Other Home Decor Styles

Other Interior Design Styles

 

With so many choices available for home decorating, it may be difficult to decide just what your favorite style is. Read here for information about other styles of decorating, find handmade products or books about each style, and take it one step at a time.

Retro Style

Picture Example of Retro style living room

Retro style of interior design means that you take some elements from the past few decades and implement them into the present. By using a retro color palette, adding period pieces and displaying artwork from any past era 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's and even 90's, will give great start with just a little bit of time and effort. You can use anything you like from your parents or grand parents attic or you can buy item that resemble the era that you want to achieve. Since there is so much to choose from, ultimately it comes down to your own interpretation of the past.

Color Scheme Each era represents the general mood, so the colors from the 30's - depression period - are much darker than the colors after the war, people were happier, and so were the colors.

Furniture Highly polished chrome was used often for various purposes. The furniture - often abstract in style with weird and unusual shapes like low lying round or oval coffee tables. Teak and Pine were popular materials along with disposable materials like cardboard.

Assessories Geometric patterns and shapes were ever popular influenced by "space age" during the fifties and sixties. Also this era is know as “the decade of the housewife” and that definitely shows when it comes to kitchen. Everything in the kitchen was designed to be functional - including microvaves, dishwashers, refrigerators etc.

See what we have at Design Style Guide: Retro Style

 

(Top)

Tropical Style

Picture Example of Tropical style living room

A room designed with tropical decor will create the tranquil atmosphere of a paradise. With inspiration from Caribbean, Hawaii, Bali, and Fiji – you will feel like I can escape everyday life and relax.

Colors - natural colors. Hues may be deep and rich or lighter, brighter depending on your preference. Other colors come from tropical foliage -lushly green with brilliant flowers in a rainbow of colors. Other popular colore are Blue, Yellow, White, Green, Red, Orange

Furniture - Furniture in tropical style rooms is made of teak, wicker, rattan, or seagrass. Sofas feature an open wood frame with upholstered cushions. Sofas and beds can also be framed with rattan, woven from wicker, or covered in seagrass fiber. Arm chairs, coffee tables, and ottomans are sometimes made entirely of wicker or seagrass.

Accessories - Whether you choose real plants or life-like faux versions, choose a container made of wicker, bamboo, or rattan to continue the tropical theme. Other items often used are beach objects such as shells, coral, driftwood, coconuts, and rocks. You can also add decorative wood carvings, and pineapple designs. Decorate walls with botanical prints framed in bamboo or wood. The bed is often crowned with a white mosquito net. Also consider adding a fish aquarium or parakeet for a truly authentic finishing touch.

Fabrics - Floral patterns are usually found on fabrics used for tropical upholstery and window treatments. These natural patterns may be subdued or vibrant with hues of red, orange, blue, and pink. Silk fabrics are regularly used as well. Theses silks are available in solid colors or botanical patterns. A modern tropical design might feature solid silk fabrics in hues of bright green, pale yellow, or rich red.

See what we have at Design Style Guide: Tropical Style,

 

(Top)

Eclectic Style

Picture Example of Electic style living room

If you cannot decide on specific style for your room, choose Eclectic style. It is a blend of decorating styles from a mixture of sources and time periods. Feature pieces that has something is commonalities to create unifying look. You cannot just throw random items in your room and think that you are done. All aspects of your design need relate to each other in pattern, color, scale, finish, or texture while providing contrast. Make sure you do some research how to achieve this look just right.

Colors - The color schemes are usually diverse, but neutral colors are important to unite different looks and give them a unifying feeling. Wall colors are mostly white, gray, cream, black, brown or taupe.

Furniture - One of a kind furniture, Antiques used sparingly, sets of similar pieces, collectibles, worn surfaces combined with refined surfaces and so on.

Accessories - Traditional and modern elements together, one of a kind accessories, pillows, vases, art work from different areas, colletibles of any kind to add interest.

Fabrics - Rough fabrics mixed with elegant textiles, interesting mixes of patterns and textures which have a similar hue in common, you can add beaded trim or fringe for extra details.

See what we have at Design Style Guide: Eclectic Style,

 

(Top)

Romantic Style

Picture Example of Romantic style beroom

This style is best described in two words Feminine and romantic. A comfortable style that appeals to the senses through soft fabrics with floral patterns. Romantic Interior can be a combination of different styles.

Colors - White, cream, gray, pink, purple, rich red, dark blue, chocolate, golds,

Furniture - painted furniture, focus on a few items with graceful curves, but if you want men feel comfortable in your room too add some striped fabric, an overstuffed chair and dark wood accessories for example.

Accessories - floral rugs, lush bedding, a lot of pillows, flowers, art or photographs of flowers or anything else that turns a romantic atmosphere a notch, low light lighting or candles, layered window treatments,

Fabrics - English floral prints combined with lush chenille textures, soft, supple fabrics, silk should be high on your list, chenille, matelassé and velvet.

See what we have at Design Style Guide: Romantic Style,

(Top)

Eco or Green Living Style

Picture Example of Eco Style dinning room

Eco-friendly decorating allows you to feel good about making earth-friendly choices when decorating your home. This time it is not as much about the sprecific style you choose for your room. It is more about the choices you make when you buy your home decor items. It is also about creating a look that is chic, natural and beautiful. It’s all about creating balance in our lives, and in our homes.  Everything we buy has an impact on the environment, so we need to make our choices carefully.  Avoid anything with formaldehyde or synthetic finishes, or anything that will off-gas, such as paints, cabinets and furniture with VOC’s (volatile organic compounds). Used recycled materials whenever possible. What you are looking to achieve is the combination of both green materials AND longevity in those green materials. Green materials without longevity are not green.

Colors - Inspired by nature, the colours are those we would find outside – greens, browns, blues – either muted or bright.  Patterns are also inspired by nature – bold florals, leaf designs and  birds are popular.

Furniture - If you must buy new, then look for furniture that is made from sustainable materials or recycled resources, with natural finishes.  Better yet, buy antiques or old furniture, or have old pieces “re-purposed”.  Slipcovers made from organic fabrics are a great idea.

Accessories - Again, artwork, sculptures, pottery, table linens are all inspired by nature, using organic materials and forms.  Re-cycle, be creative, and buy hand-made, local items if you can.

Fabrics - Natural rubber for cushions and mattresses, hemp, organic cotton, organic linen, and tencel are all great choices.  Avoid “treated” fabrics and those that have been bleached with chlorine.

(Top)

Mediterranean Style

Picture Example of Mediterranean Style bedroom

Calm, serene, carefree, and casual are all characteristics of Mediterranean design. It is influenced by the turquoise waters, vibrant flowers, and sunlit days of the south of France, Spain and Italy. Terra cotta tiles, rough cut stone, wrought iron, pine furnishings, and textured walls combine to create a Mediterranean style.  Flooring is kept simple with light pine planks, terra cotta tiles, natural stone, or marble. Walls are textured and rough with a plaster finish or the look can be achieved with a faux finish.

Color Scheme Yellows, oranges, and deep reds much like what you would see in a seaside sunset. Lavender, deep purple, cornflower yellow, greens, terra cotta and French blue. Try adding a bit of sand to the paint to give your walls a textured look or use a color wash technique.

Furniture Light pine wood pieces influenced by Spanish, Greek, Italian, and French country. Armoires are common with this style as are pieces with wrought iron accents or inlaid tiles. Pieces that mix both wood and iron are excellent choices.

Assessories Colorful crockery, braids of peppers, garlic and onion, flowers, pillows made from tapestry style fabrics, burnished bronze urns, wrought iron chandeliers, mosaic tiles, and filigree light fixtures.

Fabrics Fabrics can range from light, airy silks to heavy tapestries. Since Mediterranean design style is influenced by many different cultures patterns in textiles used in this style will reflect that as well.

(Top)

See Also:

• Europe Inspired Decorating Styles
• Nature Inspired Decorating Styles
• Historical Decorating Styles
• Ethnic Decorating Styles
• Modern Decorating Styles
• Theme Rooms