Back to: Main Styles
Major Interior Styles
Modern
Form follows function.
Simplicity. Clean lines. Relaxing and cozy. Large windows. Flat roofs.
Alternative construction. New materials like re-reinforced concrete and steel.
Inspired by the Modernist art activity. Early Arts and Crafts movement.
Born at the dawn of the 20th century.
Expressive art and vibrant colors. Unlikely forms. Abstract art. Cubism. Fauvism. Large art. The minimal frame or no frame. Small or serious. No gallery wall arrangement.
Neutral walls.The stillness of whites and grays.
Line focused. Focused on simple, clean lines. Strong vertical and horizontal lines. Rounded columns.
Industrial elements. Iron and steel, and concrete details.
Clutter-free areas. Less is more. Minimalist look on walls, mantle, and countertops.
Primary colors. Bold colors. Accent pieces, rugs, and artwork in white, black, blue, yellow, and red.
Open floor plan. Must for this style. Especially for combo: Kitchen, dining room, and kitchen.
Sleek and streamlined furniture. Restrained use for decoration—plain fabric. Avoid patterns or prints.
No Molding. Fewer embellishments.
Large windows. Excellent for light and fresh air.
Materials. A celebration of materials, technology, and composition through authenticity, transparency, and efficiency.
Relationship. Reinvented our relationship with space and aesthetics to bring us closer in touch with it
Home. A building was more than an inhabitable shell; it was now a machine for living in.
A complex overlay of functional programming
Detailed compositions, articulated lines, and geometry.
The inherent materiality of a form is an integral part of the design language here.
A focus on visual and functional unsophistication.
Contemporary
Simple forms. Form follows function with beauty. Function with technology. The negative space has become decorative get itself. Architectural elements are becoming more sculptural, less decorations are needed.
New ideas in the current moment. Create new and unique—more Romantic ideas.
Color with Muted tones. Subdued colors. Simple and elegant color combinations.
Colors of navy, grays, browns, and whites.
Art. Artworks or essential. Sculptural elements. Furnishings and architectural details have sculptural features.
Unique lighting. Sculptural lighting. Oversize lamps and lighting. Bold ideas for significant impact.
Hard surfaces. Metal, cement, wood, and natural stone.
Technology items. All items have to be in sync with the digital age
Less distraction. More Efficient items. Beauty in simplicity. Less obstruction.
It is a current and ever-evolving palette that echoes prevalent trends and tastes at any given time.
It is tricky to characterize this style as a set of given ideas, intentions, or traits.
Presenting a more balanced and rounded approach to interior design.
With the Mid-century modern style in favor, contemporary interiors currently borrow heavily from it.
Colors and lines are applied in gentler compositions.
Room for visual indulgence as functional efficiency.
Neither cold nor too formal, these are warm, cozy areas that are much more fluid and intuitive in their making.
Traditional
Structural design. Moldings, trim, and railings are a part of the design.
Elegant and classy that is timeless and never goes out of style.
Origins in 18th century English, Neoclassical, French Country, or Colonial styles.
Carved details. Accessories moldings furniture may have some art carving. Add decorative carvings to furniture and trim to add texture in character.
Window treatments. Drapery with heavy lining, yes, I’ll look for traditional interiors. Also, Add matching cornices and valances—full-length drapes. Also, add a sheer with the drapery—ornate and curvy lines.
Curvy lines. Ornate and curvy lines.
Patterns. Mix pattern fabrics. Stripes and florals will work. Rich, elegant, I ordered are the features to look for in a way. Mixed Manny Hughes.
Symmetry. Used furniture and accessories in pairs. It helps the room feel balanced and calm.
More Items. Add many layers of textures or decorations to feel that cozy and full appearance.
Doused in the comforts and indulgences of classic European décor, the Traditional style turns to the past to create ideas for the future.
The approach here can be proper to source or a slight retake on classical suggestions, bringing time-tested elements, motifs, and proportions to fit a modern lifestyle.
Traditional style interiors are set apart by their silhouettes; winged back chairs, elaborate furniture pieces, claw-footed tables, and other furniture and feature designs.
The backdrops are usually pale and simple, with rich colors, lines, and profiles imbibing classical luxury into the space.
Delicately carved and lacquered dark wood furniture and architectural embellishments abound in this interior style.
Functional
The function should follow form, think of furniture as functional, analyze daily activities, open floor plan, create free space, clear walk spaces, use contrast as a design principle, and neutral colors.
Modern design is interchangeable with clean, almost boxy lines; contemporary design often features a variety of straight and elegantly curved lines.
Ideally, you should include these noticeable lines throughout the space.
Functional living is organized living.
When added to space, all furniture or decor elements have some visual weight, and then the space composition becomes imbalanced.
The functional design maintains the balance between all furniture pieces and decor elements.
There is no analytical way to design space until you decide what the direct function of that space will be.
This method means that it’s essential to plan for people and purpose before even thinking about color schemes or trim.
While those details are enjoyable to participate in and even more exciting to put together, there’s no way to add the right decor pieces without understanding how a space will be used.
Creating spaces with functional ideas is an excellent way to create value.
Decor and furniture pieces can easily be packed up and taken along for any move.
Remember the function first, and you’ll have a great floor plan to work with and the ability to change when needed.
Determine if a room will be used for large and frequent social gatherings or filled floor-to-ceiling with children daily.
The interior design of a space will never be a forever decision.
The interior design schemes can be regularly changed, so function within any space has to be a primary concern.
The function is much harder to change once it is completed.
Adding items can be an endless endeavor that leads to an area without a definite plan or objective.
If you go into the design process to understand what you aim to achieve and for whom, you will spend less on items you don’t need and purchase those items that will have long-term benefits.
Your home is your primary area for comfort, family, and friends and therefore deserves your best efforts in interior design.
Let your preference and style guide you through your creativity by ensuring you’ve covered the functional groundwork first!
You’ll be pleased you did when your home’s space is practical and attractive.
Interior decor items and furnishings are needed for the space, but it is critical to have a functional space design first.
It will be helpful to lay out the functional floor plan.
Functional planning is an essential element of the interior design approach.
Transitional
Neutral color scheme. White, gray, and sand. Bold colors like midnight blue, charcoal, and black for some elements and accents.
And ultimate mix between the present and the past. Blend of traditional and Modern.
Accessories with color. Soft colors,
Cushions. Plenty of cushions. Solid colors and prints.
Furniture. Large furniture can have a makeover with paint and trim.
Lighting. Unique and inspirational items.
Metallic accents. Choose one metal or mix-and-match metals. Gold brushed nickel, bronze, or copper as accents.
Carpet and rugs. Rugs add color and help to anchor the furniture in a room. Neutral color rugs complement the design. Add texture and pattern with a woven rug.
Traditional significant furniture element. Add a focal point in a room with an oversized couch, hutch, or end table, by using a coat of paint or reupholstering the item.
Art. Use minimalist art if possible.
Wood furniture. Ornate wood pieces are trendy. Large furniture compositions include a dining room table, dresser, or bookcase with good craftsmanship.
A delightful fusion of, and in this way, a surprising transition with two interior design movements with specific individuality – the classical traditional and the contemporary modern.
An intelligent way to make the best of these two ‘worlds’ and display it most pleasingly.
Solid furniture items of a larger size and robust structure, with curved lines and a focus on comfort, are typical for traditional interiors.
The lack of too much ornamentation, the arrangement of straight lines, and the explicit restriction in number, though, celebrate the minimalist trends of the contemporary style.
Elegant sophistication is displayed with modest simplicity.
The color palette of the Transitional style is predominantly neutral and monochromatic, featured on walls, ceilings, flooring, and upholstery.
Colors range from deep taupe to warm tan or vanilla, adding cozy depth and balance.
However, this neutral background offers excellent options for introducing color accents in more minor elements.
Mid Century Modern
Timeless. Uncluttered sleek lines. Understatement appearance. No-fuss. Only necessary things in the design.
1930-the 1960s. 1980’s -Now. Gained momentum in the aftermath of the Second World War.
With echoes of the Bauhaus and International movement.
‘Form follows function.’
Materials of plastic and wood and furniture adapt to any room size, and shapes can also be geometric or organic. If the furniture’s frame is not only the structure, it’s all the decoration—slender legs in straight lines.
Housing. Materials of Reinforced concrete and steel. Flat roofs, large rectangular windows, and rounded columns.
Kitchen. Clean lines and door cabinets with several ports. The kitchen island is a vintage must-have: slim barstools and colorful accessories.
Bedroom. Clean lines and beautiful colors. It’s a gender-neutral look—rugs like mohair rugs and cotton wave.
Open plan layout. Buildings are airy and flow seamlessly from room to room. Sliding glass doors and large paint on the glass bring the outside indoors.
Art. Simple lines and colors.
Windows. Large and straightforward, they blur the line between indoor and outdoor. The curtains should be light and airy.
Colors. Neutrals are too bright and bold and even contrast black and white. Pastels must Rios and blush for vintage interiors. Neutrals are timeless.
Lighting. Arch for a lamp. Balances out low-line furniture.
Room balance. Use the seven layers of architecture: walls and ceilings, flooring, and Upholstery furniture, except materials, not pole street furniture, accessories, and the lighting.
This arm of modernist interior design is set apart by its vivid use of color, crisp lines, and interactive dialogues with Nature and the outdoors.
The emphasis here is on strengthening interpersonal bonds; space was viewed as more than just a functional container and emerged as a canvas for the personal and social ideologies that drove humanity post-WWII.
This style emerged as a canvas for the personal and social ideologies that drove humanity post-WWII.
Generous, open, planned interiors emphasizing common, shared areas, broad interfaces between the home and its natural surround, and a functional and visual clarity integral to the Modernist style mark these spaces.
The color palette of this style usually floats in hues of orange, yellow, green, and brown, although deviations are not uncommon.
Modern Rustic
Wood Accents. Wood flooring, artwork, coffee table, or accessories. Keep to the same wood tones in your space—warm tones for more heavy colored accents. Relaxed feelings used dark woods and gray.
Thin lines and finishes of Modern and natural and soothing characteristics of rustic.
The blending of two styles: Modern and rustic.
Neutral color schemes. Doesn’t it have to be boring with subtle pops of color.
Textiles. Soft pillows, curtains, and rugs. Upholstery furniture.
Antiques. Go well with the rustic look.
Keep the materials natural. Keep the materials natural. Wood and stone. Stones and wall planks or paneling.
Furniture. Modern furniture. Or just a few statement pieces. Add accent pillows or blankets to soften the fabric on the chairs or couches.
Bring the outside in. Add plants to the room.
Influenced by European culture.
Modern Farmhouse
Textures. The layering of textiles. Using for and leather throw pillows to contrast against the hardwood and the stone finishes. Area rugs and greenery.
Top favorite contemporary interior design trends in Europe and North America.
Metals. Mixing all types of metals for contrast.
Kitchen. They are the focal points for the farmhouse. Make statements with the items in the kitchen, not just blending in things.
Dining. Large dining room tables for many people to sit.
Color. Natural color palette. Subtle colors found in Nature. Deep navy blues, sage green, brown-orange. White walls. Neutral color drapes.
Industrial accents. Wood and metal.
Greenery. Brings outside. Add plants and dirt corners.
The key features of this style are based on the warm and somewhat nostalgic charm of the cozy farmhouses in the idyllic countryside of Western and Northern Europe.
What rules modern farmhouse interiors is the soothing feeling of the past, interpreted through traditional décor, practical, often repurposed, furniture items.
Natural materials contribute to the charmingly vintage and rustic looks—both the interior as well as the exterior of the residence.
Space is kept uncluttered yet cozy and functional, tones are soft and neutral, and decorations are a balanced mix-and-match display of both vintage and contemporary fashion trends in interior décor.
So, call it classical, traditional, vintage, or rustic, modern farmhouse interior design is all about ‘feeling at home.
Eclectic
Choose a neutral color palette and an accent—Wall color simple for the backdrop.
Patterns. Use rugs and cushions to introduce new patterns.
Galley wall. Ads character and personality to the room let your imagination run wild here.
Texture. Contrast is a critical element of this design. Use smooth marble, leather, wood, and steel against for free throws, woven rugs, and course items.
Furniture. Find unique pieces to add to your space.
Statement Objects. Sculptures, vases, chandeliers, table lamps, and four lamps. A collection of favorite items.
Minimal. A small amount of items to make the design work.
Surprising, unexpected, and unafraid to break the rules, eclectic style interiors personify individuality and freedom.
With no guidelines or intentions per se to box it in, this style borrows freely from others, harmonizing a gamut of ideas and inspirations to suit the space and purpose at hand.
At its core, this design style comes with a lot of variation and layering, deftly using these to create an overall rhythm that animates the interior and saves it from being utterly overwhelming.
The eclectic style relies on core design sensibilities to make sense of the chaos that it dwells in, striking harmony through color, composition, balance, and materiality.
Minimalistic
It was sparked by the Minimalist art movement of the 1960s and 70s.
Inspired by traditional Japanese design and Zen philosophy, minimalist interiors express the driving concepts of modernism in an almost puritanical palette.
Stripping things down to their bare basics, minimalism offers us an aesthetic that relies on the efficiency of the design.
Devoid of distractions or clutter, minimalist interiors are streamlined to maximize bold visual impacts and the underlying use of the space.
Elements and motifs are kept to a bare minimum, with concealed storage and careful detailing playing their due part. Colors are explored in hushed tones, with an accent or two taking center stage.
The repetition and movement of lines and a generous introduction of natural light keep these interiors light and dynamic.
Scandinavian
Scandinavian style embodies a move towards simplicity, functionality, and efficiency; however, it also emphasizes affordability to the palette.
Stirred by democratic design ideals, the Scandinavian design strikes a careful balance between minimalist efficiency and warm, personal invitations.
This interior style is characterized by organic materials, bare ornamentation, and clean detailing.
The color palette swims in black and white, with grays and blues or the occasional pop of color bringing visual respite.
Silhouettes and contours in Scandinavian interiors are more rounded and curved, which along with organic textures, create a much cozier vibe in even the barest of layouts and arrangements.
Industrial
Industrial interiors celebrate the modernist eye for efficiency and functionality by transforming the working parts of a building into its primary aesthetic.
Beams, columns, pipes, ducts, and flanges are brought to the fore to emphasize the ‘machine for living, rendering these interiors an essentially masculine overtone.
Unlike many other offshoots of the modern movement, industrial-style interiors do not shy away from weight or roughness, embracing the worn, recycled, and salvaged.
Often the style of choice in warehouse conversions and loft remodelings, industrial interiors tend to stick to warm, neutral colors such as grays and browns with iron or steel, exposed concrete, and unfinished brickwork complementing them perfectly.
When choosing furniture and décor, vintage industrial designs complete the look.
Urban
The emphasis of urban style interiors lies in elements and designs that bring the gritty vibe of the urban context indoors.
Not afraid to experiment with unusual materials and features, this interior design style takes its pick of ideas to arrive at distinctive and often bohemian looks.
Leaning toward industrial sensibilities, the Urban style elaborates on structural features, industrial components, and exposed ducting, much like its mentor.
However, these elements are combined in clear open spaces, which float in light colors and clean finishes that add a touch of feminine elegance to the proceedings.
The urban interior usually comes with a hefty dose of artistic indulgence, often turning to the unexpected for answers.
Shabby Chic
Arising in the 1980s, the Shabby chic style reinterpreted traditional British aesthetics to create soft, feminine visual statements.
Drawn out in markedly light and airy spaces, this style strikes an outstanding balance between the weathered look of an English cottage and the delicate indulgences of more classical influences.
The result is an utterly romantic vibe with a penchant for the finer things in life.
Soft cotton and French linen are drawn out in fluid designs that explore the pastels to perfection.
The time-worn is celebrated as a collection of vintage elements and features that bring the space alive; even new furniture is given a distressed look to soften the interiors’ overall look, feel, and tone.
Country
Cozy is critical when designing country-style interiors, as these spaces evoke the warm embrace of a timeless cottage.
This style can root in different traditions (English, French, Tuscan or Scandinavian, to name a few) and, therefore, can vary significantly in its external vocabulary.
However, each of these palettes is united in its love and appreciation of the organic and the rustic.
Wood, pottery, and a host of organic materials populate these spaces, carved out in a typically intimate scale and character.
Warm muted colors and patterned fabrics are popular, as are papered or stenciled walls.
There is a wide variety to the Country style, with an array of elements and features coming together to create warmth, fluidity, and balance.
Art Deco
The bold and bombastic is expressed in elegant compositions through sheer balance and restraint in the Art Deco style.
With its origins in the excitement and glamour of post-war Europe and America, the style was born in the 1920s to offer a new aesthetic for a new time.
At its heart, this style is a sensual exploration of order and symmetry, with the lines and geometry taking charge of the designs and compositions.
Angular patterns, layered designs, and bold curves set off a play of form and aesthetics echoed in shiny chrome and brass fittings, glossy paint, lacquered wood, and an abundance of sprinkled glass mirrored elements.
Art Deco interiors are also set apart by their lighting, with its distinctive ambiance achieved through the layering of up and down lighters.
Coastal
Fresh, relaxed, and excitingly versatile, just like the ocean that inspires it, the Coastal style takes organic inspiration into new dimensions.
Instead of merely embellishing the interior with oceanic materials, motifs and elements, this style goes further. It offers an aesthetic that is integrally sun-kissed and nautical in tone.
Natural light in generous proportions is paramount, playfully bouncing off the contrast of white and blue that set these interiors apart.
Aqua, teal, turquoise, and these myriad shades of blue come alive in light, organic materials reminiscent of summer.
There is, of course, also the opportunity to go completely literal with the theme, using everything from seashells, ropes, and nautical icons to driftwood for maximum aesthetic impact.
Vintage
Contrary to popular opinion, vintage style isn’t about recreating a flea market in your home; not everything old has vintage charm.
Instead, this style pays homage to the 1940s and 50s, where people mixed and matched in the aftermath of WWII, working with whatever was available to rebuild their homes andcreate warm, loving spaces.
This mix and match aesthetic, essentially brought alive through the time-worn and tested, sets vintage interiors apart.
As a thumb rule, the movement of lines is vital here; this could play out through contrasting patterns and motifs or the composition of profiles and silhouettes.
Colors in vintage style interiors are, therefore, usually in light and neutral tones, with vivid color used only for impact.
The décor in a vintage interior relies on this strategy to elevate the aesthetic and bring refined elegance.
Rustic
With its classical simplicity and warm, homey feel, the Rustic style stands out among the most popular interior styles that are “evergreen.”
It has that irresistible charm of a family home in the country that contemporary man longs for in the busy city.
Therefore, it is no surprise to find the Rustic style in various buildings and interiors, both in-country houses and urban apartments.
The rustic style color palettes may vary from darker shades of brown to whitewashed tones of neutral colors.
The decoration features many hand-crafted, salvaged, or repurposed items made of wood, leather, natural fibers, wicker, and wrought iron.
Furniture items are of sturdy structure and classic design, looking somewhat chunky and weathered.
They are mostly made of solid. Usually, dark-stained timber is matched with upholstery of natural leather and rougher fabrics.
The style’s variations often include wicker and rattan furniture, too.
Tropical
Tropical style interiors are all about the romantics of the endless beaches, the lush jungles, and the vibrant colors of the exotic lands we dreamed of.
Inspired by Nature, this interior design style features abundant natural materials and color palettes characteristic of the Tropics in its dazzling beauty.
Larger surfaces feature lush greens and shades of turquoise and blue, creating backgrounds for cheerful bursts of vibrant colors, such as pink, purple, and orange, displayed on various decorative items and interior textiles.
Exotic prints of tropical fruit and palm leaves dominate wall décor.
Essential furniture items are of simple design and are made of wood, as this material is primary in a tropical house.
Doors, tables, beds, chairs, cabinets, and storage items feature royal teak, cozy bamboo or rattan, delicate wicker, or majestic mahogany.
Asian
Combining traditional Japanese philosophy’s core tenets to life, Zen-style interiors, like their namesake, are about balance, harmony, and consideration.
Unlike most other styles, Zen spaces are less occupied with making an impact and more concerned with introducing silence and stillness, inside and out, into your day.
Every line, form, and surface is placed with careful thought and efficiency, with no tolerance for frills or flippancy.
The material palette is predominantly organic, with wood and natural fibers being the materials of choice.
Existing near Nature, the Zen style engages closely with the elements, weaving them into its designs and aesthetics.
Colors are soft and natural in tone, with chromatic harmony and continuity balancing surfaces and spaces.
Bohemian
Bohemian style is associated with free-minded and free-spirited people who express their personal, unconventional philosophy of living unconstrained by any norms of contemporary society.
Their outstanding individuality shows in the interiors of their homes.
So unique, exuberant, and vivid these interiors gave birth to a particular design style, known as ‘boho’ or ‘boho-chic,’ a style that has gained immense popularity and has been embraced by many.
La Vie Bohème allows total freedom and strong individuality in expressing personal tastes.
And just as those differ significantly, boho style interiors are characterized by a unique and surprisingly stylish and cheerful ‘mish-mash’ of items, accessories, and colors that, at first glance, have no coherence whatsoever, either in design features or color palettes.
The space is busy, both in the number of items, as much as in shapes and forms.
Furniture is an intriguing mix of old, even weathered items and more modern ones.
Fabrics and accessories burst in vivid tones, prints, and patterns, creating a cheerful ambiance of the free-spirited style of life.
Hollywood Regency
The Hollywood Regency style is all about bringing back the glamour of the 1930s’ Golden Age of the booming American movie industry.
It features the lavish décor style of the homes of the major film stars of those times.
Yet even if it relates to the past, it is far from being branded as ‘retro.’
Hollywood Regency is instead an exciting mixture of styles and trends, exhibiting their best features in striking combinations to create an ambiance of comfort and glamorous luxury.
It’s this freedom of expression that makes the style timeless.
The Hollywood Regency-style interiors are spacious, open-plan, and uncluttered.
Furniture does not dominate the space and is relatively small-scale, with simple, clean lines, within the reserved modesty of the mid-century style.
However, the furniture items stand out with bright, glossy surfaces, metallic finishes in brass and gold, bold art deco patterns in high contrast, and sumptuous fabrics and textures in vibrant colors.
The space glitters in sensual glamour through an abundance of luxurious shiny accessories, sparkling fine crystal, and rich textiles and carpets adorned with silky fringes and tassels.