One of the questions I’m asked most often is how to mix pieces from different eras without a room feeling confused, accidental, or cluttered.
Many people feel they have to commit to one style: mid-century, contemporary, antique, coastal, minimal - and stick to it. But the most interesting homes rarely follow one period. They’re built slowly, with pieces added over time.
The key isn’t matching eras. It’s making sure the pieces speak the same language; when different objects sit comfortably together, it’s usually because they share something deeper: tone, material, proportion, or presence. They're not necessarily matching or are the same theme, instead they're connected.
Look for a common thread, not a common date
A contemporary sofa can sit perfectly beside a 1950s lamp or an antique side table if something connects them.
That connection might be:
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Tonal - muted or grounded colours rather than sharp contrasts
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materials that feel honest and tactile
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pieces with visual weight rather than lightweight decoration
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or simply objects that don’t try too hard to out stage eachother.
A room feels cohesive when nothing is shouting for attention.
Avoid decorating by theme
Rooms start to feel staged when everything comes from the same era or style. It can look like a showroom rather than a home. We don't want to cosplay an era, instead we want to take inspiration.
Mixing periods introduces contrast, and contrast is what makes spaces feel lived in and ageless.
A clean-lined modern sofa becomes more interesting beside an older, imperfect side table. A sculptural contemporary light feels warmer with worn timber or stone nearby.
Each piece gives the others context.
Let materials do the work
If you’re unsure how to mix styles, focus on materials first.
Iron, stone, timber, linen, leather, textured fabrics; these materials tend to work across eras because they age well and feel grounded. They don’t date quickly. If you can find materials that are worn with patina, hand-worked, or irregular...even better.
When materials feel natural together, styles tend to follow.
Trust what holds your attention
Most people know when something works, but second-guess themselves. If a piece keeps drawing your eye, there’s usually a reason. Homes built on instinct tend to feel more personal than homes built on rules.
A home should feel collected, not assembled
The homes people remember are rarely finished all at once. Pieces arrive slowly, move between rooms, and pick up stories over time. When we fill a room quickly, or shop by theme or impulse, we lose connection with our instincts and true style. We're led by marketing, trends, and urgency. Mixing eras isn’t about following a formula. It’s about letting a home grow around the things you genuinely want to live with.
And when pieces feel right together, their age stops mattering.
Love,
Penny