Design School: Juxtaposition

How to stop matching everything and make your space more interesting.

Aug 22, 2023

Welcome back to Design School! I’m your teacher, Mrs. O’Brien, and if you missed the last class — no worries. The art of curtain hanging is a quick makeup lesson.

Please be brave in the comments and introduce yourself to the class — it’s an honor to have you as a magazine subscriber and I’d love to get to know you!

Today we will be discussing a more abstract principle, guided by practical tips and instructions.

Have you ever walked into a room that just feels flat and you can’t really figure out why? The furniture may be beautiful, and the space may even have bright colors, but it just feels…ehhh.

Juxtaposition is what makes a space fascinating. Contrast is what our eyes (and hearts) are drawn to. The balance of your space tells a story — and often it is contrast that differentiates just okay spaces and the kind of spaces featured in magazines. Predictably kills otherwise beautiful designs.

Juxtaposition is a skill that requires attention to placement, texture, and color. Once you master it, you will have the superpower of making your space more interesting and welcoming.

And the beauty of juxtaposition is it allows YOU so much creative freedom to show up in your space when you aren’t inhibited by a rigid theme. It’s incredible!

Types of Juxtaposition:

1. Style Juxtaposition

Curating furniture and art styles that do not “match” is a daunting task. The instinct is to choose a theme or style and stick to it. But your house is not a birthday party, it’s a living, breathing space that needs to take care of you. Themes aren’t necessary, and can often feel a bit stifling.

Start shifting your thinking from what matches, to what intrigues you. And then you can start to find balance. And not just in a maximalist sort of way (unless that’s your thing!), but in an intentional way to bring out the beauty in each piece.

Differing styles of furniture can enhance one another. Frida Ramstedt says, “The juxtaposition of two interior styles can also be used to calm a turn-of-the-century house in which the woodwork is too exuberant, or to bring warmth to the angular, newly built structure that lacks natural charm.”

How to pull it off without making your space look like a garage sale? Don’t worry, it’s not too difficult and you can do it yourself!

Start with looking for a common thread. Maybe it’s a color, fabric, or finish. You could create a dining table set up with mismatched chairs, but if they are all the same finish of wood — you’ve created something visually interesting and sophisticated. A+!

Here are examples of designs I see beautiful style juxtaposition in. Feel free to click on any of them to explore more about the space.

This space contrasts classic French doors (and brass fixtures) with super modern Danish chairs.

The apartment features incredibly intricate ceiling details contracted with a simple modern glass chandelier.

Designer, Kelly Wearstler is perhaps most known for her juxtaposition. She is never scared of contrast. This example features wildly different furniture styles with a cohesive palette that keeps the space unified.

Bottom line: Don’t fear mixing pieces that are different! It will truly elevate your space. Do it intentionally by finding a common thread.

2. Texture Juxtaposition

The Interior Design Handbook lists the following as examples of tactile and textural contrast:

Hard & Soft
Straight & Curved
Angular & Rounded
Dark & Light
Stiff & Supple
Matte & Glossy
Large & Small
Compact & Perforated, Light
Single Color & Patterned
Warm & Cold
High & Low
Textured & Smooth

Begin to think through your furniture, rugs, blankets, pillows, wall art, objects, and surfaces. How can you create thoughtful contrast?

Some examples:

When setting up a living room, choose a different fabric texture for the armchair and the couch. Leather and a flatwoven texture. Or velvet and canvas.

When building a gallery wall, add variety in color and texture with frames. Or consider hanging tufted, woven, or metallic art pieces.

When styling your living space — add variety in the blanket and throw pillow fabrics. Choose furniture with rough edges and smooth edges. Such as a stone-inspired side table with a smooth, rounded coffee table.

Here are some spaces I think combine texture really well:

Another Kelly Wearstler design. Wooden, iron, and stone are balanced with an extra-plush couch and fury cowhide.

Wooden elements, stone, mirror, a woven rug, and a plush velvet couch are all coexisting here.

You’ll notice a perfectly smooth floor and smooth couch with rough edges of concrete stone surrounding the space.

Bottom Line: Make conscious decisions while shopping to source contrasting textures. Have FUN finding things YOU like!

3. Color Juxtaposition

Introducing color to your space can seem daunting. But when color is done well, I believe joy is enhanced in the space — color makes a room come to life!

I plan on releasing a full guide to color for Design School very soon! This will detail the types of color schemes, palettes I love, and more.

But it seemed impossible to discuss juxtaposition without mentioning color.

For a brief reference today:

To properly juxtapose colors, you will want to choose a color palette for your space.

You can find a palette through an analogous set of colors, complementary colors, triad colors, split complementary colors, or rectangular colors. These are common color palette systems that are naturally pleasing to the eye. From there, you can adjust between moody and pastel hues.

My top tips for transitioning a neutral home into a colorful home:

If you really love a color, but are hesitant to add it to a neutral space — mute it. If red is a favorite color, find pieces that are more like a dark cherry and start using them in your home. It will make a massive difference! You don’t have to go full primary color or pastel! Love blue? Dark teal. Yellow? Deep mustard. Pink? Mauve. Green? Dark sage.
Use 3-4 colors in a space (not including white or black). Go easy on yourself and stick with those choices. You can add brighter and darker shades of a certain color, rather than introducing a whole new color! If you have a totally neutral room right now — introduce 3 shades of color to it. I have a million ideas here.
Where to start? You don’t have to go full-on blue couch — try a colored vase, frame, and art piece, colored elements in a mostly neutral rug, throws, throw pillows, books, funky candles, trays, or curtains.

Here are some color contrasts I absolutely love right now: