A traditionally decorated home is filled with classic patterns, elegant lighting, tried-and-true color combinations and detailed wood furniture. Traditional design includes symmetry, ornate details and furniture layouts that facilitate conversation. As a result, a traditional space feels collected and distinguished, yet welcoming and familiar.
Traditional design doesn’t mean formal; you can adjust this classic style to your taste and lifestyle preferences. While traditional style typically complements the details of older homes, you can also layer traditional elements into new construction. Read on to learn more about incorporating traditional design in your home.
What is Traditional Design?
There are several hallmarks of a traditionally designed space. A curated blend of traditional furniture, a refined color palette and carefully selected accents will all lend to a traditionally decorated home.
Traditional Furniture
- Traditional furniture includes period pieces such as curved and detailed furniture. Examples of these pieces may include a clawfoot table, a tufted sofa, or a leather ottoman.
- Regal furniture that is accented by detailed woodwork is in many traditional spaces.
- Traditional design plans include symmetrical furniture layouts.
Traditional Colors
- Traditional style features rich dark colors, ranging from dark wood floors to jewel-toned upholstery to antique wood furniture.
- Classic color combinations such as blue and white, green and white, or jewel tones, such as red, green or blue are prevalent in traditional homes.
Traditional Accents
- Traditional decor features intricate patterns on the rugs, upholstery and wallcoverings.
- Traditional design draws on18th and 19th-century European influence, evidenced in pieces such as antiques and classic art displayed in symmetrical ways.
- Heavy and plentiful window coverings, such as silk or velvet drapery are common in traditional spaces.
For traditional decor enthusiasts, Grandmillennial style is a subset of traditional style that appreciates traditional decor, chintz, chinoiserie and latticework. The word Grandmillennial is a combination of grandmother and millennial, meaning millennials who have a penchant for their grandmothers’ traditional pieces.
How to Create a Traditional Space
You can accomplish a traditionally designed space through incorporating intricate mouldings, classic finish selections, such as polished nickel or antique brass, layering the lighting and selecting antique furniture.
To prevent a room from feeling like a time warp, mixing traditional pieces with contemporary accents can keep the space current. An example is pairing an antique dining table with modern chairs or juxtaposing a room of rich, wood furniture with lucite accent pieces.
When designing a traditional space, don’t be afraid to mix patterns, be generous with color, and be generous with layering.
Where to Shop for Traditional Decor Pieces
A traditionally designed home has a layered, collected feeling.. Below are tried-and-true retailers that have an affinity for traditional home decor.
- Ralph Lauren Home reflects redefined American style, time-honored craftsmanship and exceptional quality.
- Chairish is a design lover’s curated marketplace for the best in vintage and contemporary furniture, decor.
- 1stdibs is a global marketplace where collectors, design enthusiasts and design professionals can shop a vast selection of unique and exquisite items offered by many of the world’s top sellers.
- Ballard Designs reinterprets classic designs in a contemporary way, so pieces feel at once fresh and timeless.
If you’re looking to create a traditional space, follow this guide to create a home filled with classic patterns, elegant lighting, tried-and-true color combinations and detailed wood furniture.
