So in case you didn’t get the memo, eclectic is in….. Which is good news for those of us who have inherited or collected a mishmash of things over the years…..

A lot of folks ask me how to get a fresh look, without getting rid of everything – particularly in the dining room, where attachments can run high.  So here are a few ideas of how to splice in the new with the old, or mix it up in a new and different way…..

Very vogue right now is to put two “wing chairs” on the ends to anchor the table and make a statement, with smaller chairs filling in the middle.  Love this breezy rendition of turquoise painted bamboo “wing chairs”…..

No, the end chairs don’t need to be taller than the side chairs, as you can see below.  These slipcovered end chairs do the trick, because they make a strong, anchoring statement by being visually “heavier”.  All these different types of chairs work together here because they share the same soft white color…..

This one’s one of my favorites – love the deco/mod stools paired with the gilded Rococo table and the straight back English chairs, softened with dainty little short skirts…..

Very hip and practical (efficient use of space) is to flank a table on one side with a built in banquette (or a bench) and the other side with chairs that have been slipcovered…..

And let’s not forget the clever recycling of shelving units as dining benches – of course…..

Enjoy…..

1.  Via houseofturquoise.com

2.  Via my design inspiration file, source no longer known.  If you do, please leave it in the comments.

3.  Via the book Decorate.

4.  Via housetweaking.com

5.  Via ikeahackers.net