Traditional interior design takes inspiration from 18th and 19th Century European households. It’s all about including timeless and classic furniture in your home and pairing it with contemporary architecture. This design style is meant for those who appreciate classic art, distinct lines and textures, antiques and furniture that exudes an opulent history.
The Elements That Define Traditional Interiors
Combining traditional elements with some contemporary architecture and design is what makes this design style so beautiful. You can play around with a variety of neutral colours and include furniture pieces that represent 18th and 19th century Europe. This style is all about using rich textiles and ornamental elements around the house.
THE USE OF COLOUR
Traditional interior design is all about the use of neutral colours with little bursts of bold colours here and there. White, beige, ivory, light brown and any other earth-toned colours should make up most of the interiors. This goes for the furniture as well as the walls, ceilings and decor.
Additionally, bold colours like emerald green, royal blue, violet and red are considered the best choice. However, these colours need to be used sparingly either in a single piece of furniture or in some piece of decoration in a room. Metallic colours like gold, silver and bronze are also used very often in traditional interior design. Tables, shelves, wall units or the wainscoting in a particular room are great for including metallic colours in the house.
GET RID OF MODERN FURNITURE
When it comes to the type of furniture that is included in traditional interior design, you have to think of period pieces. They can either be antiques or pieces of furniture that look like they belong to a certain era. Any modern or minimalist furniture should be removed from this style of interior. The traditional style is all about opulence.
An accent bench that is royal blue linen tufted bejewelled with rings and studs, seems like the perfect fit for such a style. Wingback armchairs would be an excellent choice for seating. Steer away from upholstered and modern-looking bed frames or bed bases. Four poster beds or metal bed frames with an elaborate foot and headboard.
RICH TEXTILE AND PATTERNS
When we talk about traditional interiors, you have to imagine a room full of heavy fabrics with a mixture of floral patterns, striped patterns or both. Traditional interiors combine the beauty of soft patterns with bold and striking ones. If you’re designing your living room in the traditional interior style, consider going for light coloured sofa with floral patterns and similar coloured armchairs with thick stripes. Stay away from geometric and mosaic designs.
As far as textiles are concerned, good quality cotton, linen, silks, satin, velvet and wool is what you’re looking for. Whether it is bed linens or your sofa cushions, you need to find materials that have a rich look.
ACCESSORIES AND DECOR
No house is complete without the right accessories and decoration. Traditional interiors are a lot about displaying antique and unique items all around the house. This includes things like light fixtures. Elaborate chandeliers and antique lamps are perfect for the common area such as the lounge, living and dining room. You have to put up decoration that is ornamental. Small things like gold candle stand, silver kitchenware, copper pots, etc., are what give the lace a more ornamental look.
In addition to all the shiny decor, you need pieces that have vintage value. Antique cupboards, chests and display items are a must in traditional interior decoration.
Room By Room Styling Tips
Incorporating traditional interior design with modern architecture can be a bit of a challenge. So, we have come up with a few tips on what changes you can make to different of your house to include this design style.
A TRADITIONAL LIVING ROOM
When it comes to the living room, taking inspiration from 18th and 19th Century European decoration styles seems quite simple. There are different types of furniture pieces meant for the living room that takes direct inspiration from this era that can be easily found and placed in your living room.
The idea is to grab one’s attention from every direction. Look for furniture pieces that may not have the most striking colour but have a design that catches the eye. Light-coloured yet heavily patterned armchairs, coffee tables with gold etching on them, a large ornate mirror and more make up the room. Add some colour to the room with either a colourful sofa, an accent chair or a stylish and colourful lampshade.
DINE LIKE THE ROYALS
Symmetry is a very big part of traditional interiors and the dining room being the one common area meant for a slightly more formal gathering, you need to keep things symmetrical and clean. Sharp lines, simple designs and furniture that is functional and timeless are almost a necessity for the dining room set.
Lightweight furniture is not what you’re looking for when it comes to designing your dining room in the traditional interior style. Go for big solid wood tables made of pure mahogany, oak, ash or teak. Crystal decorations along with ornamental light fixtures will just add to the rich atmosphere. Sideboards are a must-have as well. Opt for wooden sideboards that sit well with the dining table. Usually, rectangular dining tables with upholstered dining chairs are ideal for this particular interior design. However, if you do not have the space, square or rectangular solid wood dining table sets would also do.
A TRADITIONAL KITCHEN SETTING
The colour scheme of a traditional-style kitchen can often be mistaken for the light tones of a Hamptons-style kitchen. However, colours like taupe, shades of grey, cream and green with a touch of antique are what make this style unique. While the kitchen doesn’t give you the option of using antique furniture, you can play with the hardware. The cabinet and drawer handle, light fixtures and taps can all be little pieces of history in the kitchen. Oxidised metal fixtures look excellent with the colours of the benchtop and the cabinets.
Furthermore, the kitchen is where you’ll see modern elements such as small appliances and an island. The kitchen is where you get to juxtapose the modern elements with bits of traditional interior style such as the antique hardware and fixtures along with the warm and light colour scheme.
SLEEP IN LUXURY
Simplicity and functionality are what you need when it comes to the bedroom. A four-poster wooden bed or a bed with a well-defined headboard and footboard should be the centrepiece of the room. The room should allow a lot of natural light through windows that can be covered with light and breezy curtains. Colour-wise the overall look should be toned-down with just one or a maximum of two colours standing out. The bedroom is where you can go for bright colours like yellow, green, turquoise blue, teal and so on. However, don’t overdo it! Instead of going for solid-coloured bed linens and chair cushions go for simple patterns that include the colour you’re going for.
Additionally, if there is more space in the room, seating is a must. A chaise lounge with an armchair of the same colour as the bed linens should make the room look cohesive.
Create Your Own Traditions
While there are a lot of things to remember when styling your home in traditional interior style, you need to keep things unique as well. Opt for furniture pieces that represent your style and yet fit well with traditional interior design. The combination of antique or old-world items with modern elements is a very pleasing sight. The suggestions made in this article are tips you can use and customise the traditional interior style to your tastes.
