5 Principles of Timeless Home Decor: A Guide to Lasting Elegance.

Have you ever wondered how some people manage to have their home always look elegant year after year and season after season? What’s their secret? We at Classic Elegance have compiled 5 principles to help you crack the code. We chose principles because rules change but principles remain, so you should be covered no matter the time or season. 

1. Have a canvas, then paint. This might seem like simple logic, but it’s surprising how many people miss this. They start off with very bright paint and busy prints (nothing wrong with that if you know what you’re doing) and then use equally busy furniture. The right way to go about it is to use your walls and major furniture (eg. couch) as a canvas- neutral colours like beige for walls and brown for couches work best. Then, add colour with your soft furnishings, such as cushion covers, bed covers, throw blankets and curtains. We love this black & white couch cover from Temu. You can also have one wall that you paint with bright paint or cover with a bold wallpaper print. This is called an accent wall because it highlights or accentuates the wall. It is much easier and less expensive to change up soft furnishings according to your mood, taste or the season than to change the wall colours of your rooms and large furniture pieces like a couch or bed. 

2. Theme. Choose a theme for your style. You could choose one theme for the whole house, or a different theme for each room. If you choose the latter option, make sure the themes are cohesive by tying one common piece through all of them. For example, all rooms can have the same colour wall paint, but have different colour accent walls. This is why choosing a neutral colour as your “canvas” is important because it will complement any accent colour. Another way to achieve this is to choose a modern minimalist theme with clean lines, neutral colours, and a focus on functionality. Then, you may achieve a playful look by choosing a “jungle” theme for one of the kids’ rooms; and a holiday feel with an “island” theme for a guest bedroom, while still keeping each room clean with a focus on functionality. Doing this will create harmony and unity, and make the home feel well-designed. Check out this Safari themed wall art for kids’ rooms for a safari theme.

3. Contrast. Use contrasting colours, textures, and shapes to add interest. You can achieve this by pairing light and dark shades or mixing smooth and rough textures to create depth. For example, you could mix couch cushions of similar colours but different textures- some smooth, some textured. 

4. Focal Point. Establish a focal point in each room, such as a piece of art, a fireplace, or a statement furniture item. This draws the eye and provides a visual anchor. For a piece of art, a wall painting is an easy option. Take it up a notch and give your art that gallery feel with these amazing art spotlights. Be sure to make the art piece large enough for it to make a statement, but not too large that it’s out of proportion. Which brings us to the next point…

5. Scale and Proportion. Choose furniture and decor that are appropriately sized for the space. Large pieces in a small room can feel overwhelming, while small items in a large space may get lost. The ideal proportion for wall art can vary based on the room size and the layout. A common guideline is to aim for art that takes up about 60-75% of the wall space, especially if it’s above furniture like a sofa or a console table. For example, above a couch- choose art that is about two-thirds to three-quarters of the width of the sofa. For gallery walls- arrange smaller pieces to fill a larger space, ensuring the collective size covers about 50-75% of the wall area. Height- hang artwork so that the centre is at eye level, generally around 145-152 cm/ 57-60 inches from the floor. Ultimately, balance and proportion to the surrounding furniture and space are key!

We hope that this article was helpful as you endeavor to achieve timeless chic and elegance in your home. Trends come and go, but true style transcends trends. With our tips, you can afford to be a bit trendy sometimes, elegant always and unsophisticated- never! 

We love to hear from and be inspired by you! Drop us a comment and let us know what your thoughts are, what styles you are going for at the moment and how you plan to use our tips. Also follow us on Pinterest for frequent inspiration on all things fashion, home and beauty.