Eclectic Flooring Style Ideas

Eclectic flooring is an excellent choice if your goal is to create a unique and personalized look for your home. Beyond allowing you to reflect your personality and taste, you have a wide range of flooring options and styles to explore. 

Whether you are looking to elevate the look of your home or want to complement your eclectic-themed interior, this guide will provide you with ideas to make your space stand out. 

What Is Eclectic Style? 

Eclectic style is a design approach that allows you the freedom to combine elements from various styles, eras, cultures and influences to create a distinctive and cohesive look. 

This style traces its roots back to the 19th century, when designers began to move away from rigid, traditional styling rules toward more diverse and expressive styles. Since then, it has grown into a movement adopted by homeowners and interior designers worldwide, and with good reason — it offers creative freedom to express your personality and individuality. 

How to Achieve Eclectic Style Flooring 

In the same way that you can mix different design elements to express an eclectic style, you can combine various flooring materials, such as hardwood and tiles, to create a unique look for your floors. The key to achieving an aesthetically pleasing interior with this design style is intentionally incorporating and mixing complementary elements, rather than creating chaos with incohesive elements. 

Let's explore several ways to achieve an eclectic style in flooring. 

Mix Materials

Mixing materials is at the heart of an eclectic design. Eclectic flooring often features a blend of different materials within a single room or across adjoining spaces. It also utilizes textures to add depth. The good news is that you have several options to choose from and combine to create the look you've always dreamed of. Some options include: 

• Hardwood: When it comes to eclectic flooring, hardwood is a classic and versatile choice that can be mixed with other materials. For instance, you can combine the warmth of hardwood with the sophistication of tiles to make a statement in low-moisture rooms. You can also transition from wood in one room to tiles in another.
• Tiles: Whether you want to use ceramic, porcelain or natural stone, tiles are an excellent option for introducing bold patterns, textures and colors to your eclectic flooring. 
• Carpets and rugs: These design elements pair well with several flooring materials to add a touch of comfort and intimacy to your space. 
• Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT): LVT is renowned for its variety in terms of textures, colors and patterns. Whether you want to achieve a natural, Victorian or vintage look to match your eclectic aesthetic, you can combine various vinyl blends to express your unique style. You can also mix vinyl with other materials, like hardwood and LVT. Since vinyl can mimic the look of wood, you can pair it with engineered or solid wood to add charm to a room. 

Play With Patterns

Patterns play an essential role in eclectic floor styling but require balance to look cohesive. The first thing you need to do is determine a pattern and layout that complements the other design elements in your space. Some examples you can explore include:

• Diagonal lay: This pattern plays effortlessly with different aesthetic and flooring materials. Beyond elevating the look of your space, a diagonal lay (herringbone) pattern also has a way of making a room appear larger. 
• Mixed widths: If your goal is to introduce variation and break up uniform flooring, a mixed-width pattern is a great way to achieve this while adding visual contrast and depth to your space. 
• Checkerboard: Depending on your style and preference, you can opt for a wide range of checkerboard patterns, mixing different colors and finishes. For instance, you can choose the classic black and white checkerboard pattern with a glossy finish or other contrasting colors with a matte finish. 
• Mosaic tiles: Consider mixing different styles of mosaic tiles to achieve a cohesive look for your floors. Alternatively, you can mix mosaic tiles with plain ones. 

Highlight Contrast

Contrast is essential for adding balance and dimension. In its absence, you risk creating a space that feels flat and monotonous. The goal should be to complement flooring materials and combinations, not compete. By blending light and dark shades, smooth and textured surfaces, gloss and matte finishes, you can highlight key features in a room while maintaining visual harmony. 

Create Subtle Zones

You can achieve eclectic flooring by creating subtle zones, especially when you have an open layout. Play with various flooring materials and colors to delineate different areas, such as warm-colored textured tiles for the kitchen and contrasting hardwood for the living room. 

Design Principles and Tips for Eclectic Flooring

A lot goes into creating an eclectic look beyond flooring materials. To achieve a balanced and attractive design, you need to pay attention to essential details that tie everything together beautifully without chaos. Here are some design principles and tips to bear in mind. 

• Create cohesion: You want the different elements and flooring materials to blend rather than look chaotic. Aim for cohesion among the more subtle details, like undertone or how much light a flooring type reflects.
• Use transitions: Transitions help create a smooth flow from one material type to another. There are several ways to achieve a soft and visually appealing transition. These include using an edging strip, and diamond tiles and chevron wood transitions.
• Consider room functionality: Flooring materials that work in one room may not be suitable for others. For instance, while you can use different styles of bathroom tiles for eclectic flooring, you can't use wood for the same space because it lacks water-resistant characteristics. You should also consider high-traffic areas and opt for longer-lasting materials, such as luxury vinyl and tiles.
• Choose the right color palettes: While eclectic flooring design gives you ample room for creative freedom, it's also a good idea to select color palettes that reflect the desired mood and harmonize with other elements in the space. When choosing your shade range, consider factors such as room dynamics, lighting and existing decor. 

Explore a Wide Range of Eclectic Flooring Materials at Carpet & Tile Mart

The style and flooring materials you choose for your home can make or break your entire interior design. At Carpet & Tile Mart, we understand this. We help our customers elevate the look and feel of their homes with high-quality flooring materials to achieve the eclectic style they've always dreamed of. 

Shop our range of eclectic flooring materials online or visit one of our locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Delaware.