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Exploring Decorating Styles Part 2 Hero

What is Farmhouse?

Farmhouse style is very popular for its easy-going and comfortable look. It is also a great style to fuse with another look with visually pleasing results. Think Industrial Farmhouse, Modern Farmhouse or Rustic Farmhouse.

Some of the hallmarks of the style are natural colours, including earthy browns, pale blues and greens. Other features are washed or raw wood, mixing old and new elements, using farm animals in art and decor, as well as things that hint at life on the farm such as gingham prints, fresh flowers, and utilitarian objects as accessories.

Wooden dining bench and table

We see this style a lot in kitchen and dining room furniture, but we can also add it to living rooms with coffee and end tables, just the right toss cushion fabrics, wall decor, and even skirted furniture. Every room in your house can encompass this style!

Bedroom with white bed and beige rug

What is Mid-Century Modern?

Mid-Century modern is HOT right now. It is just as it sounds, with this style being drawn from the middle of the last century, the 1940’s to 1960’s roughly. It is a way of describing the Art, Architecture and Furniture of the time.

Popular colours of this style are warm browns, rusts, harvest gold, orange, avocado green, cool greys, teals, and pinks. Wood is very important, especially teak. With sleek minimalistic lines, furniture often reflects concepts explored in art, and could pass for art itself. Since the architecture of this time featured large and plentiful windows, the view was the star. Furniture was unobtrusive and not bulky. Warmer metal tones were used as accents. Modern art, often on a large scale can be found at home in this decorating style.

If you were born in the ‘70s like me, the Rec Rooms we played in were likely Mid Century Modern (LOL).

Geometric patterned chair
Mid Century Modern living room

What is Eclectic?

The Eclectic decorating style is hard to pin down. Some people even mistakenly think that it is an insult if their home is called Eclectic. It takes some talent to use this style correctly, so if you hear it, smile!

This style encompasses a variety of periods and styles and is brought together through the use of colour, texture, shape and finish. You need to be really mindful of your design concepts of balance and colour here, otherwise the room will go from “OOOH!” to “Oh My!” in a hurry. It is not a free for all!

To nail this style pick your star colour to hold the room together, use complimentary tones, mix in the textures- and make sure you keep your visual balance. It’s a great way to use all of your favourite accessories and furniture pieces you have gathered.

This is the style for those of us who love BOLD and BRIGHT, but you don’t have to use colour to achieve this style. You can nail it with neutrals too.

Multi colored chair
Eclectic living room

Until next time,

Janet
Interior Decorator and Bennett’s Floor Merchandiser