The Most Popular Decorating Styles Defined

The average person begins their decorating journey with little knowledge of current styles and trends. Following a particular decorating style is easy to do, primarily thanks to detailed product descriptions of home furniture on 1StopBedrooms. Buying matched furniture sets can help you follow trends as well.

But if you are starting with a blank canvas it can be difficult to narrow down style choices. Although you can filter results on furniture store websites, you still need to have a general idea of what the different styles entail. Here are the most popular decorating styles defined.

Traditional

The traditional interior design style is all about 18th and 19th-century style and design. For the most part, this means wood grains with deep colors or stains combined with elegant designs and the clean lines of more modern furnishings. 

You don’t have to spend a fortune on antique furniture or classic decor from estate sales or auctions. Instead, look for new home furniture that replicates the best features of those antiques and updates them with features that today’s modern society craves.

Contemporary

The contemporary style is a blend of interior design trends developed in the second half of the last century. The main focus in this decorating style is on soft colors and lines, primarily using white, beige, brown, taupe, or cream colors. Choosing wood pieces of maple or birch gives you minimal graining and light color that will fit perfectly into the contemporary style. 

Although the stark lines of the modern era don’t apply here, it is still important to go with furniture that has clean lines and little ornamentation. Although soft tones are preferred in the contemporary style, adding a shock of color with bold wall art, rugs, or accent chairs and tables.

Modern

The modern decorating style is very minimalist, and perfect for those who don’t want to spend a lot of time decorating or matching furniture. There are few decor elements beyond furniture in a modern interior design plan, with few accessories or clutter on surfaces. Your furniture makes the statement in such rooms, so it is important to go with colors or patterns you love.

Modern-style rooms also have a variety of materials used for furniture pieces that are not common in other styles. Modern accent tables, accent chairs, console tables, and coffee tables are made of glass, stone, or metal that can add to the sleek clean lines of modern furnishings.

Transitional spaces

If you love the clean lines of the modern decorating style but want a bit more ornamentation, you should go with a transitional interior design. This is a blending of the modern and traditional styles, bringing you a room that is not minimalist in nature but still not overly ornate. You can choose decor in the modern style, then throw in some complimentary traditional items, such as an intricately carved antique dresser (or it’s brand new weathered equivalent). 

Eclectic and bohemian styles

Many people use the terms eclectic and bohemian interchangeably, but there is in fact a very distinct difference. While bohemian styles are eclectic, not all eclectic styles are bohemian. The biggest difference between the two is that the bohemian interior design style has a primary focus on choosing all-natural materials. A traditional eclectic style has no such rules.

When choosing eclectic home furniture, it can be tempting to mix and match across different furniture brands and collections. But because there are more and more people turning to contrasting but complementary colors and patterns, furniture collections are meeting that need by including varying colors and textures throughout all of the pieces in the furniture set. In any case, you should start your search for new home furniture with details in mind such as color, pattern, and features to narrow down your search.

Industrial

More and more people are turning to old lofts, warehouses, or other industrial buildings and turning them into multi-family housing options. There are many such buildings sitting empty in cities across the US, while many are having trouble finding adequate housing that meets all of their needs and desires. It makes sense to tackle both problems at once.

But with the increase in industrial living spaces, there is little wonder than a decorating style has been born from it. The industrial style features design trends such as exposed brick, metal, and wood. Although all of the furniture and decor is new and offers the same clean lines as modern interior design, it will often have an unfinished or raw look to it for these spaces.

Country cottage or farmhouse styles

The country cottage and farmhouse styles have a lot in common, primarily their use of natural textures and tones. A country cottage-themed room will likely contain autumn colors of browns, muted yellows, and reds. The idea here is to bring nature indoors to create a cozy living space.

While the farmhouse style will feature antiques or weathered furniture with natural grains, the cottage style features ornately carved heavy furniture with dark woods combined with deep stains to give a beautifully deep and polished look. 

Of course, you can always combine different elements of these styles into one unique, eclectic home decor style. Regardless of what style you choose, shopping online will give you the most options.