A thread runs through it

Creating an eclectic interior requires a balance of quite disparate elements. Everything from the curtain drops to the seat coverings needs to work together to create an harmonious whole.

This new house is built in the Victorian style right down to the irregular bumps on the hand-blown, recycled window panes, and the 110-year-old floorboards, reclaimed from a demolished 1900s home. The interior, however, has a more contemporary, eclectic feel.

Owner and interior designer Dana Lane-Tough says creating a balanced look was an important consideration.

As a backdrop, the walls of the living spaces are painted in modern, earthy colours. The house's generous proportions meant a dark wall palette didn't overwhelm or visually shrink the rooms.

"In contrast to this, the furnishings and materials in the living areas are in lighter tones, with layers of texture bringing visual interest," says Lane-Tough. "The variance of textures and materials provides a subtle decor feature, and also draws together the disparate styles of furniture or at least balances them."

The Louis XV armchairs and ottomans, for example, are both covered in the same natural linen, while in contrast to the rawness of the linen, the adjacent sofa is finished in a plush cut velvet.

"To accentuate the height of the living room we lengthened the drop of the drapes by hanging them from well above the window height," she says. "These silk and cotton pocket-weave curtains broaden the textural palette. The vertical stripe running through them further contributes to the elongated look of the room."

The living room carpet also provides a darker backdrop for the furnishings, but a cream thread runs through this, giving it a lighter, contemporary impact. This carpet is found in several areas of the home.

"Material contributes to the space in other ways, too," says the interior designer. "While the soft furnishings are light, the frames and some cabinetry pieces are in dark-toned wood. This features on the armchair and ottoman frames as well as the formal dining table and chairs."

In an eclectic decor, differences are both celebrated and muted. The ottomans' and armchairs' fluid legs contrast the square legs of the chairs and dining table, for example. However, covering the dark wood dining chairs in white cotton downplays this contrast and extends the light palette.

A generously proportioned hallway leads from the more formal front living room to a combined open-plan kitchen, informal living space and dining room. A glass-tiled splashback incorporates colours used throughout the interior again, drawing the decor together and also forming a focal point of the room.

"The choice of materials and textures is slightly more relaxed in this space," says the interior designer. "We introduced deeper blue wall tones here, without fear of visually shrinking the larger room. The four-seater chocolate sofa is covered in donkey-brown linen, contrasting in tone and texture with the oatmeal cotton weave armchairs on either side."

Dark wood also plays a part in this room, with several smaller pieces balanced by the large, wood composite dining table. The latter provides material contrast in itself, with the edges finished in leather.

"Beyond these public spaces, the interior takes on a softer, more feminine look," Lane-Tough says. "In the master bedroom and guest bedroom, for example, there is a greater emphasis on classic Victorian pattern as well as texture and tone. At the same time these rooms also find balance between light fabrics and dark woods."

Story by: Trendsideas

Photography by: Jamie Cobeldick A thread runs through it This new home is built in the Victorian style but the interior has a more