Traditional Style Decorating
Tips and ideas for this still popular style
A big formal residence is the best backdrop for carrying off a
traditional home decorating scheme. You can use traditional style in the
bedroom, perhaps with a Victorian canopy bed to give the room a summery
feel. Flooring that looks similar to Spanish tiles can add the perfect
amount of texture to a traditional kitchen. If you really like color, don’t
be afraid to use it. Favored colors in traditional decorating lean towards
the jewel tones.
Balance, proportion and
moderation are all highlighted by the traditional style.
Furniture styles vary from the Empire, Renaissance, and Louis XIV through to
the XVI. For the living room, leather is ideal for the traditional look. To
some, the furnishings might seem somewhat out-of-date, while others will
take pleasure in an interior that holds the benefits of classic style.
Warm,
dark, rich finish woods, often with elaborate carvings, are featured in
traditional style rooms. Because Asian furnishings are considered
traditional, they look right at home with this decorating style.
Traditional style interiors are soothing and classic, stylish and
sophisticated, with nothing wild or disordered.
Traditional and formal
styles can be comparable in some respects. The point where the two styles
part ways is in the extent of interpretation: formal can be rather stiff,
while traditional rooms are less imposing and somewhat more casual.
Traditional style certainly remains at the top of the list in America’s home
decorating. Some guidelines on enlivening this respected decorating style
include:
- Match up old with new. Antiques and their replicas can be used together
effectively and are key to achieving the best possible traditional look.
- Avoid clutter when accessorizing. Keep trimmings to a minimum for a
successful and stylish traditional room.
- Select colors prudently. For a comfortable, more up to date approach to the
traditional style, try softer colors.
- Mix and match fabrics and textures. Go for upholstery, highlights and
drapery fabrics that work well together.
- Try an eclectic take on traditional. Each piece of furniture in a room does
not have to match a standard traditional vein.
Lights suggestive of candles are appropriate for this decorating
style. Framed paintings are essential to the traditional style, with prints
hung symmetrically or balanced with matching accessories. Upholstered squat
armchairs, sometimes with wings, and settees with scrolled ends are also
used for the traditional style.
The French countryside, the exotic lands of the East, and eighteenth century
England are all sources for traditional furnishings. French country, British
colonial revival, 18th century English and 19th century neoclassic are
amongst the most fashionable traditional styles today.
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