Free and Fabulous: Interior Design Style 101: Your Guide to Styling a Gorgeous Home

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Interior Design Style 101: Your Guide to Styling a Gorgeous Home

You know the types of fashion you fancy most. But when it comes to your style at home, it's sometimes hard to translate the same aesthetic into your living environment. So just how do you identify an interior design style that represents you best? Follow our mini guide to understand which design tastes you absolutely love, the ones you can live without and when to mix them up to get the look you desire.

The Basics:

There are four main interior design style categories used to create looks that represent a person's lifestyle and personality: traditional, contemporary, modern and eclectic.

To create the perfect design for your home, start by selecting furniture and accessories that you love. It is important to pay attention to the details when combining these elements, as you want them to complement, rather than clash or detract from, the architectural design of your home. The right design choice combined with a solid floor plan will give you a space that's inviting, functional and absolutely beautiful.

Below, our quick-and-easy guide to the four standard design styles to give you the look for your home that you truly desire.

TRADITIONAL
Traditional interiors are more formal and vary from English and French to American styles: think turn-of-the-century furniture made of oak, walnut or mahogany -- like wing-backed or Queen Anne chairs with S-shaped cabriole legs -- with plush textural fabrics and ornate accessories for the former two and simple, straight lines for the latter. Homes with architectural crown moldings, arches, intricate tile designs, columns and built-in furniture are also key features of a traditional design style.

CONTEMPORARY
Contemporary interiors offer a more streamlined style that strips away all the embellishments found in a traditional look. This design says less is more and achieves it with clean lines and smooth surfaces for what some believe is a more comfortable, livable feel. Neutral-colored furniture made in geometric and blocked shapes, abstract patterns in carpeting and accent pieces with pops of bright color help create a room that is warm, inviting and without fuss, yet still sophisticated.

MODERN
Similar to the streamlined approach found in contemporary designs, modern decor's sensibility strips away even more, taking an extreme minimalist view on style. The most important element to this design is maintaining an uncluttered space. Modular furniture, glass accents and metals, like chrome and stainless steel, are key pieces found in this design style. Black and white color choices mixed with bright, bold furniture pieces are a staple in designing a modern look. Modern design focuses on the form of its featured pieces and highlights each one like a piece of art by allowing them room to breathe.

ECLECTIC
Eclectic interiors combine different decorating styles based on the pieces you love. The furniture choices and accessories may come from various time periods and eras, but the ultimate goal to designing an eclectic room is to have the selected pieces work harmoniously together -- to transport you to different parts of the world or tell a complete story. One of the hardest styles to pull off -- due to its melting-pot approach -- it requires a more careful touch and a singular theme, such as a color scheme, to unify the room.

Now that we've explored the different design styles, view our gallery for more design ideas that will help you determine which best represents your personality and lifestyle.

Whatever it is, be sure to pay attention to the details, keep it clutter free and love living in it!

Always... "Experience Something Beautiful"

Kesha Franklin

CEO and Brand Architect

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