Showrooms
Contact
My Account
Track Your Order
Modern eclectic style: Interior design tips with Karen Jones
Eclectic interior design is a celebration of creativity and personal expression.
A dynamic and curated approach to interior design, elements from different time periods, styles, and cultures combine to create a cohesive yet distinctive look.
This sought-after style is one that Karen Jones knows well. As a freelance creative and Fashion Director, as well as the Co-Founder of ME Agency and N0rth Productions, Karen’s home is a canvas of her vibrant life. Fondly named Chorlton House, Karen describes her home as a place “where creativity meets family life”.
King Living spoke with Karen to discover her expert advice and secret to creating a beautifully curated eclectic home.
1. Learn the characteristics of modern eclectic style
Eclectic style is all about embracing contrast and individuality. Your aim is to combine textures, patterns, and colours in a way that feels layered and intentional.
“Layer textures, mix styles, and embrace imperfection.” Karen advocates. “It’s the unique combinations and meaningful pieces that bring a home to life and make it unmistakably yours.”
Key characteristics include a mix of vintage and modern pieces, bold statement furniture, diverse materials, and an artistic use of colour and pattern. While eclectic interior design celebrates personal expression, it also maintains balance through thoughtful composition, to ensure each piece contributes to a harmonious overall aesthetic.
2. Start by creating a vision board
Creating a vision board of everything that inspires you—objects, places, films, colours, or nature—is the first step to designing an eclectic style home.
“Even in the most eclectic inspirations, you’ll notice a thread of styles or feelings that resonate with you.” Karen shares. “Pair this with reflecting on what you already own that holds meaning or feels timeless for you. A modern eclectic home should feel like an extension of yourself, where every item contributes to the energy and semiotics of the space—making it uniquely yours.
3. Focus on layering textures and materials
If you blend natural materials, bold contrasts, and statement pieces with lush greenery you will create a visually dynamic space.
“Combining natural elements like wood and stone, with metal and glass and then soft, tactile fabrics will create depth and warmth.” Karen explains. “I also recommend balancing with statement pieces that reflect your personality, whether they’re vintage treasures or sleek modern finds. Don’t shy away from contrasts; blending contemporary and traditional elements adds visual intrigue.”
4. Bring nature indoors
For Karen, bringing a natural element into your home is essential for grounding your eclectic home decor.
“Bring nature inside! Plants elevate a space into an environment, literally adding life to your home.” Karen shares. “I love that all the green pops in our home come from plants and trees, we have multiple oversized plants in our family room, they are as neutral as white for me in grounding a space between the accents.”
5. Tell your story over time
Creating an eclectic interior is all about collecting pieces that feel authentic to you over time. Homes are an ever-evolving collection of memories. Like you, your home isn’t in a fixed state – it adapts and transforms with the movement of time.
“Above all, take your time when styling. A truly eclectic home evolves gradually through collected pieces that tell your story.” Karen shares. “That said, everything in your space should have a purpose, whether practical, emotional, or aesthetic — let go of anything that doesn’t (easier said than done for emotional hoarders like me!).”
“Homes for me are a bit like relationships. They are a journey, not a destination, just as your relationships change and look different over time and seasons, so too should your home.”
6. Be creative with what you already own
Experimenting and moving furniture and decor around can help you find a new look and reinvigorate your space.
"I often shop my own home by moving things from room to room for a fresh change. Enjoy the process, modern eclectic for you might feel completely different to me, make your home like your own interior DNA, truly yours.”
“One of our first purchases was a thrifted 1970s sideboard, bought for our first apartment in the city in 2002. It’s travelled with us ever since, almost like an interior mascot, whilst it has little financial value, it still holds pride of place in our family living space.”
7. Mix old and new
Mixing old and new furniture and decor should be a key characteristic of your eclectic home decor. The trick is finding a balance and harmony between the two.
"It’s about finding the right contrast, where the history of vintage pieces is celebrated, and modern touches bring balance and cohesion to the room.” Karen shared.
“We’ve mixed old and new, pairing antique pieces such as my partner’s Grandparent’s Grandfather clock and my Grandmother’s display cabinet, with contemporary pieces picked up on my travels, and structurally, combining modern architectural features, with timeless natural materials like marble and oak.”
The balance of old and new can also extend to the structural features of a home, where original details are preserved and embraced.
“Maintaining the Victorian character of the house has always been important to us.” Karen explained. “We’ve reinstated original features such as ceiling roses and mouldings, we’ve worked to honour the history of the space, while layering in modern design elements that reflect our own personal style.”
“It’s a labour of love, a mix of structure and soul, and a constantly evolving canvas where life, work, and creativity collide.”
8. Anchor the space with a rug
No matter what interior style you are looking to achieve, anchoring your living room with a rug will ground your space and create cohesion.
“I love using a rug to section up open spaces, it's honestly transformative to give furniture in the middle of a room a home and a grounding.” Karen shared. “The Marion Rug acts as a quiet hero in our space. Its Sandstone is soft, and neutral in tone, it subtly zones the living area within our open-plan space perfectly.”
“It perfectly complements our aesthetic, grounds the bolder brown of the 1977 Sofa and pulls in tones from other pieces in the space like the Calacatta Viola marble and our Aureous Artwork, while quietly anchoring the whole room.”
9. Every home needs the perfect sofa
The centrepiece of any eclectic living room, it's important you select a sofa that balances style, comfort and practicality. For Karen, the 1977 Sofa was the perfect choice, resonating with her love of mid-century design and offering the benefit of flexible modular design.
“The modular design is a game-changer for family life—it adapts effortlessly to different needs, whether it’s lounging together on a quiet evening, creating extra seating for gatherings, or even reconfiguring for a film night.”
Looking for a sofa with additional features like machine washable, removable covers can help you to balance style and practicality when designing an eclectic living room.
“As a Mum, I love that the covers are washable in your own washing machine - that’s the stuff of dreams. It means it can look beautiful and take the impact a family full of fun imparts on it!"
“The interchangeable covers on the 1977 Sofa are such a brilliant feature, allowing us to adapt the look of our space to suit the seasons and our mood. As spring and summer approach, we’re looking forward to switching to the Tempest Tan. Its lighter, fresh tone will brighten the room and bring a sense of airiness that feels perfect for the longer, hopefully sunnier days. It’s such a fun and flexible way to refresh the room, while staying true to our family’s style.”
For Karen, choices that “combine function with emotion” and are “as meaningful as they are practical” are the ultimate balance and the secret to creating a uniquely personal eclectic style.
“Ultimately, it’s about trusting your instincts and letting your home evolve naturally. I tend to trust my gut over trends.”
For more inspiration follow the styling journey of Karen’s home on Instagram.
Discover more interior styling advice:
-
-
-
