10 Timeless Interior Design Styles You Need To Know
We are going over 10 timeless interior design styles in home decor to help you identify the one that works best for you and your home!
Every season, there seems to be a new trend in interior design that temps us to add a new item to our home. Maybe it’s the grand-millennial trend or the dreamy-like kitchens from the cottage-core Instagram craze. Like all things creative, home decor trends are constantly evolving, bringing back up-cycled versions of old trends and creating new ones.
Regardless, one thing is sure; certain interior design styles are always en-vogue.
In this post, we’re breaking down the best 10 timeless interior design styles. From what each interior design style is, their color schemes, to ways to implement them in your home… This post has it all!
Timeless Interior Design Styles: A Simple Guide
Modern French Country Style
Comfort and elegance will never be out of fashion, and that’s why the French country style is as timeless as you can get.
This style evokes the feeling of simplicity, effortless elegance, and that homey feeling we all love… with a dash of luxury. French country homes are usually a perfect blend of pale and muted colors leaning on the warmer side.
Pops of color are added with vibrant blues and serene greens in upholstery details and delicate chinoiserie pieces.
Go for curved lines, plush rugs with classic patterns, and velvety upholstery in creamy tones. Add contrast with rustic but polished wooden furniture and metallic accents in coppery shades. To make it more you, incorporate your favorite antiques, rustic motifs, distressed hand-painted details, and lightweight fabrics.
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Modern Interior Design
Furniture should have straight and sleek lines, making any room striking at first sight. Reflective surfaces like glass and metal are the way to give this decor approach some glam.
And when it comes to color schemes, the modern interiors are all about color blocking, using the primary colors to keep things visually interesting.
Farmhouse Decor Style
For this, your color scheme should consist of grey hues, greens, whites, soft blues, and yellows.
Include exposed wood beams, barn doors, chalk-painted distressed wooden furniture pieces, coppery accents, and rustic decor elements to tie this style together.
Don’t forget to bring inside some natural elements with floral arrangements.
If the full-blown farmhouse style is a bit too much for you, you can update the look with more modern elements but remember always to keep that lovely rustic feel.
Minimalism Interiors
Minimalism is an excellent choice if you’re dealing with a small area. Or, if you need a curated space to unplug your mind from a busy lifestyle.
To keep your home uncluttered and relaxing, follow these easy minimalism tips.
Strip down the furniture from any intricate details and find beauty in clean lines.
Stay within a neutral color scheme by evaluating if you need to go on the warmer or cooler side of the color wheel.
Monochromatic combos work best to keep things visually pleasing but not too busy. To avoid feeling bored with a minimalist approach to décor, have fun with textures! But, always keeping your chosen color palette in mind.
A mix and match of light and chunky fabrics, matte and glossy finishes, natural woods, and leather are always a good bet when it comes to this minimalist trend.
Contemporary
The contemporary style feels comfortable but not homey. It maintains simple lines and alluring sophistication but always making room to add some fresh trends.
This style is all about enhancing the unique beauty of the structure and shapes you’re working with. Make the structure of your room become part of the design, not just a place to showcase it.
High-shine metals combined with matte finishes, clear glass, geometric patterns, and dark wood pieces bare of details are one guaranteed way to nail the contemporary look because it allows the structure of every item to be the focus of attention.
When it comes to colors, there’re not that many rules to follow. Dark and light colors have a place in this interior design style, as well as bold hues.
Punchy shades work great, but it is best to use them in small doses and let subtle earthy hues be the color base of your space. By making the base colors flexible, adding trendy items will be a breeze.
Scandinavian Homes
Scandinavian decor works perfectly no matter the architectural style of a home, and it has one great advantage; it’s adaptable to trends. Because Scandinavian design focuses mainly on clean lines and simplicity while maintaining all living spaces feeling cozy and intimate, it allows for more customization. As a result, you can change things up without making your decor feel out of balance.
Off-white walls are the ideal canvas to work with when crafting a Scandinavian-inspired home. However, keep your color scheme on the neutral side, whether ashy or earthy tones, use artwork pieces to bring in some color.
Combine snuggly textures with wool chunky throw pillows, blankets, and sheepskin rugs.
Finally, mix and match finishes!
Opt for rustic wooden furniture pieces, and add a glossy shine to this neutral palette with copper and brass pendant lights. These elements combined will create a relaxing environment with the ideal dose of hygge.
Transitional Decor Style
Inspired by the traditional style with a modern twist, the transitional interior design style is a mesh of old and new. As a result, this style keeps some traditional elements like the old-world appeal but adds modern details. This helps, making the spaces feel fresh and less uptight.
To nail the transitional look, lean on a neutral color palette for larger surfaces and pick a color family of similar tones and hues to keep things cohesive.
As we see in the image above, white, taupe, warm grey, and light blue are color combo works beautifully with this style. Add that traditional-chic vibe with diamond tufted furniture and wing-back chairs.
In addition, mix in some reflective finishes in gold and silver for some glamour. This works exceptionally well when choosing lighting fixtures.
Finally, don’t be scared to make a stamen with modern art pieces! This will give your transitional interiors a more updated look.
The Eclectic Style
This style stands out because you make the rules, and your style is the guide. But, there are a few things to keep in mind to create a stunning eclectic space.
For color, go for rich terracotta shades, deep forest greens, dark blue hues, and muted peach tones. These shades work wonderfully together, but keep an eye on balance to avoid color overload!
Although this interior design movement doesn’t have rigorous rules, I recommend airing on the side of caution when mismatching too many colors.
Patterned rugs, indoor plants, plush upholstery in jewel tones, funky and fun throw pillows scattered around in perfect harmony are the way to go!
Rustic Style Homes
The ideal rustic home is part romantic, part functional. This style is sophisticated yet homey, thanks to a mix of rugged natural woods, organic textures, and earthy hues.
The key when working with rustic style is to curate an inviting space with casual charm.
To accomplish this, opt-in for large and comfy sofas and chairs. Go for dark-colored patterns for rugs, rich-textured fabrics like burlap, and use light-colored curtains to let nature in.
The color palette can vary, but browns, rich-golden hues, a mix of green shades, off-white and dim yellows are some of the most popular ones.
Include some magic with decor items such as simple wreaths made from local natural elements, lanterns, dried flower arrangements, and distressed accents.
Traditional Home Decor
Traditional interior design spaces embrace the idea of familiarity, elegance, and comfort.
If you love entertaining guests and throwing small gatherings for your loved ones, this style is calling your name!
Look out for elegant and classic pieces, especially those European-inspired like upholstered ottomans, tiffany-style lamps, chandeliers, and chesterfield loveseats.
Curved and carved details in tables and chest drawers are a huge plus that will help add some drama to your traditional setting.
Stick to muted dark colors with jewel tone accents if the natural light in your space allows it.
If this is not possible, lean on soft beiges and off-white hues to expand the light reflection but keeping that secluded and inviting feel.
I most definitely love French Country, Farmhouse, Shabby Chic, Rustic, Traditional, and a little Boho. Flowers are a must in every room. I must have beautiful things to look at and represent me. Trends and styles do come and go, but one must resist the urge to splurge on those $$$ideas.
I know I’m a combo I love the French style of your beautiful home, I’m definitely a Cottage lover I guess that’s why my name is Cottage Comfort’s Home 😄
A mix of scandinavian meets, vintage, meets, vintage meets, shabby chic farmhouse.
So much beauty in each style.
Informative article! I will keep for reference. Thanks for publishing this!