You’ve heard it before and you’re about to hear it again—opposites attract. The age-old saying rings true in most things, including interior design. Melding two completely opposite styles is the easiest and most effective way to create an interesting interior.
But you can’t just throw pieces together. Your mix needs to be intentional or it will look disconnected.
In this mood board, earthy casual and rich opulence come together seamlessly to create an earthy yet luxurious feel.
Want to see why it works?
Let’s dive in! Jumping Off Point: Rich Green Meets Luxe Marble
I knew I wanted a luxurious feel when I started building this mood board for a living room makeover project. I used a rich sage green rug from CB2 as a jumping-off point, and paired it with a marble coffee table from Burke Decor.
Both of these pieces are luxurious, and the rug’s boxy pattern is reflected in the table's shape, making them a great match.
But together, they feel a little too luxe.
A Laid-Back Linen Sofa Brings Us Back Down to Earth
To bring the opulence back down to earth, I added a linen sofa (RH Teen). The shape reminds me of a beanbag chair and the natural linen fabric brings some much-needed casualness to the design.
A Theme Emerges: Earthy Luxury
With this pairing, a theme emerged: earthy luxe. But the pieces are not all talking to each other.
If this mood board was a cocktail party and the rug, coffee table, and couch were the guests, the couch would be standing to the side with its hands in its pockets while the rug and the table chatted like old friends.
To bring the couch into the conversation, we need to build some bridges.
A Rattan-and-Brass Floor Lamp Builds a Bridge
An Arhaus rattan-and-brass floor lamp creates a bridge by combining both design styles—earthy rattan and luxurious brass—in one item. Now, the sofa has a friend in the lamp, which is also pals with the rug and coffee table, so everyone can converse with ease.
Casual Wingback Chairs & Suede Pillows Continue the Theme
A pair of traditional Crate & Barrel wing-back chairs in a casual fabric continue the natural, earthy theme and contribute to the color story by repeating the light brown in the table’s pattern. Meanwhile, matching suede pillows add a touch of opulence to keep things from getting too casual while still speaking to the room’s natural undertone.
A Concrete Planter and Island Plant Tie Everything Together
For the final touch, an aged concrete planter (Amazon) holds a gorgeous spiky jungle plant. The planter is the epitome of earthy casual and it grounds the room's more opulent elements. The plant itself is another juxtaposition, combining the inherent earthiness of a living plant with a luxurious island resort feel.
Interest Emerges from Intentional Juxtaposition
The final product is so much more interesting than an all-earthy or all-luxe living room. It tells a story of divided interests and emulates the dichotomy that exists within all of us.
You can use this concept to combine almost any two (or three or four) design styles, as long as you’re intentional. If you can explain why you’re pairing certain items together and how they relate to each other, your design will look intentional.
