How to effortlessly mix and blend different art style types in a living room?
by Mae Osz on Mar 25, 2025
Creating a living room that blends different art style types can feel like an intimidating task, but it doesn't have to be!
Mixing styles is a fantastic way to design a truly unique and personal space that reflects your taste and passions.
Whether you're drawn to modern minimalism, nature-inspired, or bold abstract expression, combining these elements in a harmonised way can elevate your living room from ordinary to extraordinary.
In this blog, I’m going to walk you through practical tips and inspirations to help you create a beautifully eclectic living room without the chaos.
Let’s break it down into simple, actionable steps that ensure your living room not only looks stunning but also remains cohesive and calming. Ready? Let’s dive in!
List of Contents
1. Understand Your Base Style: Finding Your Room’s Anchor
2. Mixing Art Style types: Tips for Balance and Harmony
3. Layering Wall Art: Heighten Interest Without Overwhelming
4. Fusing Texture, Colour, and Theme: Bringing It All Together
5. RealLife Example: An Eclectic Living Room That Works
6. Visual Inspiration
Understand Your Base Style: Finding Your Room’s Anchor
Before diving into mixing art styles, it’s important to define a “base style” for your living room. Think of this as your design anchor. It might be:
- Modern and minimalist – clean lines, neutral tones, and uncluttered spaces.
- Rustic and earthy – natural elements, warm wood, and cosy textures.
- Traditional – elegant furniture, symmetry, and rich colours.
By starting with a clear base, you’ll have a foundation to guide your decisions and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
For instance, if your living room leans modern, you can add bursts of Botanical or abstract artwork to mix things up without straying from the core aesthetic.
Pro tip: Take inventory of your room’s existing furniture and wall colours. This will certainly help you identify the style you already have and choose complementary (or contrasting) pieces that create intrigue.
Mixing Art Style types: Tips for Balance and Harmony
Here is where the magic happens! The key to blending different art styles is balance. You don’t want your living room to feel cluttered or chaotic, so here’s how to pull it off:
- Limit the Palette
Choosing a colour scheme that ties your room together is your first step in creating harmony. For example:
Pair a bold abstract canvas with vintage botanical prints by keeping similar hues across the pieces.
If one artwork has warm tones like rust, ochre, or gold, ensure that it’s mirrored in pillows or an area rug.
- Vary the Scale of Pieces
Decorating with art of different sizes creates visual interest and also prevents the space from feeling heavy. Place a large statement piece above the sofa and group smaller works together elsewhere on the wall.
- Play with Contrasts
Opposites do more than attract—they add dimension. Place traditional oil paintings near bold, geometric sculptures or juxtapose minimalist line art with ornate gilded frames. These contrasts celebrate each art style while contributing to the eclectic vibe.
- Keep Frames Consistent
When mixing styles, consistency in frames can tie diverse artwork together. Think sleek black frames, rustic wooden options, or elegant gold finishes to add cohesion.
Layering Wall Art: Heighten Interest Without Overwhelming
An often-overlooked tip is layering your art. Instead of treating every wall in your living room as a single canvas, think of it as groups of layers.
Here's how:
- Gallery Walls: Combine photographs, quotes, watercolours, and tiny mirrors into a clustered layout. Keep designs interactive by playing with frame sizes and orientations.
- Shelves vs Walls: Prop smaller artworks on floating shelves while reserving the wall for a stunning centrepiece. Mixing flat frames with 3D sculptural art adds depth.
- Leaning Large Pieces: Instead of hanging every frame, prop taller, oversized artwork against the wall for a casual yet chic effect.
This layered approach allows freedom to mix textures, eras, and moods in a manageable way.
Fusing Texture, Colour, & Theme: Bringing It All Together
Harmony isn’t only about mixing art. It’s about finding complements throughout the room, ensuring that artwork, furniture, and decor all tell a coherent visual story.
-
Experiment with Textured art style types
Mix media by pairing different styles with varied textures. Abstract acrylics can look fantastic alongside carved wooden pieces or a woven tapestry.
-
Use Colour as a Unifying Tool
Base your colour choices on existing furniture. For example, a turquoise armchair can reflect the hues in a beach-themed canvas. Or, unify an eclectic room with neutral-toned decor and one or two pops of colour through pillows and throws.
-
Align Themes Subtly
Make the connection subtle, like tying modern abstract landscapes with travel posters for a “wanderlust” theme. Nature lovers might mix peaceful botanical art with forest photography. The idea is to unify the message while celebrating differences.
Real-Life Example: An Eclectic Living Room That Works
Imagine a cosy living room with a cream-coloured couch, where above hangs a striking abstract canvas in deep greys and gold.
To its left, a vintage sketch of a 19th-century London cityscape rests in a thin black frame. Across the room, a sleek metal sculpture sits atop a woodfinished side table, bridging the traditional and the modern.
Here, the uniting factor is colour balance (gold accents are repeated) and thematic links (modern and historical elements highlight the charm of architecture).
Visual Art style types Inspiration:
For more inspiration, explore our Content hub.
Whether you’re into abstracts, landscapes, traditional floral prints, or Asian Inspired art, you’ll find helpful tips and curated collections tailored to suit your aesthetic.
- Step-by-Step Guide: Determining What Frame Size Do I Need for my Space
- From Blank to Beautiful: Gallery Wall Ideas for Huge Walls
- Choosing the Right Wall Art for Your Living Room: Tips, Trends, and Recommendations
With these tips, you’re well on your way to creating a breathtaking space that combines multiple art styles with sophistication and charm.
What art pieces will you mix first?
Let me know in the comments below!
