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If you’ve always wanted your home to look as unique as your Spotify Wrapped playlist, then Modern Eclectic Interior Design might be the perfect style for you.
The meteoric rise in popularity of this new interior design style has been driven by social media and a renewed, post pandemic appetite for maximalism. It seems like everyone developed a fun hobby or collecting habit during the pandemic years. As a result, the appetite for interior design that doesn’t just allow for clutter, but actively encourages it, is larger than ever before.
If the idea of curating a unique and personal yet cozy and stylish space appeals to you, then this guide to modern eclectic interior design is perfect for you.
A Guide to Modern Eclectic Interior Design
- What is Modern Eclectic Interior Design?
- 10 Key Modern Eclectic Elements to Add to Your Home
- 10 Modern Eclectic Interior Design Principles
- 10 Places to Shop for Modern Eclectic Home Decor
What is Modern Eclectic Interior Design?
Modern eclectic interior design combines classic, functional furniture forms with a mishmash of fun, quirky elements . Think mid-century modern meets eclectic maximalism. It’s all about mixing styles, eras, and textures to create a space that feels curated and personal, yet effortlessly cool.
The art of modern eclectic interior design lies in cohesive, well-thought out execution. You want your space to feel intentional, not like a thrift store threw up in your living room. (No judgment if that’s your vibe, though).
10 Key Modern Eclectic Elements to Add to Your Home:
1. Curated bookshelf
A well curated, aesthetic bookshelf can be the centerpiece of a modern eclectic home. Choose a functional, industrial open concept shelf (like the iconic color-blocked Ikea Byakorre shelf for example) and style it your way with books, candles, lamps, vases, plants, and other knick knacks.
Arrange some books vertically, and some horizontally to create a sense of visual dynamism. Add small scale works of art, or group objects with similar colors together, to create pops of color.
For more guidance on how to style a bookshelf, check out my interior design queen Athena Calderone (aka eyeswoon’s) blog post on this topic.
2. Cool, unique coffee table
A unique coffee table can be a work of art in its own right, and a great conversation starter for your guests. Choose something with a unique sculptural form, or something made from an interesting material like reclaimed wood or metal.
Decorate your table with cool, colorful coffee table books, magazines, candles, incense and whatever else tickles your fancy.
3. Lamps, lamps and more lamps
Good lighting makes all the difference in the atmosphere of a home. Avoid the dreaded overhead light and fill your space with strategically placed lamps to create a cozy, warm ambience.
Opt for unique, statement lamps that contribute to the modern eclectic vibe of your space such as:
4. Gallery wall of art
Gallery walls are a great way to add visual dynamism to your space and showcase your personal taste at the same time. The best thing about gallery walls is every time you want to change up the vibe, you can just re-arrange or swap out some artworks.
Just try to coordinate the colors (focus on some key recurring colors) or theme (for example, retro posters or impressionist artwork) to make everything look cohesive and intentional.
5. Mid century modern furniture
Mid-century modern furniture are the perfect base for modern eclectic interior design. The clean lines and warm wood tones . A sleek credenza or a retro armchair can instantly elevate your space.
6. Something curvy or wavy
An unexpectedly wavy or curvy object injects an element of playfulness and surprise into a home. For example, you can add some curvy neon light decor, a cloud shaped coffee table, an irregular mirror, or some small decorative accents like a curvy tray or sculpture.
7. Colorful, funky small home accessories
If you love collecting funky, cool, random knick-knacks – this is your time to shine! Display these unique home goods all over your home to embrace the modern eclectic style.
8. Mixed and matched furniture (NO furniture sets, ever)
Modern eclectic interior design is really about individuality and maximizing variety wherever possible. That means DO NOT buy any matching furniture sets…EVER.
Even things that are “supposed” to match, like bedside tables, or dining table chairs, can be mixed up! Pick out a variety that you like and pull the look together by maintaining one recurring element throughout, like a material, color, design school, or time period.
Just make sure all of these chairs or side tables are around the same height to maintain functionality and comfort.
9. Plants!
No home feels complete without plants to breathe life into the space. I love monsteras, elephant ears, aloe vera and succulents for how low maintenance they are. If you can’t take care of real plants, you can opt for fake ones to still inject that same visual vibrancy into your space.
10. Layered textiles with different prints and textures
Combine throw blankets, pillows and rugs to create an eclectic, cozy vibe. Don’t be afraid to mix and match prints and textures to add the eclectic in modern eclectic.
10 Modern Eclectic Interior Design Principles:
1. Choose a color palette in advance.
Decide on one color scheme in advance to keep your design choices cohesive and prevent things from feeling too chaotic. Pick a few main standout colors and a couple of neutral accent hues that complement those. This way, even if your furniture and decor come from different eras and styles, your space will still feel harmonious and intentional.
Some examples of color palettes that go well together:
- Jewel tones (like in the picture below) like turquoise, emerald, amber and sapphire, with cool toned neutrals (like tan yellows and faded off white).
- Rich, warm earth tones like maroon, navy blue, and forest green (with warm neutrals like wood tones).
- Funky, primary colors that pop like bright yellow, green, orange and blue (with black, white, and chrome neutrals)
2. Mix old and new.
Modern eclectic interior design is all about contrast and dynamism. Don’t be afraid to pair a sleek, modern sofa with a vintage coffee table, or a retro record player with a modern LED TV display. The contrast between old and new will give your space a lot of character and charm.
7. Embrace intentional clutter. Curate a collection.
2025 is the year of intentional clutter in interior design. Display your collections—whether it’s vintage books, quirky ceramics, or travel souvenirs— front and center. You can arrange things on bookshelves, display them on walls, or even stack books and magazines on top of each other to create makeshift furniture. If things feel “too chaotic”, you can always edit by removing things to pare it back.
4. Mismatch deliberately.
Instead of striving for symmetry and uniformity, let your decor be a curated collection of contrasts. I love how the owner of this San Francisco loft carefully curates his collection of unique chairs to create a living room with an almost museum like quality. However, the cohesive pastel color palette (design principle number 1 at work) ties everything together.
5. Create visual focal points.
Every room should have one or two areas that immediately draw the eye. It could be a striking piece of art (like in the picture below), a bold piece of furniture, or even an unexpected pop of color on a small accent object. Focal points can center your space by guiding the flow of your room, and prevent modern it from feeling too “everything everywhere all at once”.
6. Create cohesion by balancing visual weight.
Even in a modern eclectic space, balance is crucial. Spread out your bold, heavy pieces evenly so that one side of the room doesn’t overwhelm the other. Consider the visual “heaviness” of items, and balance them with lighter, airier elements. For example, in the vignette below, the plants, lamp, and shelving balance each other out to form a perfect frame around the central art piece.
3. Embrace different textures, fabrics and finishes.
Variety is the spice of life, especially in your living space. Combine materials like smooth leather, cozy wool, rustic wood, and glossy metal to create a tactile experience. When you mix different textures, you invite both visual and physical warmth into your room. It’s the perfect recipe for a space that feels lived-in and loved.
8. Incorporate global influences.
Global elements collected from your travels (or just online shopping trips!) can amp up the eclecticism of your space. Add a Moroccan rug, a Japanese paper lamp, or some Mexican artwork to infuse your space with your unique tastes and experiences.
9. Take inspiration from Bauhaus furniture and design.
Bauhaus is a groundbreaking German art and design movement that started with a school founded in 1919. The Bauhaus approach is all about simplicity and practicality, merging art with industrial design.
Incorporate the clean lines and fluid forms from Bauhaus design to counterbalance more whimsical pieces in your eclectic modern space. These simpler pieces will provide structure to reign in the creative chaos. Check out some of these cool Bauhaus inspired pieces if you need a place to start:
10. Trust your own taste.
At the end of the day, your home is for you and you alone. Incorporate what YOU like, trust your instincts, and have fun with the process. There are no hard and fast rules. After all, the most beautiful spaces are the ones that feel most authentic.
10 Places to Shop for Modern Eclectic Home Decor:
1. Urban Outfitters
Urban Outfitters is one of the most underrated funky yet affordable furniture stores in my opinion. It might be overlooked because it is more well known for selling clothing. However, this chain store sells some super cool, retro-inspired furniture and home accessories. Keep your eyes peeled for great deals on everything from vintage record players to colorful, curvy media consoles during their sales.
2. Facebook Marketplace
Does this even need any introduction? This is the holy grail of secondhand and vintage treasure hunting. Just narrow down your search with keywords like “bauhaus”, “mid century modern”, or *insert whatever brand or specific style you’re looking for*, and make sure you don’t get scammed!
3. Muji Home
Muji Home is my go to for home organization goods and furniture made from natural materials like wood, bamboo and metal. Their products feature sleek, functional and minimalistic designs that will blend in seamlessly to any home and design style. Plus, their prices are unbeatable!
4. Article
Article is one of my favorite affordable online only retailers for high quality yet (relatively) affordable mid-century modern pieces. Their pieces are timeless, comfortable, and can provide an elegant base for your modern eclectic home that you will never get tired of.
5. Zara Home
Zara Home is like the BEST KEPT secret for furniture and home goods that LOOK super expensive, but are actually not (just like their clothes, I guess?). Some of their pieces look like they belong in the Soho Home collection – except at a fraction of the price. Check them out if you need some luxury (adjacent) pieces.
6. Ikea
Ikea is a treasure trove for modern eclectic design lovers. Ignore the matchy-matchy, basic furniture sets and peel your eyes for vintage, funky pieces. Ikea has actually done us a huge favor this month by curating a collection of their vintage bestsellers, the Nytillverkad Collection (on sale for a limited time). Quite literally EVERYTHING in that collection looks tailor made for modern eclectic interior design.
7. Areaware
In their own words, Areaware makes “friendly objects for designy people”. Think cool, colorful households goods featuring funky, unique designs that will have your guests asking “where did you find this???”.
8. Ban.do
Bando is a great place to find funky home accessories like a vase shaped like a strawberry, or rug in the shape of butter. If you’re looking for a shot of color or fun print to spice up your home, this place will have you covered.
9. Etsy
Etsy is a goldmine for vintage and modern handmade home goods. Some key words I like to use when searching include: bauhaus, mid-century modern, le corbusier, and funky.
10. Drool
Drool sells striking, graphic design-y posters you’ve probably seen all over Pinterest and social media. They’re the kind of wall art that makes people go: “damn, they got taste”. Their designs are unique and ever-changing, and they just so happen to have a sale right now!
And there you have it—your ultimate guide to mastering modern eclectic interior design. Go ahead, mix those patterns, clash those colors, and let your creativity run wild. Your dream space is just a few funky decor pieces away.
And don’t forget to share your modern eclectic masterpieces with us in the comments—we’d love to see what you create!
