The Washington Times -- Mar 7, 2007 --
Sometimes homeowners simply can't part with a cherished table or beloved armoir even if the pieces don't match their home's revamped interior. Such disparate furniture shouldn't be tossed. It may be just what the room needs. Mixing up interior styles lets people hang on to precious material while shaking up otherwise staid designs.
The approach isn't foolproof. A homeowner might have to add a dash of color to unify the elements, and occasionally a piece simply won't fit in no matter how clever the approach. Typically, though, a designer or an ambitious homeowner can make it work.
Tammy Zitz, owner of Sassy Spaces in Fredericksburg, Virginia, says part of mixing up styles is keeping design costs down. "It's amazing how you can transform a room just by using what [clients] have," Mrs. Zitz says.
The movement also is prying people away from established looks that handcuff their creativity. "It used to be about decorating a room based on a certain look, a Pottery Barn look," Mrs. Zitz says. "Everybody thought it had to be set up like that." Now, nonconformity is called 'eclectic,'" she says.
"It's very in," Mrs. Zitz says. "You're seeing it more and more in decorating in general." Many of Mrs. Zitz's clients live in homes with modern flourishes, but they routinely include pieces that break that aesthetic mold. "Placement is really what makes a room," she says.
Angelo Surmelis, professional designer and host of HGTV's "24 Hour Design," says mixing styles is "the best way to add personality to a room." Building a room around a certain style "ends up feeling a little staged, as if it's a set piece. A lot of people don't live that way," Mr. Surmelis says.
Too many homeowners, wracked with the sense that they don't know enough about design, follow whatever rules they think exist about decoration, he says. Just think of novice wine drinkers who are afraid to drink the wrong wine with a certain meal.
Mr. Surmelis suggests that people relax and trust their instincts. "If you play it safe, you end up with a catalog design," he says. "It's much easier to move out of your comfort zone than you think." Homeowners will be more comfortable, nevertheless, if they follow some basic design tenets, he says.
"Think about that piece in terms of scale in your place. Is it relatively the same scale?" Mr. Surmelis asks, referring to the other design elements.
In some cases, a disparate piece may not match the colors in the rest of the room. That shouldn't derail the plan. "Is there a way to reintroduce that color through accessories so it feels balanced?" he asks.
Mr. Surmelis advises against searching for a wacky design element to be cool or hip. Pick up furnishings based on what connects to you, not some fancy designer, he says. "All the rules go out the window if you don't have an immediate reaction [to a piece]," he says.
Think specifically about what your needs are in terms of color and size, he adds. If homeowners still feel unsure about incorporating a beloved item in a room, they can flip through design magazines for inspiration or visit hgtv.com/designersportfolio.
Sue Thomas of Manassas-based Room Whispers Redesign, says involving antique furnishings where they may not appear to go speaks to how people view their homes. "We want to be surrounded by things we love and treasure," says Ms. Thomas, who uses furnishings her clients already own to redecorate their homes.
Still, challenges remain for those who want to spice up their interiors. "There are some matches that shouldn't be made. Maybe you don't want to put one decoration right next to another without, perhaps, a plant between them," she says. The right potted plant can provide a necessary buffer.
"Smaller rooms are harder to do than larger rooms," Ms. Thomas says, adding that some homeowners become so used to their own furnishings it becomes difficult to juggle them without any bias.
Sometimes the perfect piece of furniture is out of sight and mind. A long-forgotten chest inherited from someone's grandparents can be just what a room needs, but the homeowner might have long since forgotten about it, she says.
"If you have something nice, you want to show it off," Ms. Thomas says. That's particularly true with older clients, including senior citizens who have downsized their home space but cling to several cherished pieces.
Whether a homeowner is a college graduate making do with a mishmash of furniture or a baby boomer holding on to precious heirlooms, texture can help save the day, says Lisa Bellemore, owner of Belle Decor Interiors, near Annapolis. "You'd be amazed how coordinated it all looks," Ms. Bellemore says.
When reupholstering, just be sure the piece isn't something that can be replaced for a similar price. Reupholstering isn't cheap, Ms. Bellemore says.
One reason to pay for the treatment is to keep a home in balance. Some local homes date back 100 or so years, but many furniture outlets carry goods designed for "McMansion"-style homes. Such oversized furniture will look out of place in an older home, making the case for reupholstering existing items, explains Ms. Bellemore.
Some items simply defy a designer's touch. If the homeowner has a piece of furniture that practically shouts 1980s, it's best to let such a piece retire rather than put it back to work in the home, says Ms. Bellemore.
Mrs. Zitz understands that not every client will embrace an eclectic approach. For them, she advises patience. "There have been times when people say, 'I just don't know about this.' I say, 'Let's try it.' I've found people don't like change," Mrs. Zitz says. She typically cautions clients to stay with her suggestions for a least a week. "Nine times out of 10, they like it," she says.
by Christian Toto
