Whether you are trying to decorate a new house or trying to change the current décor of your home, it helps to know the characteristics of some of the interior design styles that are currently in vogue. They will serve as a useful guide in creating a space that will be conducive to the occupiers needs and preferences.
The following are the top ten interior design styles that are worth knowing about.
Modern Classic
The modern classic style has its origins in Europe. It is inspired by the ancient Greek and Roman styles in which symmetry is an aesthetic goal.
Some of the features of this style include spacious rooms, high ceilings and large windows. It also involves the combination of natural and artificial materials.
With regard to furnishing, classic and modern styles are combined. The furniture also have a minimum of decorative frills and ornamental carvings. The upholstery are made of expensive fabrics which have soft decorative patterns.
The predominant colours in the modern classic style are pastel colours such as beige, gray, silver, white, blue or brown. Accents may be added through the use of darker colours.
Minimalism
The key principles of the minimalist interior design are simplicity, functionality and practicality. It is inspired by the busy and hectic modern-day way of life.
Coming back to a sparsely furnished home from a stressful day at work can help clear up the mind. Besides, a busy person will spend less time cleaning the house and more time on other matters.
This interior design style makes use of convertible furniture, little or no decorations (if decorations are used, they largely serve dual purposes), built-in appliances, and monochromatic colour schemes.
The most popular colours used in Minimalism are white, gray and beige.
Loft
The loft interior design style is largely American in origin. It was inspired by the conversion of an abandoned factory, warehouse or workshop into a living space called a loft. It became popular in the 1950s.
This design style makes use of high ceilings, free and open layouts, large windows, rough wall finishings, and stairs. There are as few internal walls and partitions as possible.
The furnishings are a mixture of vintage and modern furniture.
The colour scheme involves the use of natural colours and natural shades.
Grunge
The grunge interior design style has its origins in 19th century France. It seeks to combine simplicity with elegance. It can only be featured in a large space with large windows, which can introduce a lot of natural lighting.
Its other features include walls decorated with natural materials as brickwork, plaster, wood or stone; the lining of ceilings and floors with wood; and the use of functional furniture and decoration.
It is expected that the fabrics used in this style should blend well with the natural surrounding. In this regard, such fabrics as cotton, silk, fur, wool, linen, leather or satin may be used.
The chief colours used in this style are white, gray, beige, brown and black.
Country
Inspiration for the country interior design style comes from the traditional farm house.
In keeping with its celebration of nature, everything – from surfaces to furniture, decorations and other accessories – is made of natural materials.
Furnishing employs a mixture of rustic and vintage interior design styles, with a preferencec for huge furniture that are made of aged wood.
The textiles of choice are dense fabrics decorated with floral patterns.
In this interior design style, it is necessary to have such accessories as flowers, handmade and forged objects.
The preferred colour scheme makes use of natural colours such as brown, blue, beige and green.
Shabby Chic
The goal of this interior design style is to create the appearance of respectability and antiquity.
Some of its features include the combination of rustic and ornate styles; the use of vintage furniture, lighting, textiles and accessories; and surfaces that have the appearance of being worn.
This style generally features a white stucco ceiling, wooden floors, and wall papers decorated with floral designs. Other articles of decoration could include flowers, statuettes, handmade and forged materials.
The colour scheme makes use of delicate pastel shades.
Eco-Style
This interior design style is inspired by wildlife.
It celebrates nature by using only natural materials – such as stone, glass, cork, ceramics and wood – for furniture, decorations and other articles and accessories.
This style makes use of large spaces and bright light, hence it equally employs a minimal use of furniture and decorations.
It is common to see baskets, ceramic or glass vases, and plants as essential articles of decoration.
The preferred colour scheme here is natural colours and their different shades.
Boho
This is the preferred interior design style for people who would like their living spaces to be full of life and an eclectic display of furniture and decorations.
There are no rules in this approach to interior design. The owner of the space is completely at liberty to combine styles, use and display both natural and artificial materials, showcase both vintage and modern furniture and articles of decoration, and even display objects depicting vastly different cultures.
This interior design style typically makes use of bright colours such as yellow, red, blue, orange or green.
Hi-Tech
The hi-tech interior design style emerged during the latter part of the twentieth century, and it mainly featured in urban architecture.
Its distinctive features include technogenicity, the use of little or no decorations, functionality, minimalism, a lot of open space, smooth and glossy surfaces, futuristic-looking objects and accessories, abstract painting, and black-and-white pictures.
This style makes use of mobile, built-in furniture, which could be of the same colour as the surrounding walls. It also makes use of a lot of light which come from multiple sources of artificial lighting.
The predominant materials are glass, metal and plastic. The use of artificial materials is key in this interior design style.
The chief colours that are employed in hi-tech interior design styles are white, black and gray.
Scandinavian
The goal of the Scandinavian interior design style is to achieve simplicity, minimalism and functionality.
This style employs the use of a lot of natural lighting in order to make a room look bigger and brighter.
While the floor may be made of wood, the ceiling and the walls are either covered in wallpaper or painted in a light colour.
The furnishings are minimal and are largely made out of wood.
Decorations are also at a minimum, however, they play a central part in this interior decoration style. Decorations would include plants, handmade objects, candlelights, lamps and vases.
The preferred colours in this interior design style include white, gray, blue and beige.
