How can you be sure that the 70s-inspired rug you grabbed at a flea market will look OK with the 50s-style side table your grandparents left you, and that it will all go with the contemporary stuff you bought at your local big-box store? We spoke to Orlando Soria, West Coast creative director at Homepolish, for top tips on mixing genres. The main takeaway? Don’t buy blindly — really think about color and about how each new potential piece will go with what you already own. More specific tips (and great genre-mixing duos to inspire) ahead.
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The Ultimate Guide to Genre Mixing
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Tip 1: Care About Color
Soria says: "Create a cohesive color story if you're going to mix furniture styles. Keeping the color palette concise and intentional will help everything feel connected. Choose a main color and a few accent colors and try to stick to it. Having furniture of different eras and styles can feel cluttered, so it's important to give your home a sense of semblance by keeping the color palette simple."
Here, the dark hall tree and washed-out, buttery yellow chair (which comes with an ottoman!) make total sense together — and this pairing allows for other stuff to fit nicely, too.
Seen here: Artisan Hall Tree with Storage, $173.99 at Home Decorators Collection ; Alya Armchair with Ottoman, $599 at Home Decorators Collection
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Tip 2: Think Hard About Cohesion
Soria says: "Mix carefully. The eclectic style is a great way to make your home feel natural and collected. But not all styles are meant to be friends. Some eras/styles mix better than others. For example, mid-century and contemporary often complement each other because of their clean lines and simplicity. Same goes for mid-century and industrial/rustic decor."
Pictured here is a slick industrial-style stool, a rustic table and abstract wall art. The stool would, of course, go with anything, but looks great with this painting because the clean lines calm down the busy art.
Seen here: Articulation Wall Art, $419 at Home Decorators Collection; Home Decorators Collection Aldridge Extendable Dining Table, $1,249 at The Home Depot; Industrial Mansard Stool, $139 at Home Decorators Collection
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Tip 3: Consider the Big Picture
Soria says: "You have to look at the furniture you're buying and think about whether the shape makes sense with everything else you have in the room. In general, it's important that things feel like they're in the same world. So, you wouldn't want to pair a highly ornate Rococo chair with a rustic burl wood coffee table because it would look like those pieces had come from two different rooms."
Here is a pretty honeycomb rug and a screen with surprisingly ornate detail. They work together because, though they have different vibes, they are slightly muted enough to work with other pieces.
Seen here: Atticus 71 in. Grey Distressed Floor Screen, $289 at The Home Depot; Home Decorators Collection Castleberry Area Rug, $39-$659 depending on size at The Home Depot
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Tip 4: Let Accents Breathe
Soria says: "Allow accent pieces to pop. If you're mixing furniture styles from eras that are very distinct, make sure you have some pieces that are more simple to allow the more sculptural pieces to stand out. If everything in the room is a signature stand-alone piece, it can start to feel a bit loud."
The sofa pictured here is deceptively simple, but elegant enough to not be boring, and just quiet enough to let the industrial-inspired side table shine.
Seen here: Ava Tufted Sofa, $959 at Home Decorators Collection; Becca Nailhead Dining Chair, $219 at Home Decorators Collection; Industrial Adjustable-Height Accent Table, $299 at Home Decorators Collection
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Tip 5: Classics Count
If all else fails, you can go with reliable classics like the ornate rug seen here and the tufted leather ottoman. Both classics in their own way, they also look great together — complementary, not fighting for attention.
Seen here: Home Decorators Collection Charisma Butter Pecan 8 ft. x 10 ft. Area Rug, $257 at The Home Depot; Zane Tufted Ottoman, $389 at Home Decorators Collection
