How to Decorate a Home with Traditional Style

Create a Home with Timeless Comfort

Classic, comfortable, balanced - these words describe one of the most enduring interior design styles of all time: traditional. Borrowing from the elegant sensibilities of classic European furnishings, traditional home décor never goes out of style. Calm, timeless, and satisfying, a traditional space is one that you’ll love coming home to day after day.

Characterized by curved lines, deep wood tones, sturdy pieces, and a neutral color palette, the traditional style gives your home a sense of peace, order and coziness - creating the ultimate relaxing retreat. And because the style is so popular, you’ll find complementary pieces at nearly every furniture retailer, so that your entire home has a unified, pleasing aesthetic. Here’s what to look for when choosing décor for your traditional home!

Traditional Home Décor

Soft Shapes & Curved Lines

Traditional furniture does not offer many sharp, hard lines or angles. Look for chairs, tables and sofas with beautifully curved legs and rounded sides and backs. 

This furniture is almost always upholstered and overstuffed, lending it a grand, inviting look. This style creates a welcoming space where you can comfortably host friends and family for hours, or enjoy quiet, down time with your favorite book or movie. 

Strong, Durable Materials

Solid wood is the base of almost all traditional furniture. Maple, mahogany, and cherry are the most popular types of wood to use. They are carved and lacquered to achieve that sturdy-looking, brilliant finish. 

As for fabric upholstery, furniture makers long ago only used cotton, silk, or wool. Those materials are still available today, but if you want furniture that can stand the test of an active family, choose long-lasting leather or high-performance synthetic fabrics like polyester or nylon. Above all else, make sure that it's comfortable and durable. The days of plastic couch coverings are long gone!

Elegant Features

While traditional style can be achieved with décor alone, there are architectural and design features of the home that bring the whole look together. Columns, built-in shelves, bevelled cabinets, wood floors, crown molding, and a prominent fireplace mantle form the foundation of the perfectly-decorated traditional home. At Cothran Homes, many of our available homes do come standard with these features, and you can always incorporate them into your new home through our custom design process.

Cozy Accessories

Look for accessories that add comfort and a touch of luxury to your home - soft pillows for lounging, lamps with fabric shades for reading, and window drapes that create a cocoon-like atmosphere when closed. Fresh flowers in a decorative vase are always a nice touch. And don’t forget an oriental area rug to pull it all together - this is a cozy space that you and your family will find hard to leave. Luckily, you don’t have to - just grab that snugly throw from the back of the couch and take a rest. 

Muted Colors & Patterns

In a traditionally-styled home, walls and fabric should be soft, neutral colors in the cream, tan, taupe, or gray families. If you want to lighten the mood or bring in a modern touch, you can use pops of accent colors. If you go this route, be sure to stick to the primary colors of red, yellow, or blue to maintain that calm, balanced feel you’re going for. 

Patterns in traditional décor are minimal, but florals, paisleys, and damasks do make an appearance in upholstery, accessories, and even smartly-placed, wallpapered, accent walls. 

Your home is your sanctuary - it’s where family gathers, homemade meals are cooked, and lifelong memories are made. A home decorated in the traditional style gives you the warm, comfortable space to enjoy the most precious moments in life - day after day, year after year.

If you are interested in learning about new homes in South Carolina, and how the talented design team at Cothran Homes can help you achieve the traditional home of your dreams, call us at 864-318-9349 or schedule a personal tour today.