel right about a piece. It is ok to gift it or sell it on to a new home. You tried 🙂
Share in the comments how you've integrated unusual pieces in your home!
Wow - you made it all the way to here!
Thank you for reading, and cheers to that! Hopefully you found this helpful.
If you did, please share on social media and shout about my blog and resources to anyone you know in need of a bit of support (or just cheering up whilst the building dust flurries around them - I get it!).
Photo credits:
Photos by Ksenia Chernaya from Pexels, Jarek Ceborski and Taylor Heery from Unsplash.