In
honor of the new addition to the Royal Family across the pond, let’s give a
stately nod to some regal touches to add to make our own castles feel a little
more majestic. No jeweled crown is
required to put an imperial spin on the space we live in.
When
you think high-class, you can easily think high-end. But there are plenty of options short of the
lofty price tags. Take classic furniture
pieces with European roots like armchairs, buffets, armoires, and bureaus,
which can all be found in second hand stores and other options other than
retail outlets. You can take the “good bones” of old pieces, as they say, and
give them a makeover to the extent you desire.
Sanding, painting or staining, recovering, and reupholstering can all go
a long way to giving an older piece new life with real appeal.
If
the proof is in the pudding, then the design is in the details. Decorative accents can go a long way to
giving an individual piece or an entire room a look and feel of quality and
upscale style. Think button tufts,
nailhead trim, turned wood furniture legs, rolled arms, extensive carvings, and
other dressy finishes. Playing up these
accents and clustering decorative furniture together can provide a more
pronounced impression for the grouping.
Up
the ante with more formal decorative pieces in little touches throughout your
home. Hang a Venetian style mirror over
a foyer table or dining room buffet in place of more casual canvas art. Use a polished tray to hold remotes,
magazines, candles, or coasters on a coffee table in lieu of a woven basket. Display China pieces or pretty ceramics in
open or glass kitchen cabinetry or shelving.
Embrace more decorative finishes over contemporary clean lines.
You
also cannot go wrong with the more stereotypical approach in your decorations
if that suits your space. A chandelier
style lighting fixture over your dining table is automatically going to give
the room a more formal feel. A portrait
mirror with a decorative metallic trim is going to look more elegant that a
wood framed one of the same size. Forego
a drum shade for a scallop, bell, or empire shape for your lamp instead. Accent pillows with silhouette prints like
candelabras, chandeliers, and crowns are all cheeky show pieces that state you
enjoy a little grandeur.
You
may not sip tea with your pinky up in the air, but if stately style suits you,
show it off with luxury and lavishness fit for the palace you call your place
of residence.
DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star July 28th.
