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Design Dilemma
emmelinewe

Describe eclectic in one word!

Emmeline Westin
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
It can be tricky describing a specific style in one word, but I hope you'll embrace the challenge!

What do you think best describes eclectic? Does it have positive or negative connotations for you?

Eclectic Stoke Newington Apartment · More Info
Featured Answer
  • User
    9 years ago
    Failure. It's not a synonym for laissez faire. It still has to use the rules of design to work. And that's why it fails much of the time.

    Comments (148)

    • lj1116
      9 years ago
      You can't make it one word it's taking the things you like and butting them to gether I think of Shaby chic as old and new eclectic
    • PRO
      Charmean Neithart Interiors
      9 years ago
      Acquired.
    • miniappleman
      9 years ago
      Undecided
    • kathleen MK
      9 years ago
      Undefined.
      There is not a one word to describe it and we use it when we can't fit a design into a particular period. Does anyone still have complete rooms of Louis XIV, Jacobean, or early American furniture? Now designers shun matching sets of night stands much less a whole room of furniture.
    • bigredkate
      9 years ago
      My style has often been described as eclectic, but while I love some eclectic rooms I dislike almost as many. To me, eclectic means individual, and there are a lot of individuals out there.
    • groveraxle
      9 years ago
      I'm always amused when I look at products on houzz and one of the style choices is eclectic. I don't believe a single chair can be eclectic. It only becomes eclectic when you team it up with objects in other styles.

      I also think eclectic is the hardest style to pull off. There are no rules, and you generally don't know if the antique sideboard will work with the modern abstract till you actually put them together. Kudos to anyone who can put together a successful eclectic room.
    • PRO
      Mean Design
      9 years ago
      unconventional
    • The big house
      9 years ago
      Serendipitous.
    • Christian Guenole
      9 years ago
      Wants
    • dogmom5
      9 years ago
      Me!
    • larkspurproject
      9 years ago
      Thoughtful
    • Carolina
      9 years ago
      mix
    • libri
      9 years ago
      Junky
    • Donna Warlick
      9 years ago
      last modified: 9 years ago
      Oh Rude libri! My eclectic home is a exciting expression of my many travels and multitude of interests: artistic, musical, scientific, cultural and humanistic, a colorful cacophony of styles harmonically blended into a soothing yet exhilarating gestalt.
    • armygirl1987
      9 years ago
      Interjecting your style in a way that brings calm and peace to you because it is you and because it is about you. Not sure if I said it right but I tried.
    • cabingirl13
      9 years ago
      weird
    • Carolina
      9 years ago
      Personality
    • PRO
      J Design Group - Interior Designers Miami - Modern
      9 years ago
      A combination of different styles

      J Design Group, Miami Interior Designers - Williams Island - Coral Gables - South Miami - South Beach - Sunny Isles - Miami - Pinecrest - Modern Interior Design Firm in Miami, Florida - Ocean Front Contemporary Decorators - http://www.JDesignGroup.com
    • sondramartina
      9 years ago
      Fun

      or

      personality
    • PRO
      User
      9 years ago
      last modified: 9 years ago
      Eclectic comes from the ancient Greek eklektikos which means 'choosing the best'. This is important for 'eclectic' designs. It's not a mish-mash but a question of carefully selecting different styles and putting them together. What's interesting to the eye is the surprise in finding e.g. minimalist lights above a rustic table. As many have commented, this makes a design personal. At Avocado Sweets we like eclectic. Thanks for using our image. :)

      www.avocadosweets.com
      Emmeline Westin thanked User
    • PRO
      User
      9 years ago
      That was the long explanation! If you're looking for one word, I guess it would have to be 'selective'.
    • eefrey
      9 years ago
      Eclectic is your LoveMix!
    • littlemissk
      9 years ago
      Exciting if well done.
    • Carmen Mercado-Leyva
      9 years ago
      last modified: 9 years ago
      Broke, when you don't have enough money to decorate, you buy from garage sales and call it "ECLECTIC"
    • Sanja Planinic
      9 years ago
      recycled
    • Street
      9 years ago
      Self
    • Susan
      9 years ago
      Fun! (Antiques, Traditional, Tropical Woods, Art, Nautical and Natural Décor)
    • Darzy
      9 years ago
      bohemian. A positive word to me. :)
    • Chris Concepcion
      9 years ago
      Desire of style of who lives there...not for everybody...
    • PRO
      Robin Amorello, CKD CAPS - Atmoscaper Design
      9 years ago
      Personal
    • libri
      9 years ago
      Junky
    • Julie Welch
      9 years ago
      Thoughtless
    • joanne_civitello
      9 years ago
      collectiveness
    • PRO
      Sewell & Co Construction Inc
      9 years ago
      real
    • Susan
      9 years ago
      libri, There is nothing junky about my house. People often ask me for help with their décor, because they find my home warm and inviting. I don't like clutter, nor do I have collections. My décor represents our sailing cruises, vacations, things of nature, and my love of art.

      I found that when I had just one style as I did in my 30's, I very quickly became tired of the look. I have had my present décor (eclectic) for over 10 years, and I still love it.
    • littlemissk
      9 years ago
      last modified: 9 years ago
      Eclectic ... deriving ideas, style or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources. If you do a search on Houzz for 'eclectic interior design' you'll get +360,000 hits ... https://www.houzz.com/photos/eclectic-interior-design-phbr0lbl-bl~l_58947 ... some members of this site have used this word as a description for what they're looking at ... and all the photos are different, from Victorian to the very sleek and contemporary. Rather than cookie-cutter design I think it offers a window into the personality of who inhabits the space. I think it's one of the more difficult "styles" to execute and like any interior design, when it is done well, it can be pretty darn exciting.
    • Mike & Steven
      9 years ago
      Personal

      I think that most of the time you would always describe something belonging to someone else as eclectic. Typically, its use is used to describe something that we cannot find the right words for, or something that we do not understand. For something that I may describe as eclectic, the creator will more than likely have a different word to explain it! I think that if the creator were to call it eclectic, again it probably means that they haven't quite figured out what it really means to them.
    • PRO
      SoCal Contractor
      9 years ago
      Powerful. Fun room by the way.
    • Darzy
      9 years ago
      last modified: 9 years ago
      Yes, eclectic is not junky or collective or cheap at all. Eclectic is hard to pull off because it's creative, artistic, non-conformist and exciting. And, when it's done beautifully, it can be far more expensive than any other design style. Eclectic is "breaking the rules" and looks amazing. Hard to do. :)
    • Muriel Fred
      9 years ago
      I like "mélange" too Francesca Gordon.
    • Muriel Fred
      9 years ago
      last modified: 9 years ago
      Eclecticism is life itself. Who doesn't like mixed flowers bouquets? Who hasn't hated one color when younger to simply love it later on? Life is not just one thing, one idea, one momentum, one and only one color, one and only this and that. It is a path comprised of many different things that grace our journey.
    • Jo DP
      9 years ago
      A serendipitous adventure.
    • puffinrock
      9 years ago
      worldly
    • dorad123
      8 years ago

      Interesting

    • maria galvano
      7 years ago

      RICH

    • PRO
      OWLarchitecture.com
      4 years ago

      Random

    • Jo
      4 years ago

      unencumbered

    • PRO
      Urban Luxury - Design for Living
      4 years ago

      2 words: past and present. I personally love staff inherited down the line from family (past) adding new things from the present trends, they can mix well together, creating a personal story, history...

      .

    • Chris Goodchild
      4 years ago

      Multiplicitous.

    • lazidazi
      4 years ago

      Individualistic.

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