A Mix of Modern and Antique Furniture Styles

Choosing furniture styles is an art. Mixing modern with antiques is a science.

Not to worry, we are experts at this. Come along!

Incorporating pieces from different periods and styles is a great way to add character, energy, and liveliness to any room. If you have a love for both vintage and contemporary styles but don’t know how to unify the two in your home, you’re in luck.

Tasteful design doesn’t always need an expert eye, and it’s easier than you think to create a space that is uniquely yours.

We have a few simple tips for how to mix modern and antique furniture when decorating, so you can turn your house into a home.

Before Anything Else…

While you might feel tempted to jump head-first into rearranging, shopping, and decorating, it’s essential to plan your design first.

Shabby chic, eclectic, or avant-garde–whatever your style inspiration may be, you need to look at the elements that make mix-matched furnishings work.

Even the most upscale pieces can easily look mismatched and dysfunctional when you don’t take the time to consider a few things beforehand.

When you find yourself wondering how to mix furniture styles such as modern and antique, think about using larger contemporary pieces accessorized with smaller vintage ones, or vice versa.

Secondly, take something that draws the eye and becomes the focal point and group other pieces around it.
For example, you could take this Louis XVI console table and place it underneath a sizeable contemporary gold wall mirror in an entryway or foyer.

And, of course, you can’t forget to center your design around a theme.

Whether it’s industrial edge, Bohemian beauty, or elegant country, choosing a theme in advance will help you as you select your furnishings and accessories.

Tricks of the Trade

Catalogs, TV shows, websites, YouTube videos, showrooms, and galleries are all excellent places to find how to mix furniture styles.

Here are some of our favorite design tips to keep any design idea streamlined, even with a range of styles.

• An 18th-century classicist giltwood mirror in a modernist movement-inspired room
• A classic Louis XV style Bergere next to a slick, mid-century side table
• A glass dining table with Queen Anne chairs
• This Biedermeier writing table along with contemporary furniture
• Refurbish a vintage sofa with a bold geometric pattern
• Pop art in a room of traditional furniture for a fun twist
• A minimalist floor lamp and a Finn Juhl lounge chair
• A sleek and polished fireplace mantel displaying a brass Art Nouveau vase
• A colorful lattice dining chair that compliments a mid-century desk

Don’t be afraid to play around with color, patterns, and textures. Offset wood tones, natural materials, and neutral color with unexpected and bright design styles.

Scandinavian design is one of the best examples of mixed furniture styles. It couples mid century modern design with clean lines, natural materials, and contemporary design.

Your Home Is Your Palace

No one knows your style better than yourself. The most important part about the design process is enjoying while making your space all yours.

Half the fun of mixing furniture styles is selecting and matching different pieces is half the fun.

You may never expect 20th century furniture design to pair well with a more traditional style, but it’s possible.

Scale, balance, and proportion might be the rules of interior design, but nothing is stopping you from breaking them if a piece truly speaks to you.

Again, you don’t need to have an expert eye, just a critical one.

So rather than buying whatever you think will work at the moment, focus on skillful selection. It will give you a look you want and contribute to the room’s form and function.