How to Decor Your Home The Classic Way

In an age where design has been leaning more towards a modern approach, you’ll be pleased to know that the classics have still not gone out of fashion and probably never will! Having your interior done in a classical way will always be, well, classy. If done right, you can add a timeless touch to your furniture and decor that can still look modern while maintaining a modern mood. It all really comes down to how you visualize and place it all. 

This may seem like a daunting task, and this is why we’ve collected a couple of pointers for you that will help guide you as you carry out your home decoration project without too much hassle, with a beautiful classical touch. Make sure that you take them into consideration as you design or redesign your home so that you’re able to achieve the outcome that you’re dreaming of. 

Touches of classic architecture

If you really want to have a classic theme for your interior and your home in general, then the smart thing to do first and foremost, is to have a classic foundation. So what exactly does this mean? It means you look at the architecture of your home, and see where you can add classical touches. 

• Crown Molding: You will actually be pleasantly surprised to see how much of a difference crown molding can do in terms of lending a classic feel to your rooms. You may think it unlikely for people to notice it, and it’s mostly done to the ceilings, and the most detail would be in the corners of the ceilings, but as they say, the devil is in the details. And it will certainly be noticeable because you have to start with the small details to finally be able to create a full, comprehensive classical picture of your home. Look into classic crown moldings that hold a Greek or Roman design. Keep it plain and simple, because this is just a touch of elegance that you will add.

• Doors & Door Handles: The entrance to your home makes a statement, whether people like to admit it or not. So make sure that you take the time to have a door designed to go with the classic theme, and if you’d rather keep it minimal, you could always invest in a door handle or door knock that has a Roman or medieval design, for instance. Anything that screams history is sure to fit in with the classical theme.

• Pillars: Pillars really do speak for themselves. You can have them at the entrance of your door, or at the beginning of a corridor, or have one set somewhere in the living room, if your space is large enough. You could even have smaller, thinner ones placed at each side of your fireplace.  

• Statues: The classical look is incomplete if you don’t have a couple of statues put up. The garden or the reception are great locations to place a statue that doubles as a fountain. Think about Greek or Ancient Egyptian gods, Gargoyles, or scholars from ancient times. Each tells a story and add a statement to your classical theme.

Curtains and blinds

Where and how you place your curtains and blinds really do make a difference in the way a room looks. And of course, what kind you decide to use. When it comes to shutters or blinds, you need to first think of what it is you’re looking for in terms of effect. This means you need to first understand how blinds & shutters have an impact on heat gain or loss and light block out so that you are able to place the correct ones in the right rooms, according to how much light and heat you’d want. After you’ve understood the mechanics, you should look into the style. Since we are going for a classic look, then it’s advisable to go for either roller blinds, which are plain, simple, and get the job done- regardless of whether you’re going for light block out or just vague lighting- or you can go for the classic shutter designs that you really can’t go wrong with. You can shop around on sites like https://www.mydirectblinds.com.au/double-roller-blinds/ for a larger selection.

The next step is picking out your curtains. Now, when you come to pick out your curtains, always do so keeping the theme of your furniture and the color scheme you’re going for in mind. So if you want to go full on classic, you can get a window treatment set, which gives you the robust curtains along with a valance to really give that Victorian effect. There is also no harm in going back and getting the normal curtain rod, and have them drawn back as well. Just be mindful with the color combinations so that it doesn’t clash with the furniture and decor.

Lighting

If you want to go classic in terms of lighting, then it’s important for you to have a good look at the light fixture collections available. Try to go online to see what kind of spot lights there are, so you can give a cool and subtle ambience in certain corners or right above art pieces, for example. It’s hard to mention classic without giving thought to a centerpiece chandelier, either in the reception or perhaps in the dining or living room, depending on the layout of your house and your preference of course.

You should definitely take a look at antique stores, if you have any around you. If not, there are plenty of resources online that give you a wide variety of options. Whether it’s vintage classic lamps or chandeliers, you’re bound to find a couple of pieces that will not only add a classic touch, but a ton of character to your home. 

Traditional colors schemes

Currently, the design has been is leaning towards bold colors on the walls paired with muted tones in the furniture, but when it comes to going for a classic look, you need to think twice about bold colors on your walls. The whole aim of the classic look is that the character and feel of it comes from the furniture and centerpieces, the details. So if you go for a bold color on the wall, this will clash. So it’s advisable that you stick to traditional color schemes that focus on creams, whites, and generally hushed tones that allow the rest of the room to speak for itself, while giving a comfortable and classy ambience to the overall look. This is not to say that you cannot have pops of color every now and then. There’s no rule book that says you have to stay away from color! You can do so with throws, cushions, carpets, or even the curtains- just be sure that you weigh out all the factors so that it isn’t over the top and that they all complement each other. 

Symmetry

The more modern designs are all about being quirky and placing things in odd places to make a statement. The classic approach has its secret in the fact that it’s all about symmetry. And once you set up your rooms, you’ll understand this more so when you actually have the visual. Make sure that you start off standing in the angle that you like- whether it’s where the point of entry will be or perhaps from another angle that is to your liking. From there, you will be able to paint a symmetrical picture on where to place each piece of furniture, and how to place the lightning and the decor as well.

Fireplace

It’s hard to paint a classic decorative picture without visualizing a fireplace somewhere- ideally in the living room, right in the middle of the wall. Of course with the help of technological advancements, there are many more options as to what kind of fireplace you can have. There are fireplaces that use gas instead of wood, or you could even get a screen installed to just give the look of a fireplace if you’d rather not have the real deal going on. To give the classic look though, you can put a brick design around it to make it look vintage and rustic, and play along with the rest of the decor of the house. 

Furniture

It’s certainly a given that the furniture is always going to be the star of the show, and there is no exception to this rule when it comes to designing a classic look for your home. This aspect should take the most attention from you, because the furniture is the most important factor here.  

• Dining set: When it comes to entertaining, even though the living room is valuable to pay attention to, you know that the focus is going to be in the dining room. Getting an antique or vintage feel dining table with the matching chair set is extremely important. Anything made out of the darker polished woods is bound to give off a classy and vintage feel, as well as a hint of being modern as well. Consider wooden based tables with worked glass tops, for instance.

• Dressers: These are great to have in the reception area or in the bedroom. The vintage versions are beautifully worked with details on the corners and sometimes even done in gold.

• Piano: You cannot have a classic setting without a good old, quality piano. The thing with pianos is that you don’t have to go antique on this. Many piano manufacturers still produce pianos that are similar to the ones made back in the days that have a classic feel to them.

• Bureau: Bureaus are great to place in the study or the library room, if you have one. They look beautiful and are very practical if you have someone in the house that needs a space to focus on work. The classic bureaus can be found online.

• Chests: In past centuries, these were used for storage, mostly keep in the attic, basements, or right at the foot of the bed in the bedroom. Now, you can buy them for display purposes. You can still use them for storage, but they’re just too pretty to keep out of sight!

• Display cabinets: No home is complete without at least one or two display cabinets. If you want to stick with the classic theme, there are plenty of vintage and antique designs available that you can look into.

• China: If you’re going to be serving and entertaining in your classic themed home, then you cannot do so without having a vintage set of China that is incredibly fragile and has a beautiful history behind it.

Decor

Decor for a classically themed home is a ton of fun to shop for. There is a world of history to go through from an array of countries around the world in terms of bits and pieces that you can have up on display.  Display cabinets serve that very purpose, and you can use your own touch to scatter different kinds of artifacts all around your home. 

Art pieces

You mustn’t forget to invest in a couple of classical art pieces by famous artists. Images from say, the Victorian times will suit the them just nicely. Or you could go for a more Asian approach and look for paintings done on silk- very classy.  Art pieces can include artifacts as well, such as swords or bayonets, or masks from Africa- the possibilities and options when it comes to artwork to complement your classical style are endless. So make sure that you take your time in collecting the right pieces to suit your final classical setup.

We’ve given you a comprehensive guide so that you can be more confident and well on your way to creating a more classically styled home with an original yet traditional and vintage theme. These are just the basics, so you can also add your own touch to make it your own. Be sure to keep all these tips in mind as you decorate, and you’re bound to come up with amazing results to have a timeless, classic, beautiful home.