What Are the Most Popular Styles of Interior Design?EUGENE CHRINIAN

What Are the Most Popular Styles of Interior Design?

Every great interior design project has to begin somewhere. Perhaps the most important step to take before initiating your remodel is to decide on a general style. To find the one that is right for you, you will need to ask yourself a series of questions. Do you prefer plain lines or a more decorative flair? Do bright colors make you feel alive, or would you prefer the tranquility of neutrals? What type of aesthetic do you think would best suit your home?

You can use the answers to these questions to narrow your ideas down to a number of common interior-design genres. Here are a few of the most popular of these styles and some ideas for using them in your home:

Industrial

In recent years, the word “industrial” has encompassed a meaning that strays beyond the worksite and into the home. As a style of interior design, it incorporates raw materials and cool color schemes to create an unfinished, yet sophisticated, atmosphere in any space. Most commonly, the industrial style heavily features weathered wood elements, bare brick walls, and dark metals. Another common feature of many industrial homes is an open floorplan that highlights exposed structural elements, such as wall and ceiling beams. With its influences ranging from vintage to modern, this style is entirely customizable to your own tastes.

For a more understated industrial style, you can very affordably add a few metallic lights or sink fixtures and wooden floors. You can also incorporate distressed wood in your kitchen, vintage lighting in your living room, or repurposed storage units in any space. To balance the “cool” feeling of industrial influences, you can add warmth with bright patterns and edgy works of art. Image courtesy Wicker Paradise | Flickr

Coastal

Also commonly known as nautical style, coastal interior décor echoes the aesthetic of the cozy seaside escapes of New England. Taking direct inspiration from the ocean, this style can feature everything from maritime decorations to natural elements. The traditional coastal look involves adorning your home with all manner of ocean-inspired motifs, such as seashells and lighthouses. For a more modern take on this style, you can allude to the airiness of the beach through use of such features as light draperies and unfinished wood furnishings.

You can further emphasize this look by bringing in the familiar color scheme of brilliant whites and sandy tans. Blue is another staple of the coastal style, so you should be sure to use it as an accent color. Most commonly, you will see this hue used in the form of horizontal stripes, but you can take a more modern approach and use it in different patterns across your fabrics. You can create an even more daring coastal style by featuring a more unexpected color, like coral, to mirror the brightness of the ocean.

Image courtesy Design Folly| Flickr

Mid-Century Modern

The mid-century modern style brings back the retro look of the period between the 1940s to the 1970s. This aesthetic first emerged as a means of breaking through the more traditional style of interior design and catapulting homes into the modern era. Mid-century modern interiors therefore feature a number of unique aesthetics, including simple lines and natural silhouettes. Another important aspect of the mid-century modern genre is a seamless blend of interior and exterior, which makes large floor-to-ceiling windows a must.

There are countless ways in which you can bring each of these elements into your mid-century modern home. Stick within a color scheme of olive green, orange, and brown and complement their earthiness with wooden accents. You should also look for retro pieces that feature eccentric designs and bold, colorful patterns. Sunburst mirrors, bulbous lamps, and teak furniture are only a few items that you can use to create a mid-century modern interior. However, amidst these pieces, you should also incorporate a few other design genres to prevent your space from seeming too dated.

Image courtesy thomasfj | Flickr

Traditional

Sometimes referred to as the classic style, traditional interior design takes influence from the look of old European homes. This style has lasted for centuries thanks to its focus on orderly, comfortable spaces with a casual atmosphere and hints of sophistication. Perhaps the most iconic feature of traditional interior design is the unique look of the furniture, which often incorporate soft edges and interesting embellishments. As such, you should opt for pieces such as wing-backed chairs and tables with claw footing to achieve this look.

When designing your traditional home, you should continue the ornamentation of the furniture into your architecture as well. Try exploring the use of intricate wall molding, Greco-Roman columns, and sweeping arches to add an element of drama to any room. Another key element of traditional interiors is color, which typically remains within the realm of unfussy neutrals. However, you can still add pops of yellow, green, or purple to add some variety to your rooms.Image courtesy Steve Larkin |

Flickr

Contemporary

People commonly confuse modern and contemporary interior design, but there are distinct differences that set these styles apart. The modern style specifically refers to the entire movement that came into prominence during the early 1900s, but contemporary is an ever-evolving term that encompasses the current design trend at any time. More importantly, it is about adventuring far outside of traditional design practices.

In general, today’s contemporary interior design emphasizes the idea of “less is more.” When trying to achieve this style, you should incorporate smooth forms, subtle patterns, and ample negative space. Each of these elements will come together to help each furnishing and decoration stand out. Geometric shapes are also important to a contemporary home, but you should keep them as simple as possible to avoid a more traditional look. It is also important that you offset your basic lines with unique accent colors and one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture.

Image courtesy Olya Sanakoev | Flickr