'Eclectic' Design Brings Interiors to Life! By Olga Adler Not so long ago I was driving down the East Coast and thinking about my new assignment – a decorating column for The Home Monthly.  Being born in Warsaw and raised on classical and modern European design, I relished the opportunity to immerse myself in pure Americana while visiting historic Old Town Alexandria and Savannah. And yet on this trip – as indeed everywhere I go in America – I found evidence of old Europe.  Isn’t it amazing that so many beautiful pieces of furniture and decorative items are still around?  Amid this country’s best examples of its own heritage are armoires, chairs, vases and other pieces that the first settlers brought with them across the stormy Atlantic three hundred years ago. And they didn’t stop there.  Our ancestors were wonderfully open to everything that arrived from far away.  They decorated their homes with solid and trusted British furniture but quickly added new features – Oriental vases, African stools and other reflections of a worldly, sophisticated approach to life. Mix ‘n’ Match is nothing new.  Eclecticism was always here! It is good to be curious and open to new things.  Most well-decorated homes have a predominant style, but not to the point of becoming “museum perfect.”  Even great rooms and other traditional spaces cry out for a touch of imagination.  This can be achieved by bringing together varied elements to decorate with flare and fantasy.   Our 21st century homes can remain distinctly American, while also featuring accents from Asian, African and European sources – just as our forebears did. The spaces I decorate often include things I’ve discovered on my travels.  My designs are festooned with items from trips to India, Morocco, Tunisia, Kenya and the Far East.  A lifestyle magazine back in Poland called my designs “eclectic,” although I don’t really strive for that effect.  I just love some of the things I see during my travels, and sometimes I bring them home.  And I developed a knack for juxtaposing old and new, local and foreign.  If it looks good, it’s working! What mixes best with almost everything?  Here are some classics and my personal favorites: a drum table, Persian rugs, crystal, antique botanical prints, decorative motif tiles, sisal and coir rugs, paneled screen, plantation shutters, soft fold shades, a pair of Klismos chairs flanking a fireplace and, of course, Chinese stools and vases. Many people are surprised to learn how many design features of today’s homes come from another time and place.   •        Upholstered seating dates to 17th Century Europe.  Original fabrics included leather, velvet and tapestry – yes, you guessed correctly, still the favorite fabrics of this and many seasons to come.  Rooms take on new depth and interest with the help of mixed colors, patterns and textures.  Now, as then, see what a luxurious effect can be created when you blend velvet and silks or cotton and lace. •        Floor matting became common in Europe in the 16th Century.  Thick and sturdy mats were imported from North Africa and later from China and Japan.  Today they are still a classic favorite, made of sisal, coir or sea grass, usually in natural or olive color.  One of the cleanest and most striking looks I can think of is a background of a sisal rug with a beautiful piece of dark-stained furniture placed against it. •        Paper wall covering dates to the 15th Century and has undergone many changes and improvements.  Of course, wallpaper is back and more beautiful than ever.  Those made of or imitating natural materials, like raffia or bamboo, are beautiful and easy to mix with almost any style.  If you aspire to a spa look in your master suite or powder room it is a perfect choice.   •        For those who prefer paint but are also seeking texture, faux finishes can make any room vibrant and interesting.  These techniques date to ancient Greece and Rome, but new methods and materials are constantly being introduced.   •        Room dividers were first used in Asia and later Europe to create privacy, but today are stylish accessories.  They are usually made of 3 or 4 panels built of solid wood with painted decorative patterns, or are covered with fabric or wallpaper to complement upholstered pieces, window treatments or bedding.  These can also be latticed like garden screens and made of exotic woods, cane or bamboo. Vacation time is just around the corner.  While you’re away, immerse yourself in local flavor and feel.  Take note of furnishings that excite you.  The design-focused homeowner may be on holiday, but we’re always looking.  Bring or send home that plantation coffee table, antique Chinese vase, Polish crystal, French linens or Moroccan pottery.  (In case you’re wondering; yes, as my ever-patient husband can attest, I brought back a carload of furniture from Savannah, too!  I’ll tell you about that another time.) If you’re not a traveler, you can still bring home some of the world.  Thankfully, our area has amazing resources.  So, you need not go far to find that perfect piece of furniture, lamp or painting that will make your home different from all others.     Decorating is about bringing what you love into your home.  Eclecticism has always been in style.  Our great-great grandparents knew it.  And we do too! Olga Adler is an interior designer with a design studio in Ridgefield, Connecticut.  Her company Olga Adler Interiors is dedicated to lifestyle driven design.  You can email your questions or comments to: olga@olgaadlerinteriors.com.