You know the old saying “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”? (Sure you do, especially if you’ve seen “The Shining”.) Well, that old saw applies to design, too. After all, too much of one thing can make your room seem a little like a retail showroom or an all-decorated at once hotel. So, what do you do?

One solution is to mix diametrically opposed styles. (It’s not the only solution, of course, but it’s worth keeping in mind). Here’s what I mean. Look at some of the more modern pieces I’ve written about. Now imagine them on something “primitive” like these fabulous Tibetan rugs from Tufenkian Carpets.

This one is called “Crocodile”, obviously enough.

This one is called “Fish”, for equally obvious reasons.

Finally, a more “contemporary” style called “Inlay”

Mixing styles isn’t a novel idea, by any means. But I think it may be one of the best ways to express your individuality. After all, you’re not one-dimensional. Why should your home be, too?

Here are a couple of questions for you, dear readers. I think ‘modern’ and ‘primitive’ go great together. A) Do you? B) If you agree, why do you think these two styles go together so well?