My old living room featured modern art and coffee table paired with a traditional roll arm sofa, floral pillows and an antique rug. Photo by Michael J. Lee.

My favorite way to decorate a space is to incorporate different modern and traditional elements in various ratios to create a unique and interesting mix of old and new, contemporary and classic. Finding the right balance of pieces can be tricky, so here are some pairings of items that I think work really well. If you are a more traditional person, maybe it’s just an abstract piece of art added to an otherwise traditional room. Or if you have more modern furniture, try an antique Persian rug to ground the space.

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