Decorating
5 Style Shortcuts to Get the Classically Elegant Look
Give your home a grown-up air with luxe materials and chic styling
Yearning for décor that goes beyond trends? Looking for a true style perennial? Then the classically elegant look is for you. Plush fabrics, quality furniture, luxe finishes and an overall sense of refinement are central to this design style. Each piece must be considered and arranged with care to create a balanced space that’s neither over-accessorised nor underdone.
If the thought of carving out your own classically elegant abode has you eager to learn more, read on and discover the style shortcuts that will help you to capture this timeless aesthetic.
If the thought of carving out your own classically elegant abode has you eager to learn more, read on and discover the style shortcuts that will help you to capture this timeless aesthetic.
…or go for understated impact
Choose a slab with dramatic veining and display wholly for a naturalistic art installation. This plain bathroom is transformed by the impact of blush pink marble behind the loo and on the basin unit. Voile drapes and a white orchid are all the accessories needed to accent this stunning stone.
Discover 10 more ways to harness the beauty of marble
Choose a slab with dramatic veining and display wholly for a naturalistic art installation. This plain bathroom is transformed by the impact of blush pink marble behind the loo and on the basin unit. Voile drapes and a white orchid are all the accessories needed to accent this stunning stone.
Discover 10 more ways to harness the beauty of marble
2 Style with symmetry
Pick a pair of sofas…
Try this simple shortcut to give authority to a lacklustre scheme. By positioning two sofas facing each other, you create an intimate conversation area that grounds the seating space. If you have a rug, ideally it should be large enough for both sofas to sit comfortably within its borders. Pleasing symmetry and cosy chats guaranteed.
Pick a pair of sofas…
Try this simple shortcut to give authority to a lacklustre scheme. By positioning two sofas facing each other, you create an intimate conversation area that grounds the seating space. If you have a rug, ideally it should be large enough for both sofas to sit comfortably within its borders. Pleasing symmetry and cosy chats guaranteed.
…or mix in matching accessories
The same technique works just as well with accessories and smaller furniture. This hallway has been enhanced with a chic console table decorated with two lamps and a pair of footstools below. One or two symmetrical elements are enough to create the mirroring effect without going over the top.
The same technique works just as well with accessories and smaller furniture. This hallway has been enhanced with a chic console table decorated with two lamps and a pair of footstools below. One or two symmetrical elements are enough to create the mirroring effect without going over the top.
3 Install picturesque panelling
Warm up your washroom…
Tongue and groove has long been a classic choice for bathrooms, but how about installing sophisticated square panelling for added washroom wow factor? Wooden or MDF cladding will warm up a sterile space better than tiles, and can be bought in pre-made pieces for quick application.
See 16 modern ways to use wood panelling in your home
Warm up your washroom…
Tongue and groove has long been a classic choice for bathrooms, but how about installing sophisticated square panelling for added washroom wow factor? Wooden or MDF cladding will warm up a sterile space better than tiles, and can be bought in pre-made pieces for quick application.
See 16 modern ways to use wood panelling in your home
…or give gravitas to the hallway
To add character to a bland hallway, look for period-style, floor-to-ceiling panelling and paint in a soft, chalky tone.
If your hall isn’t quite as spacious as this one, keep cladding to the lower part of the wall so as not to make the area feel enclosed.
Check out these neat hallway tips to steal from tidy people
To add character to a bland hallway, look for period-style, floor-to-ceiling panelling and paint in a soft, chalky tone.
If your hall isn’t quite as spacious as this one, keep cladding to the lower part of the wall so as not to make the area feel enclosed.
Check out these neat hallway tips to steal from tidy people
4 Perfect formal dining
Set the scene for entertaining…
A beautifully laid table is a pleasure for guests to behold. Consider the position and orientation of the dining table to show off your home to its maximum advantage. This grand bay window provides bright, natural light for a spring lunch, while taupe table linen complements the neutral scheme.
Set the scene for entertaining…
A beautifully laid table is a pleasure for guests to behold. Consider the position and orientation of the dining table to show off your home to its maximum advantage. This grand bay window provides bright, natural light for a spring lunch, while taupe table linen complements the neutral scheme.
…or let the table do the talking
For dinnertime dynamism in a more modest setting, consider making the table itself the focal point. This smart number features a graceful brass base, which acts as a prompt for the rest of the scheme’s gold-toned accessories.
Round tables are always a space-savvy choice, while high-backed, upholstered chairs ensure comfort as well as classical elegance.
For dinnertime dynamism in a more modest setting, consider making the table itself the focal point. This smart number features a graceful brass base, which acts as a prompt for the rest of the scheme’s gold-toned accessories.
Round tables are always a space-savvy choice, while high-backed, upholstered chairs ensure comfort as well as classical elegance.
5 Pick the right palette
Play nice with neutrals…
A soothing selection of nude, grey and taupe tones makes for a relaxing and simple-to-style bedroom that oozes elegance.
Touchable textures, such as velvet and silk, combine with glamorous mirrored finishes to set the scene for relaxation in this dreamy space.
Play nice with neutrals…
A soothing selection of nude, grey and taupe tones makes for a relaxing and simple-to-style bedroom that oozes elegance.
Touchable textures, such as velvet and silk, combine with glamorous mirrored finishes to set the scene for relaxation in this dreamy space.
…or go atmospheric after-hours
If dark, sultry colours are more your thing, try putting together a chocolate box of rich colours that will seduce you to sleep.
Here, tactile silk wallpaper has been used to create an ultra-luxurious and cosseting bedroom scheme. Morning alarm essential…
TELL US…
Have you embraced this style at home? Share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
If dark, sultry colours are more your thing, try putting together a chocolate box of rich colours that will seduce you to sleep.
Here, tactile silk wallpaper has been used to create an ultra-luxurious and cosseting bedroom scheme. Morning alarm essential…
TELL US…
Have you embraced this style at home? Share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
Treat as a neutral…
Despite being cold to the touch, when used alongside coordinating colours, marble provides visual softness and an organic quality.
It’s a classically elegant choice for kitchen islands, worktops and splashbacks – a style that’s permanently ‘on trend’. Varieties such as Carrara and Calacatta are particularly timeless, with delicate grey veining that reads as neutral.