Classic or traditional style doesn’t have to mean boring. As new trends come out, a lot of people tend to steer away from tradition and get caught up in what’s new and exciting. However, classic style still has a significant place in the world of interior design. This time-honored style originated many years ago and has continued to be popular ever since, for good reason. Traditional is meant to evoke a sense of comfort, home, and timelessness. It stays true to tried and tested methods and is familiar rather than trendsetting. A traditional home should feel inviting, cosy and family-friendly and seek to preserve original elements, and anyone can achieve it in their bedroom with the right furniture, colours and traditional bedroom decorating ideas.
Choosing Traditional Bedroom Furniture
Wooden furniture is dominant in traditional design but other materials such as wrought iron can feature as well. An example of this is the Nordic Collection, classic timber bedroom furniture with wrought iron accents. Darker-toned woods are synonymous with this style so when seeking a classic look, opt for dark warm-toned finishes such as Coastwood’s Dark Oak, Old Rimu, Maple, Walnut or Sienna, to create a rich, inviting bedroom.
Traditional bedroom furniture styles tend to be chunkier and more detailed, inspired by ancient periods, like our Maison and Asher ranges, rather than the slim, hard lines of modern style furniture. Never leaving out comfort, upholstered headboards are popular on traditional wooden bedframes, including those with patterned fabrics. To bring it all together, everything should match, meaning it’s a good idea to buy classic bedroom furniture sets, so all the furniture pieces are from the same collection, and in a colour that links to other elements in the room.
For true traditional style you’ll want furniture that lasts. There's no need to keep up with the trends, so you don’t want to be replacing your furniture every few years. Instead, you should invest in quality NZ made furniture that can be passed down through generations.
Classic French Style Bedroom Furniture
If you’re looking for elegant classic bedroom ideas, you should look at classic French style, which is inspired by the timeless elegance of France. Classic French bedroom furniture is stylish and ornate but always with a slightly rustic touch. Think detailed carvings and distressed finishes. Edges are curved not hard and straight, and lush upholstery features on headboards, benches, and bedroom chairs. Wardrobes or dressers like the classic French armoire and upholstered chairs with curvy legs and back are common furniture pieces seen in this style. The overall colour palette should be muted with soft pastels, resulting in a refined, feminine look, as shown in the Nordic bedroom setting above. Consider finishes such as Coastwood’s Aged White Paint, Whitewash, Bone Paint or Mid-Grey Paint.
Traditional Bedroom Colours
Traditional homes are all about warmth and timelessness so this should reflect in the colour palette. With soft, unassuming neutrals as a base, warmth is brought in with dark woods and subtle patterns and florals rather than bold colours. For those who desire more colour, consider dark, rich jewel tones like emerald green, sapphire blue and deep ruby red which bring in a dramatic, luxurious element to classic style. But remember not to overdo it, you still want everything to match. Instead of a whole array of contrasting colours, everything should work together for overall coordination and harmony.
Traditional Master Bedroom Decorating Ideas
Some forms of classic design incorporate very ornate and intricate detailing, but the traditional style of today is more simplified and not so fussy, with just a touch of grandeur, like the Villager bedroom setting shown above. This look can be achieved with elements such as wainscotting or crown moulding, which are very popular in traditional homes. The overall design should be very symmetrical. Classic style is predicable after all so symmetry is highly sought after, in order to achieve a cohesive look rather than a jumble of randomly placed objects.
When it comes to traditional bedroom décor, comfort must be well-considered, so this is where luxurious textiles come in- puffy duvets, flowing drapes and multitudes of pillows. Any artwork should be in the form of a larger, framed print such as a landscape, over against lots of smaller modern artworks. Personal and family pictures also have a place in a traditional bedroom to keep with the feeling of home.
To avoid your master bedroom feeling dated, its ok to mix and match with other styles. Traditional farmhouse and modern traditional are popular takes on traditional style which give it a fresh, updated look while keeping true to its roots and foundation.
