Classic Living Room Interior Design Ideas
A classic living room should have wood floors. You can go for a herringbone pattern or parquet floor for an intricate design that is still in keeping with tradition. Make the wood floors pop by choosing cane armchairs with wood accents and keep the rest of the furniture in your room white and basic. Oriental rugs are also classic in modern design but choose a more neutral taupe and gold rug over a black, red, or navy rug which can make the room feel dated.
Bring in a baby grand piano to be the focal point of your room if you play or want to learn. You should hide away any modern conveniences such as a flat screen TV. You can make the room feel classic just by taking out the TV and putting it in the family room. This means that you'll actually be able to have conversations in your conversational seating area. Then you'll want to orient the room around the fireplace. Keep the fireplace traditional by using marble or granite tiles. You can make a traditional living room interesting with subtle pattern. You can sew a band of color on each side of a curtain to tie in the color of the piano with your room decor. Add throw pillows on the sofa in a harlequin pattern for a sense of whimsy.
A classic living room can have modern touches. Start out with basic taupe walls and bright white trim. Add in classic white furniture and dark hardwood floors. Accent the space with modern oversized silhouettes such as artwork and bring in a faux zebra rug to show off your wild side.
A living room can have an old world feel when you add in classic leather furniture accented with nail head trim. Decorate with oversized maps. You can even find leather end tables and coffee tables that look like they have the imprints of maps on them. Add warmth to the room with oak paneling that will make your room feel like a library. This will almost have the feeling of a study. You can include floor to ceiling bookshelves, a desk, and a globe to complete the look.
If a classic living room feels boring then change up the color palette, but you'll still want to stay in the neutral family. Look for a taupe with a touch of gold. You can skip the classic chandelier if you have high ceilings and go with sconces instead. You can find sconces that mimic hanging outdoor lanterns. Scroll work is becoming traditional instead of hanging artwork on the wall. This adds texture and sheen to the wall without being too in your face. You can tie the metal of the scrolls in with your window treatments. Hang your curtains by tying them to doorknobs instead of a traditional curtain rod. These drapes won't open and close, so they are perfect if you are trying to save fabric by just decorating each side of a window. Windows that are higher up may not require as much privacy and you can create one long line from floor to ceiling.
Classic living room furniture should come in neutral colors. You can create a Hollywood feel in your room by decorating with silver, metallic and gray. Your room will still be neutral; it will just be a neutral color that your guests have rarely seen. This allows you to make neutrals interesting. Look for fabrics with sheen to them such as brocades, silks and velvets so the room doesn't look dreary. Accent the room with soft colored flowers in peach or rose to give subtle life to the gray color.
The shape of classic living room furniture has curve lines instead of modern straight lines. You may even want to find pieces with intricate carved wood details. Comfort is always important but is not the first priority in classic living room furniture. You should stick with opulent fabrics instead of easier to clean microsuede which is too modern for this type of decorating style.
Patterns can work with classic design as long as they are formal. You can bring in oriental rugs and damask furniture to add elegance to the room. You can even use a red paint color on the walls just as long as you pair it with lots of gold. The red tone should be burgundy with plenty of brown hues. This will make the room feel warm and cozy without jarring the senses. Layer the red color with dark wood trim and stain on the mantle. Another traditional patterned fabric is a paisley print. You can mix up your living room set by adding in a muted, faded paisley that is hardly visible. Change out a traditional sofa and loveseat for a taupe sofa and two paisley wing back chairs. Bring out the muted greens and terracottas for the wall colors and accessories. This will create a unique color palette that is still neutral; you're just combining neutrals in a way that is rarely seen.
Traditional home decor focuses on mirrors and chandeliers. You can make the look interesting by painting your walls to mimic faux sandstone bricks. This will give your home the feeling of a castle or French chalet. Bring in muted terracotta furniture and cream painted end tables to complete the look. You can make the ceiling feel aged by using a cream or taupe paint instead of traditional white.
A classic living room will be in style for years to come. It has a formal feel that is still livable. You can show off your personality by pairing neutral colors together in unique ways and going with subtle themes that still get your point of view across.
