A living room is a room whose furnishings give invited guests an impression of the preferences of the owner of the house and his social status. If you want to decorate your living room according to the time-tested rules of the upper classes, strictly and monumentally, but at the same time dignified and respectable, your choice will certainly be the classic direction of design.
Classicism in the interior stems from antique and European styles. It can be based on English, French, German or Russian. In any case, compliance with the rules of symmetry, geometry and aesthetic decency is mandatory. This style requires serious consideration and financial investment, because true value cannot be bought at a sale. But such an interior will always tell guests about the wealth of the owner and his excellent taste.
Interior decoration of the living room in a classic style
Parquet mosaics with openwork patterns and coated with shiny varnish are an ideal solution for floors. However, natural marble coating will emphasize the aristocracy of the atmosphere just as well. If you need to add softness and comfort, you can lay a small carpet or animal skin on the floor.
The walls are covered with wooden wall panels, painted or covered with wallpaper. In the latter case, the wallpaper may have an intricate vertical pattern, preferably one tone different from the main color. Finishing with decorative plaster is also possible. Arched doorways, columns and pilasters emphasize classicism very well.
Classic luxury is incompatible with low ceilings in the room. Usually not too much attention is paid to ceiling repairs. But a luxurious ceiling covering dramatically changes the look of the living room. It turns an ordinary room into a royal apartment. Plaster stucco, artistic paintings or bas-relief, dazzling white color make the living room look like a state room in a palace.
Window frames and doors are only allowed to be wooden, with bronze handles or imitating gilding.
Classic style furniture
There should not be too much furniture, but the feeling of emptiness is highly undesirable. A chest of drawers, a sideboard, a console and upholstered furniture - this may be quite enough. The more open space, the more impressive each item, selected with special care, will look. A fireplace, a piano, a bookcase with books, a sideboard with exquisite porcelain or crystal decorative items will also look quite appropriate here. When choosing, it is recommended to adhere to the criteria of elegance and correctness of form. In addition, it is important to maintain symmetry in the setting.
Armchairs, a sofa or sofa, with ottomans and decorative pillows should promise softness, complete comfort and relaxation to their guests. Furniture made from solid wood, with metal or stone inlay, carvings will satisfy the most demanding tastes. Often, antique or artificially aged items are used in the decor of classic living rooms. Leather upholstery always looks solid and expensive, but it should fit into the overall style of the living room. It is possible to use natural fabric, plain or with a relief embossed pattern.
Furniture usually accentuates the center of the room. If the living room is large enough, it can be visually divided into several zones, for example: a relaxation area by the fireplace, an area for coffee or tea drinking at the table, an area for reading and playing chess, an area by the piano.
British interior basics
Residents of Great Britain are famous for their excellent sense of style and delicate taste.
The interiors of English houses have long served as examples of beauty, practicality and comfort.
Design traditions in Foggy Albion have evolved over centuries. They are still quite durable today, although these days architects and interior designers offer many cutting-edge solutions.
An example of subtle taste, practicality and comfort of a living room in a family castle.
Spacious living room in Victorian style of an elite club of lords preserving English traditions. Preserving the spirit inherent in the heyday of a maritime power does not tolerate counterfeiting: antique furniture, handmade carpets, interior decoration with stained oak - everything must correspond to the era.
The English style is most clearly and expressively manifested in the living room. This is usually the most spacious room in the house, the main room where friends and relatives are received. The living room serves as a kind of business card, by which visitors form an opinion about the owner’s taste and his well-being.
Elegant living room with fireplace in English style. The decor is valued at high-quality furniture upholstered in traditional tapestry and antique vases.
Emphatically light rustic style in the design of a modern home. The dimensions of the living room allow you to emphasize the elegance of the lines of expensive furniture.
In the modern interior of the living room of a young artistic family, you can always find traditional features. Pay attention to the Chester sofa, curtains made of heavy textiles and the palette of colors in the wall decoration.
British interior design has several basic elements, without which it is impossible to decorate a living room or other room in a modern English style:
- Use of wood. Since a living room in this style demonstrates the strength and centuries-old foundations of England, high-quality wood is certainly used in the decor of the room. It is necessary not only in furniture. Sturdy wooden shutters, good oak floors, paneling on the walls - there is a place for high quality wood everywhere. Even English wallpapers sometimes depict light, slender groves and graceful tree branches.
- Expensive furniture. The traditional English style in the interior of the living room involves very high-quality, durable furniture of magnificent, famous, preferably original production. But there is no need to pile up chairs, tables and sofas. Less is better, but more expensive - this is the principle of choosing furniture for British rooms, especially for the living room. Interior design is not something you should skimp on.
- Abundance of textiles. English curtains, pillows, tablecloths have long become classics. Textile traditions in this country are unusually strong. The living room should be filled with coziness and comfort, and without dense fabrics with elegant floral and geometric patterns this is impossible, the British believe. No wonder embroidery has become one of the main hobbies of British women.
Color scheme suitable for classic style
The interior of a classic living room tends towards gentle tones. Too dark colors are not used, as they visually reduce the space and do not look as luxurious as light ones. White color, imitation gold and gilding are a natural color for the classics. It is also possible to use sand, light yellow, olive, burgundy, pale pink, bronze colors. Pastel shades coupled with a brown palette are also one of the possible design solutions for the living room.
Color solution
A classic interior is characterized by calm tones and the absence of harsh combinations. Peach, beige, sand, olive, honey, cream, sky blue are preferred . They match natural stone and wood. In the living room, white and beige furniture looks most advantageous. Bright acid shades and harsh combinations are inappropriate, although a combination of light and black is used.
Features of choosing a wardrobe in the living room, options for filling it
Rules for combining colors for a classic room:
- The sandy gray color scheme can be complemented with green.
- Milky pink will be combined with several elements of smoky blue.
- Golden beige goes well with light blue as a decor.
White furniture is used very often. This is a universal option even for a room in coffee tones
In traditional beige tones
Sand gray living room with green
In milky pink tones
Blue with hints of gold
White living room
Features of lighting in a classic style
The living room should be well lit both during the day and in the evening. Elongated windows do an excellent job of organizing natural light. For artificial light, you need to select a central lamp and several additional ones.
A chic central chandelier with horns in the form of candlesticks is the finishing touch to the image created by the luxurious ceiling. Crystal pendants and gilding play with the shimmer of light coming from numerous lamps in the form of candlesticks. Chains and other forged elements reinforce the impression of antiquity and durability.
For additional lighting in your spacious living room, it is better to choose sconces or table lamps in the form of candlesticks. It is possible to use table lamps, the main thing is that the style is consistent.
Choosing textiles for decorating a living room in a classic style
Classic design uses expensive natural materials such as velor, velvet, brocade, satin, printed silk, fur, leather. Correctly selected curtain compositions with lambrequins, decorated with festoons and fringes, will visually increase the height of the ceiling and the size of the windows, emphasizing pomp.
Heavy curtains combined with snow-white tulle look good in the formal setting of the living room. All this splendor is fixed on forged or carved rod cornices.
Royal chambers: basic style requirements
First, you need to understand that not a single ready-made furniture store will be able to fully realize your desire. Therefore, you need to turn to real experts in your field, employees, for help. They know what a demanding client who knows a lot about quality furniture needs, and therefore will prepare a completely unique bedroom project and create custom-made furniture in a classic style in accordance with your wishes, the capabilities of a particular room and the best production traditions.
A classic-style bedroom should be light, spacious and free from unnecessary furniture. Only in free space can you see all the charm and sophistication of the interior, and learn the true value of each item. A ceiling with stucco molding will highlight the sophistication of the room's design.
Accessories for a classic style
A large painting of a traditional art movement (landscape, still life, portrait, hunting scene), bordered by a massive frame finished in bronze or gold, will become an excellent visual centerpiece of the room. Mirrors will make the room visually wider, and large wall clocks will contribute to the conservatism of the style. A figurine, crystal vase, antique-style box or bust of some outstanding figure on a table or fireplace will become an organic addition to the interior. A family portrait, made in the spirit of the era, will become a highlight and emphasize the individuality of the setting. But you don't need to get carried away with accessories. 2 or 4 truly interesting items are enough (don't forget about the rule of symmetry).
When bringing to life ideas for decorating a living room, it is important to remember that classicism is a reflection of respectability, nobility and dignity. Restraint and impeccable taste should be your main assistants. Relying on them, without a doubt, you will turn your living room into a favorite place to relax with your family and loved ones.
