How to combine classic and modern style in interior decoration?

Do you like the idea of decorating your home with a mix of classic and modern styles?

If you answered yes, Loujain Al Fares, an architect and designer, will help you with the following. The combination is a great way to create a unique aesthetic in your home, which will look sophisticated and elegant, while maintaining its timeless look.

Mixing different aesthetics makes a home unique. However, in order to properly integrate, one style is chosen to “dominate” each room, which means that most furniture and fixtures will likely stick to one style, while a secondary style is reserved for accent furniture or specialty pieces, such as art, table decor, or pillows: Art, table decor, or pillows.

Reasons to combine decorating styles

Neoclassical design majlis

According to Loujain Al Fares, an architect and designer, the reasons why homeowners are incorporating vintage furniture pieces into modern spaces include: “The trend has recently become popular for several purposes, including: Creating luxury, warmth, in addition to reclaiming the past through furniture and accessories, especially since the latter are large in size and add a wonderful touch, wherever they are located, making the interior décor personalized and expressing the fine tastes of the residents.”

Classic furniture pieces

A majlis with classic furniture and luxurious touches

The architect lists the classic pieces to add to modernized homes in the following points:

• In the living room: A classic piece of furniture, such as a sofa (or two side chairs) upholstered in a patterned fabric or velvet, and a coffee table (or side tables) made of dark wood, decorated with carved or engraved motifs, or with a marble top, can take the place of a classic piece of furniture. There are also large mirrors with ornate frames, which liven up the living room and help expand the space, albeit visually. Traditionally framed paintings in large, traditional frames. Classic chandeliers, table lamps or classic carpets and curtains.
• in the dining room: Modern dining room décor can be accented with classic touches for added elegance, including: Large, round, or rectangular classic wooden dining tables with carved legs, classic chairs for modern tables, or a traditional buffet with brass or wooden handles. On the other hand, a classic vase or ornate cutlery can take its place on the table.
• in the bedroom: The classic bed, a combination of comfort and luxury, whether it’s made of ornate wood or iron, adds character to the room. There’s also the bedside table with decorative handles or marble top, or the classic table lamp in copper or porcelain.

Classic and neoclassical

As for the styles of the pieces,Al Warsha asks the architect whether they are purely classical with wood and carving or neoclassical, to which she replies: “Traditional classical furniture pieces are known to be made with natural materials, such as: They are often ornate or carved, intricately carved, luxurious, and large in size. Therefore, it suits large homes or villas that are furnished in a way that reflects luxury.” “The Neoclassical style blends classic luxury with minimalism and modernity, making it more compatible with modern apartments with smaller spaces because it retains classic details, but presents them in a less cluttered way. It creates a sense of luxury, with flexibility in design.”

Decorating Ideas

Ways to help achieve the right mix of classic and modern, in the right way, without the space looking cluttered or disjointed:

• Choose a classic centerpiece as a prominent element in the space, without taking up the entire space.
• Mixing modern and classic styles through furniture and accessories.
• Choose uniform or coordinating colors for classic and modern pieces to ensure a harmonious design. Suitable colors include: White, beige, gray, or black. If the classic pieces have gold or silver details, one of the colors can be used as a secondary color in the modern furniture.
• Size and proportion, as no piece can be chosen without studying the space.
• Lighting plays an important role in achieving a successful fusion of classic and modern, including: Classic ornate chandeliers scattered throughout a modern space, or hidden or linear modern lighting can help highlight classic pieces.

Decorating accessories

Classic accessories to decorate the majlis

Classic accessories play an important and crucial role in achieving balance and harmony when added to modern-style homes, as these accessories help create a harmonious aesthetic between tradition and modernity, without the need for major changes. They form a focal point in the space, give a touch of warmth and luxury, and maintain the overall balance when used in a measured proportion.