Cindy Hattersley Design

Art | Interiors | Floral Design

Ethnic Chic-How to Get It

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What is Ethnic Chic? Layered and personal, it honors the customs, cultures, and resources of countries around the planet and blends them into “well-traveled” whole. Lighting, furniture, textiles, flooring, textures, and accessories are married with past cultures,  modern taste, and contemporary living.  It is naturally connected to native raw and reclaimed materials and is a relaxed eclectic look that can be dovetailed with many styles and can be added to over time. Let’s take a look at Ethnic Chic-How to Get It.
antique shutters & animal print ottomans

Updating my Spanish Colonial has meant adding a few more cross-cultural influences while honoring its original style. There is something about the simple handcrafted, organic, vibe that anything ethnic adds that really appeals to me.   I personally think it is here to stay for awhile, as many of us wish to have more ethical and sustainable products in our lives and to reflect that in our own decor.
This bedroom by Summer Thornton has subtle ethnic influences without shouting.
Classic Decor in bedroom of French Tudor Renovation by Summer Thornton
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In our last Project Design here we talked about doing something dramatic or different in your entry.  In the entry by Antonio Martins I love the drama created by the mix of the oversized art, the workbench, the suzani pillows and that fabulous lamp.
Boho chic living room desiretoinspire.net - Antonio Martins Interior Design 2:
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This power of this dining space is the combination of textures and surfaces.
Dining Room: .
In this New York Townhouse, I love the juxtaposition of the elegant settee and the gilt mirror with the branches and the unexpected vintage ikat pillow.
Home Tour: A Legendary New York Townhouse via @domainehome // settee:
I love how this room combines ethnic textiles with more traditional elements like the bird prints and the lantern. Love the combination of the blue and white Chinese pottery, orange pillows, Audubon bird prints, and the white linen sofa…timeless
Summer Thornton Naples Project featured on Cindy Hattersley Design
This room is “preaching to my choir”.  I love the eclectic mix of the vintage suitcases, horn lamps, striped pillows, and the textural elements.
This is such a clever mix …the black and white photographs, the mid-century modern chair, and the Indian chest. I love vignettes like this that look haphazard but are actually very well thought out.
This space by Kristin Buckingham has subtle ethnic influences that marry the different styles.
The iconic Mary Emmerling is a master at combining disparate elements into a cohesive mix.

Image result for mary emmerling arizona home

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I always love a black and white room.  This room has so many elements to love.

black and white:
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Here’s how I have incorporated ethnic elements into my own home decor. In one of my guest rooms, I combined an old American sign with American Indian baskets, an antique carving, and two American document boxes.  These are all items that I have had for over 20 years.

twin beds-ethnic style

In my recent entry update, I mixed an Eastern European pot (found at a flea market) with antlers, and I filled an old dough bowl (easily found at flea markets and antique shops) with moss balls and dried saguaro cactus.

antique wicker travelling trunk

Beautiful painting of African Woman by my friend Pat Huber over old terra cotta pot from Poland with mossy branches. Reproduction French Candlesticks, vintage look dog bank on an American Antique Blanket Chest.

oil painting of woman

Old Romanian Shutters over recently recovered vintage ottomans.

vintage shutters and ottomans

Do you like a little “ethnic chic” in your own home? What do you think? Is it a trend that will continue or a passing fancy? If you love it here’s how to incorporate a little into your own home. If you would like more ideas on how to add a little “ethnic chic” to your own home check out my Pinterest Board ethnic-inspired here.

six ways to ethnic chic

Thank you for reading Ethnic Chic How to Get It. I am so happy you are here!

 

 

 

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Comments

  2. D. A. Wolf says

    One more thing (I feel like Colombo) – Google "Meg Ryan's New York apartment". It was recently on the market and recently sold. Images show that she decorated heavily in black and white, mixing in beautiful textured worn wooden pieces. Airy, interesting, chic, livable… Just gorgeous!!!

  3. D. A. Wolf says

    I love love love basically black and white rooms, with touches of color and texture. These are gorgeous examples that you have provided. And the mix of contemporary or modern with antiques is also very effective, and something I learned to do from my mother, and have done in my own home as well.

    One of the things I have always loved about contemporary French design is the ample use of black and white mixed with African art, furnishings, and textile designs. Several of these images remind me of some of my favorite rooms bookmarked in French design magazines.

    J'adore!

  5. Carla Aston says

    Love this style. Especially love the unique decor in that photo where they stacked that vintage luggage up in a niche. Very clever! And not just "arranged stuff".

    • Cindy says

      I love that as well Carla…it looks haphazard but actually very carefully thought out. A hard balance to maintain!

  6. home before dark says

    I love the round the world and back look. My neighbor brought back some male nude carved sculptures from Thailand. Her elderly mother was appalled. When the mother came over, they were used at hat racks with hats hung from the "objectionable" part!

    Hope you are feeling better.

  7. Splendid Market says

    Such great points Cindy! I love an eclectic, global look. The orange and blue living room is stunning, that giant blue and white bowl filled with orange tulips makes me want to cry it's so gorgeous!!!

  8. Gail Storti says

    I love all the ethnic details in these photos and they make me want to go treasure hunting for some ethnic chic for my own home! Thank you Cindy for sharing what I feel will be a continuing trend!

  9. La Contessa says

    YES, I DO!
    I'm sure you MISSED MY COUPLE in the living room as they are tucked away behind a BIGGER COUPLE but I brought them home from AFRICA in 1981!!!My MOTHER's dear friend with incredible TASTE told me to BUY the unusual.So, that is what I did………I emptied my TRAVEL TRUNK from LONGS (now CVS)and amazingly they fit!They are one of my most PRIZED POSSESSIONS.

  10. Holly Boyle says

    Love this post! It gave a name to what I have been curating for years! I plan on pinning every image into my décor file and using them as inspiration as I continue to update, redo and amend my home. Thanks for all the great ideas

  11. Kathysue says

    Every single image that you used to show us ethnic chic design was so so layered and interesting, each look like one of a kind telling it's own story. Love this type of design when done well and YOU my dear do it very well.

    • Cindy says

      Thank you so much Kathysue! My uncle was a US ambassador to Indonesia and I remember being fascinated with the batik textiles and artifacts my aunt sent us. I have a lot of American Antiques but love mixing them with finds from other cultures.

  12. Pat Huber says

    I love the oversize art in the Antonio Martins entryway. We bought a small painting in Colombia, in these colors, which the artist painted using motor oil on paper. Sepia colors can be so dramatic!

  14. Joan S says

    Hi, I just found your blog thru the "Contessa" . (Nice interview BTW). I have always enjoyed rooms with this kind of vibe, although never really thought about what goes into them. Your tips were really helpful! I find I always buy the same kind of thing at antique stores (vases, for example) and this will help me branch out. I'm looking forward to reading more of your blog.

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