Comforting and classic are the hallmarks of a traditional style home. These cozy pieces never seem to go out of style and beg for the space to be calm and orderly. Nothing wild or outlandish, just an elegant space meant to be an escape from the world. Traditional rooms are not ostentatious but often feel somewhat formal. Furniture pieces are often reproductions or “new takes” on furniture from an earlier time.
Let’s be clear, a traditional room is not a place to showcase a piece of modern art or stainless-steel furniture. There is always a way to mix style, but if you are going for a truly traditional look, keep other elements in mind. Things like upholstered furniture with classic lines and quiet details. Edges are soft, smooth, and blend together.
When looking for fabric designs, think florals, plain colors, muted plaids, understated stripes, and small all-over patterns. Multi-color florals are often a great starting point of a traditional color scheme.
Wood furniture will also follow these classic lines. Wood is the place to go a bit more ornate with light carving details, but nothing outlandish. Wood pieces are typically seen with darker stains. Lighter stains can be used as long as the look remains classic.
Most traditional style homes feature a living room with a sofa, loveseat and two chairs. Space can then be complemented with a coffee table, side tables, ottomans, rugs and more. Consider a recliner that doesn’t look intruding; nothing oversized. At least one accent chair will help center the room and help it look like a place for conversation as opposed to watching TV. Wingback chairs are perfect for this décor. A chesterfield sofa is also a classic piece of furniture that would complement a traditional style home.
In the bedroom, traditional furniture will mean a simple bed with understated dressers and drawers. The shaker style is perfect for a traditional bedroom with its lack of ornamentations. A Louis Phillipe bed also works nicely with a traditional theme.
The dining room in a traditional home is generally a separate room, often with some corner cabinets for storage and display. A traditional dining room table will be large and formal. That doesn’t have to mean bulky, instead roomy for accommodating lots of guests. Look for rectangular tables with matching chairs. Bentwood and high chairs with upholstered seats are the most common. If you have the space you may also want to consider a buffet table for the dining room.
Interiors in a traditional home typically feature trim and molding that is painted glossy white. Walls might have a chair rail and ceilings are often white. Look to accessories like lamp pairs, plants, mirrors, framed prints, China, and vases. Symmetry is important in this style and everything should be balanced in some way. Keep it simple, clean, and slightly formal and you’ll have your traditional space decorated in no time.
