Traditional decor styles have a lot about them to love. From baroque to midcentury modern, you can find lots of styles throughout history that can still make your home look beautiful today. But what if you like some elements of traditional interior styles, and yet you’re looking for something a bit more up to date? Whether you’re decorating an older home or you want to give a more traditional touch to a newer property, you can take the traditional and turn it on its head to make it more contemporary. Try these ideas to do just that and get the look that you want.
Image from Pexels – CC0 License
Install a Modern Fireplace
A fireplace is a beautiful feature to find in your home. But actually using and maintaining a hearth isn’t as easy as you might like it to be. Fortunately, there are more modern options if you would rather not burn wood or coal, or even have to deal with a chimney. Gas fires offer one solution, usually running on propane or natural gas. It’s easy to find propane delivery near me to stay stocked up on fuel. And with a flueless fireplace, you don’t even need a chimney. You can explore all kinds of styles for a warm, traditional feel but a modern look.
Use Bright Colors
If you have some more traditional interior design elements that you want to make more modern, one quick way to do it is to mix up the colors that you use. Some traditional styles will tend to stick with earthy tones or more subtle colors, but you don’t have to do that when you’re doing your own decorating. You can choose to use bright colors that really pop so that you can create an eye-catching home that’s full of life. Make your traditional shaker kitchen cabinets look more contemporary by using bold primary colors.
Add Something Unexpected
An element of surprise is another great way to create more of a contemporary feel among an overarching traditional style. Your overall decor might be playing it safe, but what if you have something a little different to spice things up? You might hang some artwork that doesn’t match the traditional theme, whether it’s some pop art or a poster of your favorite punk band. Or maybe you have some taxidermy (real or fake) hanging out on the wall in a place where it wouldn’t be expected. Mix things up a bit to get the best of both worlds.
Upcycle Some Furniture
Upcycling furniture is an excellent method for making the traditional more modern. For example, reupholstering a chair means that you can keep the traditional shape of the chair but have some fun with the fabric to make it more modern. Pick some brighter colors or a fun pattern, or perhaps some super luxurious fabric like velvet. Or you could paint a table to give it a contemporary feel, or even install more modern hardware on a cabinet or dresser.
It’s easy to bring traditional decor more up to date. Just make a few changes and you can use both traditional style and modern touches.