More than a catch-all term for a "mixed bag" room, eclectic spaces carefully blend contemporary style with traditional design to create an unexpected, refreshing new style.

"It's a mix of styles, a juxtaposition between one time period and the next," says Erinn Valencich, an interior designer in Los Angeles, Calif. "You're not tied to one style or period, so you have more freedom, and rooms don’t get dated."

Eclectic spaces start with one style, like Victorian, and twist and tweak it with something completely opposite, like the contemporary white chairs designer Steven Miller used in the space above.

The style had ethnic connotations in years past, says Valencich, but now it’s more about contrasting styles than strictly global décor. "It’s a look most people go for. "No one wants their home to look like it’s a furniture showroom," she says.

Read on to see beautiful eclectic spaces, and get tips to create your own unique style.