Today we will focus on the classic chic style. Timeless, elegant, refined, this decorative style appeals to more than one … But is it made for you? Here are 6 signs that should enlighten you.
1. YOU FEEL WELL SURROUNDED BY ANTIQUE FURNITURE
The classic style necessarily refers to a bygone era but not necessarily very specific. The antique furniture is one of the main characteristics of this style. We forget the Ikea furniture, we bring up to date the dresser inherited from grand-grandma. What is interesting is that old furniture changes the relationship we have with time. We don’t buy a piece of furniture on a whim, generally, we wait for the crush and we wait for the piece of furniture that would fit perfectly into our decor. But there is also a recycling dimension. We give them a second life, even a third or a fourth. The fast decor is not on the program at all! If you like furniture that has a story, the idea of heirloom, details that are a bit old-fashioned, chances are the classic chic style is for you.
2. IN THE LIVING ROOM, THERE IS A LARGE HEATHER MIRROR
The mirror is a decorative accessory that has more than one trick up its sleeve. It makes it possible, for example, to improve the diffusion of light in a room. In the classic style, mirrors come from different eras. They differ by their size but especially by their frames. The moldings will be more or less detailed, more or less worked. Integrating them into your decor (even if it is modern) is not the most difficult. It seems to me that the main difficulty is finding an old mirror in good condition. The plaster moldings for some will not necessarily have withstood the passage of time. However, a hitch can have a certain charm.
3. PRETTY FIREPLACE MANTELS IN THE LIVING ROOMS
Another characteristic of the classic style: the fireplaces. Central heating is a fairly recent invention and before that, we used to heat (and cook) with wood. In the functional rooms, there were wood stoves or just a stove. In the most affluent homes, there were fireplaces in almost every room: living room, dining room, bedrooms… The classic style brings classic fireplace cladding up to date. We will find marble, wood, sometimes earthenware… The common point is the work of sculpture of the mantle. We are far from the clean and minimal lines of contemporary fireplaces. What is interesting is that it is very aesthetic. This highlights the advance of the fireplace.
4. YOU WANT TO DECORATE YOUR WALLS WITH A PLINTH
Fifth sign that classic style is for you: the base. If you plan to create a plinth associated with wallpaper, go here where we treat the subject more precisely. In the meantime, what can we say about the plinth? It will give a new rhythm to your walls. It allows you to add color without painting an entire wall. It allows you to juxtapose paint and wallpaper if you want. A plain base will shade a patterned wallpaper, for example. You can also give material and dimension to the base with paneling, moldings, or veneer. A bit like cement tiles, the base is a strong message for the creation of a classic and elegant atmosphere. (And it still requires less work than laying cement tiles!)
5. YOU WANT TO PUT MOLDINGS ON THE WALLS JUST BELOW THE CEILING
The classic chic style sometimes makes reference to Haussmanian private apartments, typical 19th-century architecture in Paris; At moment, I am in Istanbul and we had the pleasure of finding this type of architecture in our neighborhood. (Well in the neighborhood, the houses are falling into disrepair but on Istiklal – Independence Boulevard – the facades are magical. I would have the opportunity to talk to you about it again!) Anyway, when you think of this kind of interior, we think of large windows, high ceilings, and moldings. Even if you live in a new home, adding moldings will add style and elegance to your interior. Placed on the wall, just below the ceiling and painted the same color as the latter, the moldings will give you the feeling that your room is larger than it actually is. Before, the moldings were in plaster, quite heavy and fragile. Now, you can opt for polystyrene moldings, which are super easy to install.
6. WALLPAPER WITH CLASSIC PATTERN AND / OR DARK COLORS
I mentioned it above when I spoke of the base, wallpaper is often present in classic interiors. They allow you to bring both color and patterns into your room. We often find floral motifs that were often used in the 19th century. At that time, the painting was not so common, and besides, it was made with lead and it could cause lead poisoning attacks. (Besides, if one day you plan to buy an old house that has never been renovated, you will have to check for the presence of lead paint …) In short, if floral wallpaper does not scare you, classic style may be right for you. Dark colors also have their place in classic chic interiors, either in the form of a base or in plain paint which will be highlighted by the moldings and woodwork of the room.
7. YOU KNOW HOW TO MIX BRASS AND PENDANTS TO PERFECTION
More in detail, in classic interiors, we often find brass (or at least the color gold) and pendants (especially on chandeliers). These are two signs that have a strong decorative power. If we use too much, we will end up in kitsch. It is therefore necessary to go there sparingly. Between elegance and too much, there is only one step.
