A living room is a room whose furnishings give invited guests an impression of the preferences of the owner of the house and his social status. If you want to decorate your living room according to the time-tested rules of the upper classes, strictly and monumentally, but at the same time dignified and respectable, your choice will certainly be the classic direction of design.
Classicism in the interior stems from antique and European styles. It can be based on English, French, German or Russian. In any case, compliance with the rules of symmetry, geometry and aesthetic decency is mandatory. This style requires serious consideration and financial investment, because true value cannot be bought at a sale. But such an interior will always tell guests about the wealth of the owner and his excellent taste.
Interior decoration of the living room in a classic style
Parquet mosaics with openwork patterns and coated with shiny varnish are an ideal solution for floors. However, natural marble coating will emphasize the aristocracy of the atmosphere just as well. If you need to add softness and comfort, you can lay a small carpet or animal skin on the floor.
The walls are covered with wooden wall panels, painted or covered with wallpaper. In the latter case, the wallpaper may have an intricate vertical pattern, preferably one tone different from the main color. Finishing with decorative plaster is also possible. Arched doorways, columns and pilasters emphasize classicism very well.
Classic luxury is incompatible with low ceilings in the room. Usually not too much attention is paid to ceiling repairs. But a luxurious ceiling covering dramatically changes the look of the living room. It turns an ordinary room into a royal apartment. Plaster stucco, artistic paintings or bas-relief, dazzling white color make the living room look like a state room in a palace.
Window frames and doors are only allowed to be wooden, with bronze handles or imitating gilding.
Let's decide on finishing materials
Traditionally, expensive fabrics, natural materials and handmade finishes are used to create an interior in a classic style. However, there are more modern and budget options for living room interior design in a classic design.
When choosing materials for wall coverings, it is recommended to focus on the following options:
- Wooden panels for walls. Such panels can be either dark or light. It depends on the color scheme already chosen. Natural material will emphasize nobility and also make the living room more comfortable.
- Decorative plaster. Currently, there is a huge selection of decorative plaster on the building materials market. When choosing it, you just need to arm yourself with patience and money.
- Painting. The most expensive option for wall decoration. You need to find a master whose work you trust, and also buy quite expensive materials for painting. When the work is finished, you will be amazed by the elegance and elegance of the room!
- Textile. Upholstering the walls with fabric will give the room warmth and comfort.
- Wallpaper. The most common option for everyone nowadays. The choice of wallpaper on the market is simply huge. When purchasing, you should carefully monitor the quality of the material, the thickness of the wallpaper and the accuracy of the design.
Important! In order for solid wood panels to retain their original luster, it is necessary to provide them with proper care. Wet cleaning should be carried out without the use of aggressive detergents (it is enough to wipe the panels with a slightly wet cloth). It is recommended to use special products to ensure shine and smooth texture: polish and wax. This treatment can be carried out at a fairly large frequency - once every 3-4 months. This will help get rid of minor scratches and surface damage.
Successful solutions for wall decoration are presented in the photo:
The ceiling must be decorated with stucco or painting. Even in a small living room of a small apartment you can make the ceiling luxurious! The materials used for stucco molding are standard: gypsum, polystyrene foam.
The floor is best finished with natural materials: wood or stone. However, if you are interested in a more budget-friendly option, you can use laminate or tile. Having chosen the right color scheme, it is recommended to lay a carpet, since the classic style implies its presence.
When creating the style of windows and doors, you should pay attention to wooden doors with painted finishes or steel elements.
Classic style furniture
There should not be too much furniture, but the feeling of emptiness is highly undesirable. A chest of drawers, a sideboard, a console and upholstered furniture - this may be quite enough. The more open space, the more impressive each item, selected with special care, will look. A fireplace, a piano, a bookcase with books, a sideboard with exquisite porcelain or crystal decorative items will also look quite appropriate here. When choosing, it is recommended to adhere to the criteria of elegance and correctness of form. In addition, it is important to maintain symmetry in the setting.
Armchairs, a sofa or sofa, with ottomans and decorative pillows should promise softness, complete comfort and relaxation to their guests. Furniture made from solid wood, with metal or stone inlay, carvings will satisfy the most demanding tastes. Often, antique or artificially aged items are used in the decor of classic living rooms. Leather upholstery always looks solid and expensive, but it should fit into the overall style of the living room. It is possible to use natural fabric, plain or with a relief embossed pattern.
Furniture usually accentuates the center of the room. If the living room is large enough, it can be visually divided into several zones, for example: a relaxation area by the fireplace, an area for coffee or tea drinking at the table, an area for reading and playing chess, an area by the piano.
Decorating a classic interior
For all its luxury, the interiors of living rooms made in a classic style will not look complete unless they are complemented with appropriate accessories .
Walls with moldings and wallpaper undoubtedly look great, but their surface is empty and, naturally, paintings will help fill it. They should be in massive, expensive frames and depict hunting scenes and landscapes. Portraits of household members, painted in oil on canvas and artificially aged, will be a worthy decoration of the interior. But it will be real chic if authentic paintings by great masters of painting appear in the setting. Since there can be several paintings in the room at once, they need to be placed symmetrically.
portraits are an integral part of classic interiors
Mirrors are also welcome in classicism. They must certainly be large and in an expensive frame.
Consoles, tables and a mantelpiece, which are certainly present in a living room furnished in a classical style, are decorated with vases, candelabra, figurines and boxes made of bronze, porcelain and silver. It should be noted that such elements should not be in excess. In this elegant style, the impeccable taste of the owners should be evident in everything. To decorate the fireplace, it is enough to put an antique clock and a pair of forged candlesticks on it. The object of decoration can also be family photos in black and white, enclosed in wooden frames and displayed in a small composition on the chest of drawers. Books displayed on the shelves of massive cabinets or wooden shelving look no less organic and appropriate in a classic living room.
fireplace in the living room interior in a classic style
Since living rooms decorated in a classic style are averse to modern objects, care should be taken that none of them come into view and disturb the traditional decor. Electrical sockets should be hidden, and all modern appliances should be hidden in niches, special pull-out sections of furniture, behind draperies and panels. Doing this in a spacious room is not at all difficult.
Color scheme suitable for classic style
The interior of a classic living room tends towards gentle tones. Too dark colors are not used, as they visually reduce the space and do not look as luxurious as light ones. White color, imitation gold and gilding are a natural color for the classics. It is also possible to use sand, light yellow, olive, burgundy, pale pink, bronze colors. Pastel shades coupled with a brown palette are also one of the possible design solutions for the living room.
Features of lighting in a classic style
The living room should be well lit both during the day and in the evening. Elongated windows do an excellent job of organizing natural light. For artificial light, you need to select a central lamp and several additional ones.
A chic central chandelier with horns in the form of candlesticks is the finishing touch to the image created by the luxurious ceiling. Crystal pendants and gilding play with the shimmer of light coming from numerous lamps in the form of candlesticks. Chains and other forged elements reinforce the impression of antiquity and durability.
For additional lighting in your spacious living room, it is better to choose sconces or table lamps in the form of candlesticks. It is possible to use table lamps, the main thing is that the style is consistent.
Characteristic nuances
"Imperial style" is associated with the personality of Bonaparte. This allows designers to use military paraphernalia in the decoration - weapons with inlay, helmets with gilding, stucco decorations in the form of crossed swords. Stylized images or small figurines of eagles, sphinxes, and lions refer to the military theme. These characters are present in the design of furniture, door handles, and moldings.
In Empire design there are no such strict requirements for the obligatory cluttering of space with decor and accessories as in Baroque and Rococo. This pushes the boundaries of its application. Firstly, you can decorate both spacious and small living rooms. Secondly, elements of style can be present in a room for any purpose: living room, kitchen, study.
But in this style it is not customary to first combine rooms with different target loads and then divide them into zones. It is better to leave the kitchen, office, bedroom and everything “extra” behind the walls. The living room is a place exclusively for royal receptions. It is also advisable to remove modern technology from view - TV, computer, etc.
Choosing textiles for decorating a living room in a classic style
Classic design uses expensive natural materials such as velor, velvet, brocade, satin, printed silk, fur, leather. Correctly selected curtain compositions with lambrequins, decorated with festoons and fringes, will visually increase the height of the ceiling and the size of the windows, emphasizing pomp.
Heavy curtains combined with snow-white tulle look good in the formal setting of the living room. All this splendor is fixed on forged or carved rod cornices.
Accessories for a classic style
A large painting of a traditional art movement (landscape, still life, portrait, hunting scene), bordered by a massive frame finished in bronze or gold, will become an excellent visual centerpiece of the room. Mirrors will make the room visually wider, and large wall clocks will contribute to the conservatism of the style. A figurine, crystal vase, antique-style box or bust of some outstanding figure on a table or fireplace will become an organic addition to the interior. A family portrait, made in the spirit of the era, will become a highlight and emphasize the individuality of the setting. But you don't need to get carried away with accessories. 2 or 4 truly interesting items are enough (don't forget about the rule of symmetry).
When bringing to life ideas for decorating a living room, it is important to remember that classicism is a reflection of respectability, nobility and dignity. Restraint and impeccable taste should be your main assistants. Relying on them, without a doubt, you will turn your living room into a favorite place to relax with your family and loved ones.
Darker Living Room Color Design
For people with irrepressible energy and a unique character, a darker color design is suitable. Look at the photo of a living room in the Art Nouveau style, made in a “royal” design. Thanks to the special color of the wallpaper, reminiscent of silk fabrics with elements of gilding, an atmosphere of majesty and splendor is created. Plasterboard ceilings with stucco and ornaments are conducive to peace and tranquility. A magnificent chandelier in the middle of the room sparkles with thousands of sparkles emanating from crystal pendants. A soft corner located in front of the fireplace encourages relaxation and communication. If you need to fill out some document, a comfortable table in the corner is suitable for this. Near it are luxurious chairs with original legs and backs. In this design of the living room in the Art Nouveau style, one feels unusual luxury and brilliance.
The Art Nouveau style in the living room is completed with the help of various accessories and decorative elements. Such decor includes glass vases, lamps, copper and porcelain figurines, stylish watches, paintings, and living plants. A sculpture of Romeo and Juliet, a half-naked bather, Adam and Eve would look great in such a room. All models that represent natural elements: earth, water and air will be a good choice for decorating such rooms. A huge mirror framed with a beautiful wrought-iron frame with candlesticks will go perfectly with the main decoration of the living room. When decorating a living room, they do not shy away from huge TVs and other benefits of modern civilization.
