Decorating a room is like torture for some. Many people get stressed wondering if there are certain rules to follow. Perhaps it is only those with a special gene that can pull together antiques from grandmother, a traditional sofa and more modern furniture. Relax and stop worrying about some arbitrary rules and create a space that is unique. Mix and match to give variety to an interior space. However, one must control oneself when combining styles, as too much of a mix can result in dizzying chaos, rather than charming and eclectic. So whether you prefer modern design furniture, shabby chic or country, be willing to throw caution to the wind and mix it up to let your personality and style come through.

When it comes to combining different decorating styles, many interior professionals like to follow the 80/20 rule which basically means that one should stay with one particular style for 80% of a room’s elements, such as seating, tables, fabrics, and window treatments, and incorporate one or more other styles for the remaining 20%. If you lean toward the traditional, then make that your main palette for the majority of the space. Onecan bring in more contemporary pieces, such as side chairs, artwork and accessories. Artwork is a wonderful way to combine styles. Above a contemporary sofa, a large impressionistic painting could be hung while less conspicuous contemporary images or photographs could be added elsewhere in the room. By sticking with one style for the majority of the room’s elements, then the room will have interest and complexity, while appearing cohesive and well balanced.

Artwork is one aspect of interior decorating where there is a lot of freedom within a space and can easily satisfy varying tastes. Even if your tastes lie on opposite ends of the spectrum, each piece can be carefully located their placement doesn’t detract from the enjoyment of the others. While it is not uncommon to mix modern art with more traditional pieces in the same room, an effective solution is to set up feature spaces or walls, for one particular style. For example, dramatic modern works might be featured in the main foyer and while artistic black and white photography could be showcased in another room, such as the living room. Go one step further and blend the two styles in an adjacent space, such as the dining room. This method of working with two different styles is a way to bring both harmony and complexity to an environment. It also keeps the peace in the household and shows an appreciation for the other person’s interests.

If there is a big difference in opinion about what style a couple’s home should reflect and neither party can stand the thought of looking at very different styles of decorating mingled together, there is an alternate option. This can be accomplished with a transitional style since it is a melding of both modern and traditional style. It is less fussy than the traditional, yet is not as simple and clean as contemporary decor.