Mixing Modern Living Room Furniture Styles with Throwback Designs

Matching furniture is no longer deemed important or even desirable in modern homes. Unless your home carries some historic significance, you will have a more attractive, creative and comfortable living space if you learn how to mix  modern living room furniture with throwback pieces from another era. Plus, furnishing your home this way costs less and you can show off your own unique imagination. Here are some dos and don’ts to help you out.

DO combine modern patterns and fabrics with traditional furniture or vice versa. A traditional or vintage fabric on a modern chair creates a fresh, hip and unexpected look.

DO keep your pieces unified with shape, pattern, color, or any other aspect that ties them together. For instance, the sleek and modern Arturo Chair by Nuevo Living will feel at home paired with two vintage armchairs upholstered in a complementary patterned red fabric. The common color will then tie the two styles together.

DON’T go overboard. Mixing a few select styles is good enough; but using too many various styles in a single space can lead to a chaotic look.

DO use modern interpretations of traditional pieces to add a touch of modernism to a mostly traditional space. The smooth Baby Anime Chair – Set of 2 by Zuo Modern is a great example of a modernized version of the classic French Louis XV armchair.

DO pay some attention to scale. Ensure that the pieces are complementary  in size and proportion with one another. A big overstuffed modern sofa will look funny when you pair it with a petite antique armchair.

DON’T show too much leg. When combining occasional tables and upholstered furniture, it would be more attractive to vary the ratio of leg to skirt. In most cases, 20% skirting (either a piece of furniture with no legs, or a soft skirt like the apron of a sofa) is deemed ideal.

DO pay attention to balance. A great blend of new and old furnishings will have a good balance of both styles. A living room that incorporates several modern pieces, like the Glacier Designer Glass Coffee Table Top with Satin Steel Legs by Adesso, upholstered sofa, and accessories) with a number of traditional pieces (antique sofa table, drapery and chandelier) and the resulting overall look is gorgeous and unified.

DO revitalize neutral interiors with punctuations of color. A small addition of striking color, like a pair of pillows in lavender or a series of vases green, can transform the personality and mood of a room.

With these rules in mind, armed with your creativity and imagination, you should now be able to create a living room more attractive, creative and comfortable that effectively reflects your own style.