When we move in our new home we often don’t know which colors to choose for the walls and how to arrange the furniture or how to decorate the rooms.
Moreover we may confuse interior design styles what makes it difficult to create the cozy and well-balanced design.
So first thing that we should know is what interior style suits us the best. Below you will find the short guide into the most popular interior design styles.
1. Scandinavian style.
The Scandinavian style is one of the most famous modern styles all over the world but it is the most popular in the countries of Northern Europe – Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Iceland and Norway.
The main components of the Scandinavian style are:
- use of natural materials
- functionality
- conciseness
- beauty of forms.
Such interiors are made in light natural colors from simple and natural materials. The warm, light color palette gives a feeling of freshness and purity.
Colors
The light natural color palette which conveys the color of coastal sand, rocks and the cold bluish-gray north sea, reminds of the northern pure nature. Beige, light gray, light blue, light green, light brown, silver-gray, muted shades of yellow are good colors for Scandinavian style. But the main color is always white, visually expanding the space and filling it with freshness and purity. The color scheme in the Scandinavian interior is quite wide, but dark or too bright colors are unsuitable for it.
The design of the floor, ceiling and walls in the Scandinavian interior is simple. A necessary element often used in the Scandinavian interior is wicker furniture and decor (baskets, caskets and chair seats). Animal skins are also used in this style.
Furniture and materials
The interior is dominated by natural eco-friendly materials that create an atmosphere of home warmth and comfort. Metal, natural stones, glass, cotton, linen, fur, leather, ceramics are often used in Scandinavian design. However the dominant material is wood of natural color or painted in white. Wood is used for the floor, walls and even the ceiling. The furniture in the interior is usually low, simple in shape, functional and at the same time beautiful and light.
Decor
Instead of picturesque paintings in the Scandinavian style you will see laconic black-and-white or gray posters. They look great on a white background. It is recommended to combine black-and-white posters, photos and graphic posters. This will give the interior a special style and a unique character.
Textiles play a special role in the Scandinavian interior. The main requirement is that they are made of natural materials. Curtains are often made of light linen or cotton. But they are mostly used for decorative purposes, and the windows are often left bare.
2. Minimalism
Colors
Minimalistic interiors are often made in white, black, beige or grey colors. Bright colors are not used. The poor choice of color scheme for this design style is compensated by variety of textures and the materials.
Furniture and materials
When choosing furniture give preference to simple shapes. Laconic textured furniture is as a rule built-in and custom-made. Minimalism does not imply accessories, handles and decorative details. Furniture doors without handles are supplemented with special “click on” mechanisms.
Smooth facades of kitchen furniture in this interior design style are usually plain, without additional decoration such as chamfers and decorative handles.
Decor
So that minimalism does not seem faceless, the necessary accents in the design are necessary. For example you can decorate one of the walls with graphic paintings or photos.
Minimalism implies large forms in the decor: when choosing vases and sculptures, give preference to large sizes .Textiles (curtains and bedspreads) should be selected so that they do not stand out, but dissolve in the interior, they usually correspond to the shades of walls or furniture.
The aesthetics of minimalism asks for air — it needs large windows and spaces. That is why minimalism is more often used not in residential but in commercial real estate: banks, restaurants, hotels and business centers.
3. Eclecticism
Eclecticism is a style that grew out of a philosophical trend that has its roots in the second century of our era. Despite the principle of combining eclecticism is still not just a mix of different styles. It is acceptable to combine two or three styles within the same color scheme and the proximity of textures.
Colors
Different elements in an eclectic interior look well with each other thanks to a single color scheme. Give preference to pure, natural shades: sky blue, rich green, sunny yellow, floral-pink tones. The saturation varies: bright combinations and pastel colors will be equally appropriate. This solution is the key to a harmonious and holistic interior.
Eclecticism suggests a neutral ceiling: white, ivory, milky, pale blue, light gray.
Furniture and materials
The harmonious combination of furniture in different styles is the basis of eclecticism. A Victorian chest of drawers, Baroque armchairs and a modern sofa quietly get along in one room. Different in style but harmonious in color, furniture is complemented with textiles: napkins on the tables, a blanket on the sofa, curtains — everything should be well-combined.
Decor
Eclectic decor means an absolute freedom of creativity. It is the abundance of details and decorative elements that makes this style so popular. The interior will be complemented by antique sconces, panels of photographs, sophisticated candlesticks, stylish vases made of blown glass, figurines brought from travel.There are never too many textiles — another golden rule of eclecticism. The windows are framed with heavy, dense curtains. Sofas and armchairs are decorated with bedspreads and decorative pillows. Massive carpets or carpets with ethnic motifs are laid on the floor. The final touch is a three-dimensional crystal chandelier. An alternative to crystal is a chandelier made of a wooden frame with many glass details and elements.
Eclectic style is suitable for creative people who love beautiful things and home comfort. This is also a suitable option for those who do not tolerate monotony.
4. Mid-century modern style
The mid-century modern style originated in the USA in the mid-1940s after the end of World War II. The main wish of people for the interior at that time was comfort. This style implies an open, bright space, simple and smooth shapes, the use of natural wood, as well as bright colors and geometric patterns along with a muted palette.
Colors
The basic palette for mid century is represented by natural colors:
- white,
- beige,
- gray,
- brown,
- milky,
- green.
Furniture and materials
As a rule there are no curtains on the windows, sometimes Roman shades are acceptable. Pieces of furniture are characterized by simple, but streamlined, ergonomic shapes. Mid-century is a master of softening lines and rounding corners. Oval and round table tops, legendary Arno Jacobsen chairs, Werner Panton and Eero Saarinen chairs, smooth and long sofas-these are the main symbols of the 50s. Another feature is the widespread use, along with wood, of materials that were relevant in those years: plywood, plastic, light metals.
Decor
The furniture of those times is beautiful and symbolic, that is why not too much decor is necessary in mid-century modern style.
5. Eco style
Eco-style in the interior is becoming more and more popular, especially among residents of big cities because being among natural materials quickly relieves stress, calms and promotes early recovery after a working day. Eco-style today is not only a healthy eco-friendly interior, it is an interior that, from an aesthetic point of view, looks stylish, beautiful and expensive.
Colors
The ecological orientation of the style sets, first of all, the colors used in the decoration. As a rule, these are the shades that we meet in nature: sand, earth, grass, blue, white. A room in an eco-style is made with the use of natural materials. First of all, these are wood, stone, cork, ceramics, glass, paper, panels made of rattan. The walls can be decorated with eco-friendly wallpaper with images of plant motifs, or lined with cork panels. Plaster, painted or whitewashed, is also quite an eco-friendly wall covering.
Furniture and materials
Ceilings are either covered with whitewash or covered with wallpaper or decorated with wood.
The floors are most often made of wood or decorated with stone tiles or ceramic tiles. For an eco-style apartment wooden furniture is suitable, it must be simple in shape, quite massive, and the shape should be as natural as possible – either straight and even rough, or, on the contrary, smooth, imitating the natural curves found in nature. In the first case, the texture of the tree should be as simple as possible, its processing should be minimal. In the second case, careful processing and polishing of wood is permissible. Another suitable type of furniture is wicker items made of vine, rattan, bamboo.
As much natural lighting as possible is a mandatory requirement of an ecological interior. If it is not enough – it is necessary to add artificial lighting. Lamps in the design can be “invisible” – built-in as well as decorative.
Decor
A wonderful addition to the interior will be a fireplace – both “live” and “bio”, or even its imitation-logs stacked in a suitable niche.
Greenery is another” tool ” of the designer, with which you can enliven the simplest interior or turn an ordinary room into a corner of a tropical forest.
Below you will see the summary of these styles and their comparison
| Style | Basic colors | Furniture and materials | Decor |
| Scandinavian | White
Grey Green
|
Simple
Made of wood(natural and white) Light textile
|
Simple decor
Posters Accent walls Bright Textiles Greenery
|
| Minimalism | White
Black Beige Brown |
Natural materials
Simple forms |
Simple decor
Vases, sculptures Not much decor |
| Mid-century modern | Beige
Black Grey Red Blue Brown
|
The iconic furniture
Simple forms Much space No curtains, mostly Roman shades |
Posters
Vases Sculptures Not much decor |
| Eco-style | White
Beige Green Brown |
Natural materials
Streamlined furniture Much wood and stone in design |
Simple decor
Not much of decor Lots of greenery |
You may find additional information on how to create Scandinavian interior on a budget https://inspirationforhome.com/scandinavian-decor-on-a-budget/ or more information on modern eco-style at https://inspirationforhome.com/organic-modern-interior-design/