Industrial glam, shabby chic, cool modern, elegant transitional…I could go on forever! There are a multitude of styles when it comes to interior design. So how do you choose just one? Here’s a clue: combine a few and create your own! Your interior should be a reflection of you…all of you! The days when you feel fierce and ready to tackle the world (animal prints!), the days when you feel like snuggling up with a cup of cocoa and a good book (ski-lodge inspired!), and those nights when you have the girls over for a night of gossip and bad (but oh-so-good!) reality TV (metallics!).

The best designs are ones that take inspiration from more than one source, whether it be a trend, an era, or a favorite global destination. Who says 40s glam can’t be mixed with industrial elements? Why not throw an ikat pillow on a studded leather couch? Fusions are exciting, and the bolder you go, the more unique the result will be! As always, I’ve got some tips to get you started.

1. Have a constant: Keeping something consistent, such as a shape, or motif, throughout the entire space brings a room together and gives it a unified look. Your dining room may be filled with eclectic finds, but tie it all together with linearly themed pieces like these.
2. Create a color palette: Color is a fantastic way to tie dissimilar pieces together. Your turquoise Louis XVI chair and poppy red modern side table may seem an odd pairing at first, but top the table with a turquoise vase and some fresh flowers and you’ve got a fun color palette!
3. Use the same woods: Wood stains are a quick and easy way to create balance in a room with varying color and decorative elements. Use only cherry for all the wooden pieces in your living room, or limit your bedroom furniture to two walnut stains, like natural and dark Peruvian.
4. Balance it out: Contrasts will (ironically) bring a room together…sharp, straight lines with curved, sleek chrome with rustic wood, soft colors with bold highlights, hard surfaces with plush fabrics. Using opposite ends of the spectrum keep a room from leaning one way or the other.
5. Proportion: Keep proportion in mind when planning out your space. The key with mixing is to make everything look effortless. An oversized modern frame high above a tiny antique desk would clearly take the spotlight, but by adding tall vases or votives to the desk or surrounding the oversized frame with smaller ones, the look becomes more balanced.

I say let all the fabulous facets of your personality shine through your design aesthetic. Have fun, and mix it up! That way, your home will truly be an extension of you!