life styles

21st Century Styles

Casual Styles

Formal Styles

Retro Styles

Common Furniture Pieces – Furniture pieces are generally low profile, have very straight, very strong, clean lines, some curved lines, no adornment or carving of any kind, legs of the furniture are fully visible, deep seating; tuxedo sofa, clever hidden storage solutions
Common Materials - Glass, steel, lacquer, chrome, nickel, tone, concrete, brick, wood, cotton, silk, linen, jute, and wool
Common Colors - Gray, beige, brown, greige, black, white, with jolts of bright colors
Common Patterns – Rarely used, sometimes geometric
Common Window Treatments – Bare windows or roller shades, narrow blinds, simple curtain panels
Common Flooring – Concrete, polished tile or wood
Common Rugs - High quality shag rug, rug with interesting geometric or abstract patterns
Common Lighting - Recessed lighting, track lighting, arc lamp, other contemporary chandeliers, pendants and table lamps are usually sleek in nature with clean lines
Common Artwork - Large, oversize pieces of artwork including black and white photography or abstract art
Other Elements/Accessories – Negative space, minimal accessories, sculpture, glass bowls, vases, plants including Madagascar dragon tree, the string of pearls plant, and fiddle leaf fig, “green” design is also important

Common Furniture Pieces – Pieces have simple silhouettes, with curved lines and straight lines, perfectly scaled (not too big or small), traditional pieces have been made more contemporary, standard kick pleats and nail head trim are used, style sofa, the swoop arm sofa or chair, or stand-alone ottomans to be used as extra seating
Common Materials – Various rich woods, stone, glass, mirrors and mirrored furniture, steel, marble, chrome, lacquered pieces, cotton, linen, and wool, but also add in leather, chenille, silk, suede, jute and burlap
Common Colors - Beige, taupe, cream, khaki, and all shades of brown, particularly chocolate brown, gray, black, bright colors used sparingly
Common Patterns – Arabesque, stripes, greek key, and herringbone
Common Window Treatments - Simple drapery panels, but with a traditional feature like pinch or French pleats, plain or hobbled roman shades, simple textured woven wood blinds, such as bamboo shades.
Common Flooring – Wood, tile or carpet
Common Rugs – Wool, silk, natural fiber rug like jute or sisal, pattered or solid rugs both work well. · Common Lighting – Chandeliers with mini lamp shades, crystal chandelier, traditional sconces, contemporary lighting fixtures with a traditional element to them
Common Artwork - One large picture or perhaps a set of 2 coordinating paintings for one wall with mattes
Other Elements/Accessories – Minimal accessories, including vases, sculptures and glass bowls, orchids, ferns and fiddle leaf figs

Common Furniture Pieces – Pieces are large scale, low profile, and simple lines although more straight than curved, tables are open and airy, often constructed of metal base with a glass or wood table top, or a wood base with a glass top, tree trunk as side table, open metal or wood bookcases, retro pieces like Egg chair or Pantone chair, platform beds
Common Materials – Metal, glass and wood, mixed metals finishes, brick, stacked stone, cotton, linen and wool
Common Colors - White, black, gray, deep red, mustard yellow, and navy blue
Common Patterns – Tribal patterns and geometric designs
Common Window Treatments – Bare windows or simple sheer or opaque curtain panels in a neutral color or roller shades
Common Flooring – Concrete or wood
Common Rugs - Cowhide rugs (faux or real), sisal rugs, shag rugs, and tribal print cotton or wool rugs
Common Lighting – Exposed bulb Edison pendant lights or floor lamps made from old pipes, crystal chandelier, track lighting, contemporary lighting, oversized light fixtures
Common Artwork – Oversize, one-of-a-kind art pieces, travel pictures
Other Elements/Accessories – Ethnic accessories including Mexican woven baskets, African masks, or hand-carved wood sculptures; anything vintage, faux fur throw blankets, hand-blown glass globes, air plants or cactuses, bar cart

Tuscan Interior Design Style

Common Furniture Pieces – Farmhouse style dining table, ladder back chairs, slipcovered sofa, large leather sofas and chairs, wooden benches for dining table or as accent pieces, and rocking chairs
Common Materials – Stone materials like marble, granite, limestone or travertine, wrought iron, wood, plastered or stucco walls, clay, brick, hammered copper, leather, linen blends, and sometimes damask, and cotton
Common Colors – Beige, cream, terracotta, burgundy reds, burnt orange, gold, pale yellow, and olive green
Common Patterns – Tile mosaic, paisley, subdued floral prints and subdued stripes
Common Window Treatments – Bare windows or wood shutters
Common Flooring – Tile such as terracotta tiles, stone, such as travertine or, slate, medium or dark wood floors, brick
Common Rugs – Antique-style rugs in warm colors or cotton rugs in neutral tones
Common Lighting – Wrought iron chandeliers, ceiling medallions, table lamps with iron or clay bases, and wrought iron wall sconces
Common Artwork – Images of Tuscan countryside, antique style paintings, still life pictures of wine, grapes, or cheese, and tapestries
Other Elements/Accessories – Ceiling murals, arches, large earthenware vases, urns, colorful Italian glazed pottery, water features, old chests, wine décor, cypress trees, topiaries, lemon trees, flowers including rosemary, lavender, bougainvillea, and jasmine

Western Interior Design Style

Common Furniture Pieces – Large, overstuffed couches and chairs with warm colored fabrics and nail head trim, club chairs, wood tables, live edge tables sometimes inlaid with turquoise, cowhide covered pieces from chairs to ottomans, wooden trunks, coffee and console tables made from tree trunks and tree roots, and beds, tables, and benches made from logs
Common Materials – Rough wood, iron, stone, worn leather, suede, animal hides, particularly cowhides, thick hand-woven textiles made from cotton and wool
Common Colors – Browns, beiges, deep red, warm greens, gold, caramel, and turquoise
Common Patterns – Plaid, stripes, and any traditional southwestern patterns
Common Window Treatments – Bare windows or simple plaid or plain curtain panels, with or without a valance, or just a valance on its own
Common Flooring – Medium to dark tone wood floors, tumbled stone
Common Rugs – Southwestern style rugs, sheepskin rugs, cowhide rugs
Common Lighting – Large oversized iron chandeliers, iron and rope chandeliers, antler chandeliers · Common Artwork – Black and white or color photography, particularly of animals, horses and rodeos, oil paintings of the great outdoors, and western paintings depicting classic western scenes
Other Elements/Accessories – Stone fireplace, rough wood beams on the ceiling, wood planked ceilings, wood paneling on the walls, horse or cowboy sculptures, wood carvings of animals, animal heads, cow skulls or bull horns on the wall, saddles, horseshoes, Navajo inspired baskets, Navajo pottery or any native American pottery or artifacts, antler framed mirrors, thickly woven throw blankets, plants

Scandinavian Interior Design Style

Common Furniture Pieces – Pieces with clean lines, smooth rounded edges, and splayed tapered legs, low profile, multi-level storage, Eames DSW chair, the Jacobsen 7 chair, leather sling back chairs, Jacobsen Style Egg chair, poufs
Common Materials – Wool, cotton, linen and leather, wool or sheepskin rugs, thick knitted cotton blankets, mohair throws, and linen, cotton, or leather covered furniture
Common Colors – White, black, grays and browns; yellow, red and blues are commonly used as accent colors · Common Patterns – Black and white stripes
Common Window Treatments – Generally bare windows or linen and sheer drapes in pale colors
Common Flooring – Wood floors with tile in bathrooms
Common Rugs - Natural fiber rugs such as cotton, wool or sheep skin
Common Lighting – Branching chandeliers or other interesting architectural light fixtures, large round paper lanterns, simple chrome wall sconces, oversized copper or brass pendant lights, arching floor lamps, tripod floor lamps, contemporary track lighting, candle light
Common Artwork - Large abstract paintings or a gallery wall with a bright, coordinated color scheme
Other Elements/Accessories – Mirrors, plants and flowers, a simple twig wreath.

French Country Interior Design Style

Common Furniture Pieces – French pieces with lovely lines and curves with fluted or country cabriole legs; weathered wood pieces, particularly whitewashed or colorwashed, low-sheened or distressed, with aged metal pieces of furniture, usually wrought iron; avoid using coordinated furniture sets of any kind; fauteuil chair, Bergere chair, Simple wooden chairs with rush seating and fiddle-shaped back splats, farmhouse table
Common Materials – Weathered wood, wrought iron, cotton, linen, tapestries, matelassé, burnished bronze or pewter, stone, and stucco walls
Common Colors - Warm whites, beige, warm grays, blues, reds, pinks, orange, yellow, sage, and lavender
Common Patterns – Pastoral toile, gingham, florals, checks and stripes
Common Window Treatments - Linen or cotton drapes that have loose tie-backs, relaxed roman shades, and wood shutters
Common Flooring – Natural stone floors, such as slate and limestone, brick and wood
Common Rugs - Wool or cotton woven rugs. But you can definitely use natural fiber materials like sisal or jute
Common Lighting – Wrought iron and crystal chandeliers, chandeliers with mini lamp shades, French empire chandeliers, wrought iron sconces, and bronze lantern pendants
Common Artwork - Landscape paintings, old world portrait, folk animal art consisting of cows, pigs, and roosters, or images of those items ubiquitous in the French countryside such as olives, grapes, lavender and even beetles
Other Elements/Accessories – Flowers, including sunflowers, poppies, geraniums and irises, exposed wood ceiling beams, wall-hung plates blue and white porcelain plates, jugs, woven baskets, wire baskets, open shelving in the kitchen, copper pots, grandfather clocks, more understated or burnished gold gilt mirrors, empty bird cages, colorful to the floor tablecloths on side tables, ornaments above doors, French apothecary jars, and wrought iron or oversized candle holders, and rooster decor

Farmhouse Interior Design Style

Common Furniture Pieces – Rocking chairs, farmhouse dining table, wood benches, Shaker chairs, industrial-style metal chairs, white slip-covered chairs, vintage dining room buffet, American antiques, simple skirted chairs and sofas, wooden trunk as a coffee table, a wood or iron four poster bed, large wooden cabinets
Common Materials – Wood, including reclaimed wood, tumbled stone, galvanized metal, cotton, linen blends, and leather
Common Colors – White, beige, cream, rose pink, muted green, various shades of blue, butter yellow, or a deep red
Common Patterns – Stripes, checkered patterns, subdued florals
Common Window Treatments – Wood shutters, roman shades, relaxed roman shades, bamboo roller shades, light colored cotton drapes
Common Flooring – Wide plank wood floors, tumbled stone, terracotta tile, brick floors, concrete · Common Rugs – Braided rag rugs, braided wool rugs, or simple traditional style rugs
Common Lighting – Lanterns, either as hardwired pendants or not, mason jar pendants, wrought iron chandeliers, crystal and iron chandelier, chunky candle holders, French empire chandelier
Common Artwork – Classic countryside images such as barns, farm animals, and flowered hillsides
Other Elements/Accessories – Brick or stone fireplace surround with a heavy wood beam for the mantle, claw foot tub sliding barn door, bead board wainscoting, quilts, wire baskets, metal pails, mason jars, vintage milk bottles, wildflowers and roses

Coastal Chic Interior Design Style

Common Furniture Pieces – Furniture employs soft curves as well as simple lines, with lots of slipcovers liberally used on both sofas and chairs, rattan chairs, wood and glass tables, and some antique pieces
Common Materials - Rattan, wicker, various shades of wood, but lighter woods are definitely more common such as beech and pine, and reclaimed, or unfinished wood which is reminiscent of driftwood; glass, cotton, raw natural linens, and outdoor fabrics like Sunbrella
Common Colors – White, cream, beige, khaki, brown, gray, various shades of blue, deep orange or coral shades, green
Common Patterns – Stripes, nautical prints, or chevron
Common Window Treatments - Light linen or a gauzy fabric curtains, bamboo blinds
Common Flooring – Wood or waterproof, low-pile carpet in a beige or taupe color
Common Rugs – Natural fiber rugs
Common Lighting - Simple lantern pendants, a capiz shell chandelier, glass or coral inspired table lamps, pared down French chandelier
Common Artwork - Pictures of sea life or beach inspired art, black and white pictures of the beach or ocean, a collection of sea inspired prints in a grid pattern, oversized framed nautical map
Other Elements/Accessories – Mirrors hung across from windows, weathered wood or driftwood framed mirrors, rattan baskets, bead board or wainscoting, planked wood walls, plants

Bohemian Interior Design Style

Common Furniture Pieces – Anything goes! Try velvet sofas, simple wood chairs or barstools, French settees, slipper chairs, Bergere chair, Victorian style antiques, hammock chair
Common Materials – Wood, wrought iron, burlap, sisal, leather, silk, velvet, cotton, linen blends, and sheepskins
Common Colors – All colors work, bright colors like purple and red are key
Common Patterns – All patterns including ikat, floral, southwestern, stripes, tribal, animal prints, zebra prints
Common Window Treatments – Multi-colored, velvet, or sheer curtains; layer your window coverings – hang a plain roman shade under heavier curtains or hang light billowy curtains over wooden shutters
Common Flooring – Weathered wood floor, brick, funky tile, or carpet
Common Rugs – Any rugs including antique Persian rugs, geometric print rugs, floral rugs
Common Lighting – Moroccan style lanterns, oversized funky pendants, eclectic lamps with quirky lampshades, crystal chandeliers

Common Artwork – A little bit of everything including black and white photography, portrait or landscape oil paintings, 1970’srock bank posters, abstract paintings

Other Elements/Accessories – Colorful, Moroccan inspired throw pillows, colorful or black and white striped throw blankets, lots of plants, macramé plant holders, hanging terrariums, colorful paper lanterns in your outdoor space, old guitars or tambourines hung on the wall, Moroccan poufs or floor pillows, oversized leaning mirror, exposed wood ceiling beams, any collections, colored glass, Buddha or Hindu sculptures, any handmade items, glazed vases or boxes, ocean décor like seashells, vintage maps, stacks of book, ornate gold mirrors

English Country Interior Design Style

Common Furniture Pieces – Pieces from different time periods and different styles including Art Deco pieces; curved, tufted furniture, a chesterfield sofa, wingback chairs, no sets of any kind
Common Materials – Walnut, mahogany, velvet, leather, toile, damask, linen and brocade with tassels and fringe for the fabrics
Common Colors - Warm, cozy colors like blues, greens, reds, plum, rose, and gold, as well as white, cream, beige and brown
Common Patterns – Floral chintz, muted stripes, plaid, and gingham
Common Window Treatments - Heavy velvet curtains or curtains with rich floral patterns
Common Flooring – Wood floors
Common Rugs - Oriental, Persian, or Kilim rugs; can be layered over sisal or jute rugs
Common Lighting – Traditional floor lamps, sconces, table lamps and, French empire crystal chandeliers
Common Artwork - Large portraits, watercolor, landscapes, canine and equine art
Other Elements/Accessories – Books, needlepoint pillows, foot stools, stained glass, crystal candleholders, a beautiful tea set, and a fireplace

Modern French Interior Design Style

Common Furniture Pieces – Pieces from different time periods, including Art Deco, French antiques, classic French curved pieces, like the classic Bergere chair, the cabriole sofa or settee, an armoire, a Louis XV chair, antique trunks, as well as ultracontemporary pieces.
Common Materials – High quality wood, linen, cotton, leather, and velvet
Common Colors - Warm whites, cream, beige, gray, light blue, or a very light pink, with black, gold or other bright colors as accent colors
Common Patterns – Toile de jouy, other delicate patterns
Common Window Treatments - Floor to ceiling silk, linen, or high quality cotton drapes; flat roman shades
Common Flooring – Wood floors, parquet floors, elaborate tile floors; more elaborate flooring in the entrance of the home with marble, mosaic, or stone
Common Rugs - Silk or wool rugs, or natural fiber rugs, such as jute or sisal, zebra rugs
Common Lighting – Crystal chandeliers, French empire and wrought iron chandeliers, art deco inspired chandeliers; wall sconces, crystal table lamps with a black shade
Common Artwork - Classic works of art in gold frames, large abstract paintings, children’s’ illustrations, pop art
Other Elements/Accessories – Something dramatic in each room, gilded gold mirrors, French bar cart, elaborate crown molding, coffered ceilings

Mediterranean (Formal) Interior Design Style

Common Furniture Pieces – Large, medium-dark wood pieces with detailed carvings, chunky legs and ornately turned feet, burnished hardware; pine armoires,
Common Materials – Rich woods, dark metals, such as bronze, copper, and especially wrought iron, rough cut stone, wool, cotton and silk.
Common Colors - Whites, cream, beige, terracotta, burnt orange, and wam yellow
Common Patterns – Mosaic patterns, Moroccan and arabesque
Common Window Treatments – Heavy drapes, wood shutters
Common Flooring – Wood floors, polished stone
Common Rugs – Persian rugs, natural fiber rugs
Common Lighting – Wrought iron chandeliers, sconces, table lamps and floor lamps; Moroccan inspired lanterns and pendants
Other Elements/Accessories – Glazed, stucco walls, ceiling wood beams, bullnose edging, arches, spiraling staircases, vases, candle stick holders, colorful dishes, copper pots and pans, bowls of fruit, baskets, tapestries, wall hangings, plants such as palm trees, and flowers

Traditional Interior Design Style

Common Furniture Pieces – Curved furniture pieces, wingback chairs, chesterfield sofa, claw-footed tables, Queen Anne/Chippendale/Sheraton pieces
Common Materials - Mahogany, walnut, maple and cherry woods; silk, cashmere, velvet, and damask. For a more casual vibe, use linen and cotton
Common Colors - White, cream, beige, taupe, burgundy, navy blue, rich brown, forest green, and brick red
Common Patterns - Floral, plaid, toile, stripes and paisley
Common Window Treatments - Drapery panels that are either straight or pleated with embellishments like tassels, fringe, tiebacks and valances; roman shades or simple plantation shutters
Common Flooring – Wood, laminate, tile or carpeting
Common Rugs - Oriental, Persian, or Kilim rugs
Common Lighting - Crystal chandeliers and fixtures with warm tones finishes such as bronze, worn brass or copper with white, ivory, or black lamp shades
Common Artwork - Reproductions of classic pieces from artists such as Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Renoir, Da Vinci and Monet; Norman Rockwell
Other Elements/Accessories – Formal symmetry, arches, columns, crown molding, wall molding, and wainscoting, collections

Art Deco Interior Design Style

Common Furniture Pieces – Large scale pieces with lots of strong curved lines, which were used in tandem with strong linear lines, lacquered pieces with inlaid exotic materials, skyscraper furniture, speed chair, mirrored furniture, chrome framed chairs and tables, leather club chairs, lounge sofa, oversized headboards

Common Materials – ebony, rosewood, teak, walnut, maple, ivory, pearl, tortoiseshell, marble, chrome, stainless steel, glass, including stained glass, mirrors, molded plastic such as Bakelite and Lucite, velvet, silk, satin, suede, mohair, vinyl, leather, exotic animal hides

Common Colors – Black, white, cream, beige, taupe, grey, browns, accent colors include red, blue, yellow, fuchsia, or purple, metallic finishes
Common Patterns – Geometric patterns including circles, stripes, zigzags, Greek keys, animal prints
Common Window Treatments – Luxurious curtain panels in a sheer or opaque fabric
Common Flooring – Smooth wood floors or a polished tile floor
Common Rugs – Rugs with geometric and rhythmic motifs
Common Lighting – Sconces and torchieres a shiny finish, such as chrome or brass finish, table lamps with strong sculptural lines and glass shades that was often enameled, etched, frosted or utilized colored tiffany-style glass. Large crystal chandeliers with multiple tiers, including Helix Style Chandelier
Common Artwork – Paintings from artists such as Picasso, Matisse, or Paul Klee, framed posters with images of vintage jazz, travel, and typical advertisements that were used during that time period, classic black and white portraits of movie stars that were iconic during that time period
Other Elements/Accessories – Sunburst mirrors, any oversized mirrors framed in chrome or inlaid woods, crystal or brass candlestick holders, a vintage radio, French Art Deco clocks and vases, large colored glass sculptural bowls, crystal trays, any Siren of the Sea items including sculptures and table lamps, large palm trees and beautiful flower arrangements, with everything from roses to peacock feathers.

Industrial Interior Design Style

Common Furniture Pieces – Furniture is large scale and often low profile with strong, clean lines, furniture has a worn finish, use of industrial metal pipes in places like bookcase frames, table bases, or on light fixtures, industrial style shelves is always open often using the back x brace feature; Tolix metal side chair, metal swivel bar stools, aviator chair, metal framed sofa with leather cushions, concrete tables, vintage metal doctors cabinets, sawhorse desk
Common Materials – Stainless steel, iron, aluminum, tin, copper, unfinished or reclaimed wood, glass, concrete, brick, leather and linen
Common Colors – Gray, brown, black, white; for accent colors, brick red, burnt orange, dark green or any shade of blue
Common Patterns – No patterns at all, but could use geometric or tribal patterns
Common Window Treatments - Simple roller shades
Common Flooring – Polished concrete, stone, or rough looking wood
Common Rugs – Simple neutral colored rugs in a solid color made from wool or cotton, lower pile or a shag pile rug in a neutral color
Common Lighting – Industrial task (floor lamps, table lamps, pendants) lighting with open steel cages, industrial style chandeliers, track lighting, string up a set of exposed bulbs, studio tripod floor lamp, steampunk light fixtures
Common Artwork - Oversized abstract artwork, black and white photography, old road signs and vintage industrial elements like gears hung on the walls like sculptures, old schematics and patents in simple black frames
Other Elements/Accessories – Important to leave some building materials exposed like pipes or beams, utilitarian and salvaged objects, steampunk items, large plants like yucca, fiddle leaf fig, philodendron, cactus, throw blankets and comfy knitted throw pillows

Mid-Century Modern Interior Design Style

Common Furniture Pieces – Furniture pieces have clean, simple lines that are either straight or smoothly curved, furniture pieces are generally raised off the floor with tall legs - splayed legs, tapered legs, or hairpin legs; Noguchi table, Jacobsen egg chair, the Saarinen womb chair, tulip chair, and tulip table, Eames lounge chair, Bertoia side chair, Barcelona chair by Mies van der Rohe, Nelson platform bench, the Panton chair, Nelson marshmallow sofa
Common Materials – Wood, particularly teak and walnut, tree trunk side tables, polished metal, fiberglass, Lucite, glass, stainless steel, brass, molded plastic, leather, linen, heavy wool, jute, sisal, and burlap.
Common Colors - White, cream, dark brown, beige, black, gray, mustard yellow, pumpkin orange and avocado green, bright blues, deep reds, deep purple, fuchsia, and turquoise
Common Patterns – Bold geometric patterns like circles, squares, triangles, and other geometric shapes, whimsical patterns and abstract patterns
Common Window Treatments – Bare windows or drapes and roller shades
Common Flooring – Medium to dark toned wood floors, cork, laminate · Common Rugs - Wool rugs, shag rugs, jute or sisal rugs
Common Lighting - Sputnik chandelier, the bubble chandelier, artichoke lamps, white balloon pendant lamps, tripod lamps, and arco floor lamps
Common Artwork – Large scale abstract pieces or vintage inspired prints like Andy Warhol reproductions
Other Elements/Accessories – Bar cart, sunburst mirror, a George Nelson clock, brass candle stick holders, a geometric mobile, most hand-carved wood items, plants

Zen Interior Design Style

Common Furniture Pieces – Simple, low-profile furniture, preferably made of a high-quality wood, with clean, straight lines and no excess detail or ornamentation, use items that double as built-in concealed storage, large floor cushions, platform bed
Common Materials – wood, seagrass, bamboo, and some glass, cotton and wool
Common Colors – White, gray, beige, browns, black, green, blue
Common Patterns – Avoid patterns
Common Window Treatments – Bare windows, bamboo blinds, simple window curtains in a light-colored or sheer linen or cotton or simple roller shades
Common Flooring – Light wood flooring or solid-color stone like slate
Common Rugs – Simple wool, cotton, jute, or sisal rugs
Common Lighting – Very simple table lamps, floor lamps, and concealed lighting, recessed can lights, hanging round paper lanterns, candles
Common Artwork – Japanese inspired artwork, black and white nature pictures
Other Elements/Accessories – Mini Zen sand garden, a Buddha head, votive and tea candle holders, simple woven baskets, floor abstract sculpture, plants including air plants, bamboo, money trees, bonsai trees, palm trees, orchids, water features