Stop Buying Furniture Sets! Why Mixing Styles Is the Secret to a Timeless Home
There’s a distinct difference between a home that’s been decorated... and one that’s been lived in.
At Lord Design, we’re not chasing trends or assembling rooms by the page. We’re building spaces that feel curated, traveled, and personal. Homes that carry stories, not just style. One of the simplest ways to elevate a space? Stop buying matching furniture sets.
Sets might seem like a shortcut to cohesion, but they flatten what would otherwise be a layered, expressive home. They timestamp a moment, and not always one worth remembering. Often, a full matching set speaks more to indecision than intention.
Instead, I encourage clients to use their imagination… ours 🙂 rather than taking the shortcut or easy route of a matching set brought to you by a big box store. When you mix pieces with meaning, contrast, history, and a little irreverence, that’s where the magic happens. People will ask you where you got this or that, and you will have a story to tell, which is always more fun than one of your friends coming in and saying, “OMG I saw this set at Pottery Barn in 1997” ☹️.
Furniture Sets Date a Room. A Collected Space Tells a Story.
Matching sets rarely hold up over time, not because they’re inherently wrong, but because they lack soul. They’re easy to place... and easy to forget, or not, see above. We often find those sets eventually land on a curb with a “Free” sign, because they never really fit in the first place, and they just aren’t made as well.
Curated interiors feel different. They invite you in. They carry your history, your taste, your odd little treasures that don’t make sense on paper but sing in the right corner. The goal isn’t randomness. It’s resonance. Mixing styles is about finding connection in contrast. And the connection to YOU and how it makes you feel.
Project Spotlight: Northwest Hills Remodel – Phase II
This West Hills home in Portland is a beautiful example of what happens when clients trust the process and allow space for layers, contrast, and unexpected combinations.
Originally built in 1942, the house had undergone a flip that disconnected the kitchen from the rest of the main floor, and more importantly, from its incredible view. We were brought in to reimagine the kitchen, three bathrooms, and refresh the entire main level. Our clients had lived abroad in Melbourne, and that time deeply shaped their love of mixing traditional and modern styles. It became the heart of the design direction.
Throughout the home, we paired vintage finds and family heirlooms with bold color, pattern, and custom contemporary pieces. A kitchen that’s both classic and current. Every room balances tension and harmony, softness and structure.
Explore the full Northwest Hills Remodel here. This project is a reminder. When you mix with care and curiosity, you don’t end up with clutter. You create something timeless.
Helping Clients Get Comfortable with the Mix
One of the most rewarding parts of our work is watching clients realize that things can go together, even when they never imagined it.
Sometimes it’s as simple as pulling something they’ve always thought of as bedroom furniture and placing it in the living room. Or showing how a mid-century piece pairs beautifully with something handmade and soulful. These are the kinds of shifts that unlock freedom. A fresh set of eyes can show you what’s been possible all along.
Once that trust is there, we can begin layering. Texture on texture. Era on era. Sometimes even pattern on pattern, which, when done thoughtfully, becomes deeply timeless. This post on layering pattern walks through that process and how we create impact without overwhelming the space.
We live in a time when search algorithms try to predict our taste, but I’ve found that the best design decisions come from stepping outside the feed. Browse real magazines. Visit inspiring restaurants. Take photos of what makes you feel something, even if it’s just a light fixture in a hallway.
Design isn’t about getting it right the first time. It’s about giving yourself permission to explore.
Where to Start with a Collected Interior
If you’re craving that layered, story-rich look, start small. Trust your instincts. You don’t need a plan to fall in love with a piece.
Here are a few simple ways to begin:
Visit local vintage shops or design-forward boutiques. If a space feels good to you, pay attention to why. Is it the light? The color palette? The materials?
Buy the thing that calls to you. If your hand lands on it, don’t take it off.
Let your rooms evolve. A great space isn’t rushed.
Some of our favorite Portland haunts include Urbanite, Cargo, Monticello, Stars, and Poppy & Dale in Gresham. Also, never underestimate the power of a neighborhood estate sale or a lucky scroll through Facebook Marketplace.
Sourcing Local and Secondhand Isn’t Just Smart. It’s Beautiful.
With ongoing global sourcing challenges, we’re even more committed to local and vintage sourcing. Not only does it reduce the shipping headaches, but it’s more sustainable and more soulful. Additionally, more and more things that are shipped are damaged in the process, and folks, it’s cheaper and shipping is included for a reason…it’s not made well. There is a reason why it’s less expensive.
When you buy something from a local maker or vintage shop, you’re supporting a community. You’re adding a piece with a past. And if something goes wrong, you can walk in and talk to someone. That relationship matters.
And the truth is, the pieces you find this way are almost always more interesting. And one more time for the people in the back, it’s made better!
And Finally...
When you’re unsure if something belongs, don’t ask if it matches. Ask if it moves you.
That inherited armchair. That quirky ceramic lamp. That tiny oil painting from a flea market in Lisbon. If it makes you pause, if it tells a story, if it adds something honest and human to the space, it belongs.
Great design doesn’t come from sticking to the rules. It comes from trusting your eye, honoring your history, and letting the mix be part of the magic.
It’s your house, let it reflect you. We all will show a little wear over time, and it makes us more interesting and, in my opinion, more beautiful. I like to surround myself with people as well as things that are interesting, and I hope the same for you. Life is short, make it interesting and beautiful…for you!