Modern + Eclectic = Modclectic

A Balancing Act

When my client and I began discussing the overall design style she desired for her dining room my first thought was; hmm... interesting and also challenging.   The client had a desire to be surrounded by items in her home that she loved and that had meaning to her.  The trick was that her home is only a few years old.   It is so easy to put antiques into an 100 year old home with lots of character because they belong in that setting, however, to add your great grandmother's china cabinet to a home built 2 years ago takes a little more thought. 

 A word that designers throw around a lot is transitional.  A more modern style mixed with traditional design elements and pieces.  I am calling this room Modclectic because it is a blend of modern elements plus the eclectic/sentimental pieces my client wanted to incorporate.  

After:  Dining Room

   

Dining Room:  Before

Furniture: This antique piece belonged to my client's great-grandmother.  I love how it anchors the room and how it is surrounded by modern accessories that balance the mood of the room.

Furniture: This piece was my client's in laws. I love everything about how this area came together. It is a great example of the balancing act I tried to achieve in this room.

Details:  Old Frame + Modern Antlers 
Great Grandmother's Button Collection + Modern Lamp
Client's treasured Books + Pitcher 

Accessories:  I wanted to create a warm table top so the mixture of modern glass, traditional greenery, refurbished wood, and mercury glass worked perfectly in this Modcletic space.

Lighting:  Picking the chandelier was very important in bringing together the whole space.  It could not be so modern that it didn't work with the antiques in the room.  I also wanted it to be light and airy so that it didn't weigh down the room.  

Art work:  My client is a photographer so of course it made sense that the artwork in the room would be pictures.   I love how even the pictures go with the Modcletic style of the room!  

Curtains:  The modern chevron pattern in the curtain is balanced in this space because of the warm neutral color.  The material is crisp yet not overly formal so it works with the old + new.

Inspiration: This rug is the perfect Modcletic (Modern + Ecletic) style.   It combines modern colors with a playful pattern.  

Accessories:  This mirror was one of the more difficult items to purchase for the space.  I believe that we tried out at least 2 other ones before my client found this one.  It needed to blend the different metals in the room as well as work well with all the different wood types. 

Photography By: A big thanks to Traci for being willing to photograph the room for me, she is one of the most talented photographers I know and has taught me so much about photography. Take a few minutes to check out her website: tracifalderphotography.com. While I was tweaking the table Traci snapped a picture of me in action.