Modern home design has its perks, but it can feel a little stale, sometimes. This is why many are turning to the past for inspiration. From hanging glass chandeliers to covering windows using timeless S Fold curtains, Australian homeowners are rediscovering time-honoured techniques to add a touch of classical flair to their modern houses.
If you want to follow suit and fill your house with classic elegance, but aren’t entirely sure where to start, then you’re in the right place. Keep reading for some tips on how to capture the magic of the past in your modern home.
Take Advantage of Colour
Most contemporary modern homes feature mainly neutral colour palettes. This isn’t surprising: it’s hard to go horribly wrong when you stick to white, black, grey, etc. At the same time, however, neutrals can get boring when overused.
If you look at pictures of older houses, you’ll notice that homeowners used to be much less sparing with colour. Adding a touch of green, blue, yellow, or red can really spruce up your surroundings. Just make sure not to overdo this either! When in doubt, simply use the 60-30-10 colour rule to help you maintain balance between all your primary, secondary, and accent colours. As a general rule of thumb, however, you’ll want to keep your walls neutral so that your more colourful pieces of furniture can shine.
For a harmonious look, stick to a single colour theme when decorating a room. For instance, in a bedroom, your carpet, curtains and pillow cases might all be different shades of yellow. If you do decide to mix and match, it helps to reference a colour wheel.
You also don’t want to overdo it with bright colours. If you’re having a hard time getting the balance right, let nature be your inspiration. Aim for shades you’d see while taking a walk in the woods or by the ocean.
There are few pieces of furniture that can transform the entire look of a house like curtains can. When it comes to choosing them, you have plenty of options. This can feel overwhelming, but investing the time and effort it takes to match your curtains to your overall aesthetic can really take your home to another level.
As we mentioned, S Fold curtains are a fantastic way to add a touch of class to your home. They’re so named because of their signature uniform waves when hung up, providing a perfect balance between the peaks and troughs in the folds of your curtain panels.
Alongside S Fold curtains, pinch pleat and traditional pencil pleat curtain styles are also great for adding a touch of classical flair to contemporary residences. Just get creative with your curtain and decor mixing and matching in order to see what kinds of interior atmospheres you can create.
A classical interior look isn’t just about using mid-century furnishings. As any good interior designer knows, creating a well-rounded interior relies on being mindful with accents and accessories (i.e. decor) just as much as it does on furniture selections. If you’re wondering why some houses have more character than others despite generally containing the same kinds of furniture, the answer often lies in their accessories.
There are countless ways to spice up a house with vintage pieces. These can be as simple as thrifting a pair of antique vinegar jars and repurposing them as flower vases, or buying a set of prints from an old ornithology handbook to hang on your walls.
To find accessories that match your house’s classical look, you’re going to have to be creative. Visit thrift shops, antique stores, estate sales, and other places where you’re likely to find pre-loved items. You can even look online.
Keep an open mind: sometimes, you’ll stumble upon that perfect rug or a lamp that looks perfect in your room while you’re out walking, not even thinking about buying furniture.
An oft-ignored aspect of getting the classical look right is symmetry. Considering how you can incorporate symmetry into your home design will not only help to create a sense of harmony, but it may also make your house look bigger. This is because your space will appear as one whole and cohesive unit rather than being made up of smaller, individual ‘zones’.
When designing a symmetrical living space, you’ll want to take a top-down approach. Start with the architectural layout of your home, if you can. We recommend including a centrepiece in every room that you can build around, like a fireplace or a column.
Then, move on to larger pieces of furniture: have two couches facing each other at the same angle, place a bedside table on either side of your bed, etc. Finally, use your smaller accessories to enhance the sense of order in every room. Your accents and smaller decor will help to tie your space together, providing a unique element to every corner of your symmetrical designscape.
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Applying design techniques from older eras is a fantastic way to create a unique and vibrant living space. Remember, the tips provided in this article are only a starting point: there are innumerable ways to add classical flair to your home.
Be sure to explore the rest of our blog for more tips and tricks on how to make your home’s interiors feel more dynamic and evolutionary. This trend of merging vintage and modern elements has even made its way to social media. Hop on TikTok or Instagram, and you’ll find plenty of home design influencers turning to classical home designs.
And as we mentioned, it also isn’t hard to find the perfect pieces to build a home worthy of the Italian Renaissance or New York in the 1920s. While furniture shops, thrift markets and other physical furniture and retail stores are definitely worth a visit, there are also plenty of places online where you can find the perfect furniture to complete your classical aesthetic. So take your time to build up all the vintage and classical elements that suit your fancy.