Have you ever driven past homes or buildings that looked odd or “weird” to you? You probably have, but seeing that weird-looking building, probably made you curious as to what the interiors of the building looked like as well… It made you wonder if the building looked just as weird on the inside as it did on the outside.

A single-family residence located in Ribeira Grande ↑

What people fail to realize is that those buildings aren’t “weird” at all; the designers and architects of those buildings simply have an eye for eclecticism. Eclecticism is a rare character trait that you don’t see too often in designers or buildings, but when you do see it, you know it

This type of design can be seen in fashion and in makeup but it’s now becoming one of the hottest trends in architectural and interior design as well. To be fair, this design has been around for quite some time but for a while there, it seems to have faded away as though it lost its gusto… but it’s certainly making its comeback!

Eclecticism in architecture and interior design may not be the design plan you had in mind for your own home but there’s much to be said about it in reference to the attention it gets. Sometimes companies that are building from the ground up, want their building to draw attention as an architectural marketing technique.

House embedded into the beautiful French landscape ↑

True enough, you typically see this type of design in commercial buildings but certain residential homes have also been designed in this eclectic manner as well.

Some eclectic buildings from around the world with unique architecture worth your time visiting include:

• Habitat 67 in Montreal, Canada
• The “Batman Building” in Nashville, TN
• Nautilus House in Mexico City, Mexico
• House Attack in Vienna, Austria
• The Basket Building in Newark, Ohio

Sustainable ‘Earthship’ by architect Michael Reynolds ↑

The architecture and design of the buildings listed above are a little on the extreme side and aren’t what you would call trending in residential or commercial areas, but you can’t deny the beauty of their architecture. To come down to reality just a bit, there are indeed some impeccable trends happening in architecture and interior design that people are seriously incorporating into the structure and design of their own homes that you want to be in the know about.

Architectural and Interior Design Trends Making Their Way Back to the Spotlight

Boxed Beds

One of the biggest aspects of interior design is functionality, and according to thevintagenews.com, interior designers have been working tirelessly to find new ways to create space-efficient furniture designs. Well, it took them going all the way back to medieval times to find their inspiration.

A modern boxed bed ↑

There are, of course, more modern versions of these boxed beds in comparison to their medieval counterparts. Today’s box bed is designed more like a canopy bed but instead of the railing with draping fabric, beds are framed in marble, wood, and even metal with openings to enter the bed.

Indoor House Caves

Before you start to raise an eyebrow, just know that these types of caves don’t involve murky water or bats hanging around. Indoor house caves are simply homes with stone or rock walls. You’ll still be able to have running water, electricity, and air conditioning, it’s just a more archaic design with an emphasis on biophilia.

Shingle Homes

Typically, when you think of shingles, in relation to homes, you think of the roof of a home. But shingles are actually great for your roof and the exterior walls of your home. Covering the exteriors of your home in shingles can regulate the temperature of your home in cold weather.

Shingle home by Studio MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple ↑

It’s also important to know that shingle homes are quite beautiful and come in a variety of different colors, shades, materials, and tones. So don’t think you’re going to be stuck looking at a “roof house.” These homes are not only very eclectic in design and appearance but they also bring life back to ancient craftsmanship.

All of these trends are definitely getting more exposure and people are actually seeing the beauty in them despite their “weird” undertones. The thing about the term “weird” is that it’s all a matter of perception and preference. What’s weird to you may not be weird to someone else.

The Triangle House by Robeson Architects ↑

Nonetheless, if you’re in the architecture or interior design business, you want to keep these trends in your back pocket to land your next project. If you’re working towards getting into the industry, be sure you do everything you can to obtain your contractor license or degree/certification in interior design.

This industry isn’t going anywhere, and the sooner you can jump in, the sooner you make your own contributions to this eclectic industry of beauty.