We believe that your kitchen should be as full of life as you are! This means getting creative with your kitchen design and adding a dose of your personality into each individual element. Eclectic style is a great way to mix up the elements. It’s an open invitation to have some fun with your kitchen by pairing the contemporary with the traditional, and accenting with your favorite color.
Eclectic style or eclectic decor isn’t, however, a complete free-for-all. It should be a careful curation of what speaks most to you. This means giving consideration to how each element works together. Focus on contrast in colors, styles and materials, but be careful to avoid creating chaos. The aim is to delight, not overwhelm.
For a modern eclectic kitchen design, mix and match a few of the kitchen design ideas below and you’re guaranteed to get your guests talking. Best thing about creating an eclectic interior design is that you can achieve this look with simple but clever decorating ideas, without having to remodel your entire kitchen.
Forget the cupboards, and go open plan
If you have stylish crockery, mementos or found objects of interest, why keep them hidden away in cupboards? Mix and match different objects using contrasting colors and eras, and use your shelving to showcase them. For a rustic flavor, opt for reclaimed wooden shelves. They look great when contrasted with a bright, Moroccan tiled backsplash.
Contrast the quirky with the traditional
Lighting is a great way to express your creative flair. From over-sized bulbs to colored cable pendants, and industrial-style metal fixtures to full-blown chandeliers, lighting provides a focal point to an eclectic kitchen space.
Whether you opt for a more unusual or traditional lighting design, contrast it with a different style of table or kitchen island positioned beneath. A farmhouse table painted a rich blue or green provides a traditional flavor. While granite countertops or stainless steel work surfaces give a more modern, sleek look.
Create a feature wall
Pick one wall in your kitchen and make a feature out of it. You could paint it in a daring block color, hang some funky artwork, or invest in some beautiful wallpaper. You could even paint an entire wall in chalkboard paint, which is perfect if you enjoy being creative, writing notes to yourself, or even just making shopping lists. If a whole wall seems a bit daring for you, another popular kitchen design idea is creating a colorful kitchen backsplash on the area behind the kitchen sink and the faucet or behind the cooking area. Check out our kitchen backsplash ideas for more inspiration.
Repeat elements
Visual repetitions will help bring your eclectic design together and prevent the room from looking chaotic. Choose a color or geometric shape that is repeated across ornaments and in pictures and wall hangings or even some parts of your kitchen cabinets. If your room has a brightly colored focal point, this would be a strong color to repeat in accents throughout the room. Make sure your overall color palette fits well together and that it doesn’t overwhelm the onlookers when trying to create a colorful kitchen.
Upcycle items for a vintage look
Sleek, modern kitchens aren’t for everyone, and upcycling is a great way to add lived in, vintage touches to your kitchen design. Add small elements such as turning cool-looking wine or gin bottles into candle holders or vases for wild flowers; or make vintage furniture like shabby chic chairs, traditional pub bar stools, or (if you have the space) even an old country kitchen-style dresser a focal point of your kitchen design.
