Your space should reflect your personal tastes and unique aesthetic, whether that’s boho, contemporary, minimalist, or traditional. But what if you can’t decide on a single style? Or what if you want a mix of different trends to create a look that’s truly your own?
With mixed-era styling, you can give your creativity free rein. This trend knows no limits when it comes to both time period and interior design style, which means you can mix old and new or combine classic styles with modern accents.
Mixed-era styling involves blending elements from different design periods to create a room that feels expressive and layered. Rather than following one specific trend, this approach allows you to combine furniture pieces and design details from multiple timeframes in a way that tells your story. To that end, here are DROOL Art’s tips for experimenting with mixed-era design so that you can pick and choose from your favourite design elements and combine them to create a space that feels intentional and cohesive.
1) Begin with Low-Risk Areas before Scaling Up
Mixing eras and styles can seem overwhelming if you want to incorporate a lot of different elements, but have no idea where to begin. If you’re new to mixed-era styling, it’s wise to experiment in smaller areas first. Start with a corner nook or a sideboard display that you can easily fill with eclectic pieces and quickly alter to find that perfect balance between styles or periods. These spots are ideal for testing pairings like a vintage lamp with a modern chair or contemporary prints above an antique console. DROOL’s collection of art posters and prints allows you to easily add touches from different design eras and styles, from vintage-inspired aesthetics to modern typography.
Playing with smaller vignettes will allow you to explore contrast and balance without the pressure of redesigning an entire room. As you gain confidence in your styling choices, you can gradually scale the approach to larger spaces and bigger pieces. Then, the more you experiment, the better your eye becomes at spotting what works.
2) Choose a Dominant Period as Your Anchor
When working with multiple design eras, it’s important to give your space a strong foundation that you can build on with other design accents or complementary pieces. This means selecting one design period or style to serve as the visual anchor for your room, which will help direct your next styling steps. Whether you’re drawn to mid-century modern, traditional, Scandinavian, or industrial elements, grounding your design with a dominant style will help create a sense of order in your interiors.
Choose a primary style to give you a reliable reference point. For example, if your foundation is rooted in clean, modern lines, you’ll have an easier time introducing more ornate or vintage pieces as supporting accents. Rather than restricting your creativity, establishing a base ensures that the space remains unified, even as you incorporate diverse pieces from different eras.
3) Add Layers from Other Periods Purposefully
The beauty of mixed-era styling lies in the tension between contrasting elements. However, this contrast should feel intentional rather than random. Once you’ve established your anchor style, you can begin introducing elements from other time periods in a way that feels thoughtful and deliberate. That could mean pairing a sleek leather chair with a vintage rug, or placing a carved wooden cabinet alongside a minimalist console.
Be mindful that layering is most effective when there’s a sense of relationship between the pieces you choose. Think of it as creating a conversation between eras, where one piece might echo the curve of another, or a material used in one item might be mirrored elsewhere in the room. This technique adds interest while maintaining cohesiveness in the space.
4) Use Colour, Texture, or Proportion to Unify Diverse Pieces
Achieving harmony when mixing eras often comes down to the details. As such, you should look at colours, textures, sizes, and shapes as puzzle pieces that come together to create a cohesive design. Moreover, you can create flow even with furniture that spans a century by repeating certain finishes or silhouettes across the room.
For example, using warm wood tones throughout a space can bridge the gap between antique and modern pieces. Likewise, adding a knit throw on a contemporary sofa may complement the upholstery on a vintage bench in another corner of the room.
Pay attention to proportion, too. For instance, an oversized 19th-century wardrobe can easily overpower a room filled with dainty modern furniture. Scale your elements so that they interact rather than compete with each other.
5) Steer Clear of Common Mistakes in Mixed-Era Styling
Though this style encourages creative freedom, a few missteps can make a space feel chaotic. One common mistake is overcrowding. Avoid combining too many pieces from too many styles, as this can lead to confusion rather than harmony. Instead, give each piece room to breathe so that its design can be appreciated. Likewise, you can try to limit each room to a combination of only up to three styles to keep it feeling balanced.
Similarly, another frequent issue is neglecting scale. Be wary of combining oversized antique furnishings with slim, modern pieces that can result in a disconnected look if not thoughtfully arranged. A lack of recurring visual themes, like consistent tones or shapes, can also make a room feel disjointed. If something feels off, try removing one element at a time until a sense of balance returns.
In the end, rather than resulting in something that feels confusing and disparate, the mixed-era styling technique can actually lead to a harmonious and curated look. For best results, incorporate meaningful items or art pieces that speak to you regardless of style or age, which will create another layer that reflects your love of design—something that transcends the limits of time periods and aesthetics.
Shop at DROOL Art for pieces with different vibes that will look excellent together. If you’re still considering which eras to draw inspiration from, take our Art Finder Quiz now.
