The English living room is distinguished by sophistication, comfort and discreet luxury. This style has not gone out of fashion for centuries, because it combines the best characteristics of two directions and eras in the history of the country. The Georgian period left its imprint in the form of restrained aristocracy. Victorian era added luxury and noble chic.
In contemporary design art, the English style rightfully occupies a leading place in the interior design of luxury apartments and houses.
Living Room Design Principles
The design of the living room in the English style has its own characteristics. When you design a room, you should pay attention to the following principles:
- Exquisite design is a sophisticated combination of Georgian Puritan antique architecture with luxurious decoration and an exquisite palette of colors of the Victorian era.
- Natural, environmentally friendly, high-quality materials - this is a tree of expensive noble species (stained oak, mahogany, walnut). It is used for the manufacture of cornices, plinths, doors, window frames, as well as furniture. Plastic and other synthetic materials are not permitted.
- Natural fabrics are tapestry, velvet, silk, linen.
- Expensive decoration.
- Demonstration of family values in the form of photographs, portraits, figurines and other attributes of the manifestation of love for one’s family and pride in one’s homeland.
English style benefits
Thanks to carefully selected interior details, the living room in the classic English style acquires the following advantages:
- Relevance - this quality does not disappear even over the years, because over time this exquisite decoration becomes more valuable.
- Cost - considerable funds will have to be invested in the design of the living room, since only the highest quality materials are used. In this regard, the artistic and antique value of the elements of decor and furniture is growing.
- Harmlessness - the living room is decorated exclusively with environmentally friendly natural materials that are absolutely safe for health.
Necessary decorative elements
In the English living room must be present a huge amount of furniture and additional items. Decorative elements are a hallmark of style. Therefore, it is recommended to furnish the room and fill it with accessories as much as the size of the room allows. At the same time, it is impossible to cross the fine line when the general view resembles an antique store or pantry.
If there is no design experience, it will be a reasonable decision to turn to experienced specialists. English style is impossible without such items:
- fireplace;
- large dining table with chairs;
- a big sofa;
- a mirror in a wooden frame or metal design;
- several voluminous armchairs;
- massive buffet;
- cupboard;
- couch;
- soft puffs;
- coffee table;
- whatnot-console.
Color scheme
The English style has natural colors. It is worth paying attention to some features when choosing the necessary palette:
- The rooms, whose windows face west or south, reliably protect cold blue and light green colors from heat and sun.
- The eastern and northern rooms will be warmed by warm pastel, beige, pink and golden shades.
- The amber color, natural tones of stones and wood are inherent in the English style.
- All colors of natural greens look stylish, even a rich, deep dark color does not seem gloomy.
- Sometimes the interior uses lighter tones in light gray, peach, milk and cream shades.
- Vivid color contrasts and combinations do not match the style of the English aristocrats.
Furniture
For the manufacture of furnishings, the most valuable wood species are used. Ideally, it should be antiques. People who do not have the opportunity to acquire unique patterns are advised to use less valuable tree species. At the same time, models should be styled antique (carved decor is required). An indispensable condition is the use of rich, luxurious elements and accessories that adorn the harmonious proportions of furnishings.
Massive things are used as upholstered furniture, which are upholstered with natural materials such as leather, velvet, tapestry, velor. The presence of pouffes, banquets, ottomans, footrests is welcome. Particular attention is paid to the English-style sofas for the living room. They should be massive, with large armrests gently rolling into the back. The filling of the room should resemble the luxury of the royal chambers. Carved chairs, large tables, an abundance of seats is designed to create comfort for all members of a large family and their guests.
Floor
It is recommended to use parquet laid out with an original ornament as a flooring. The simplest and most affordable option will be a one-color herringbone coating. A more sophisticated technique involves the combination of several colors, elegantly laid out in the form of geometric shapes. A drawing room with a floor from a natural board or an expensive laminate, stylized as a stained oak or rosewood, will look no less attractive. Large pile carpets woven from natural fibers will also be useful.
Ceiling
The English interior involves whitewashing or special paint to cover this part of the walls. The color should be white, the height should be large enough. To visually increase the distance between the floor and the ceiling, use vertical stripes on the wallpaper. Incredibly popular is stucco, as well as the presence of wooden beams. They are smooth or decorated with carved decor. In a similar way cornices are made out.
English style walls
There are several options for their design. Columns look very impressive in such an interior. There are also certain patterns that are unique to this style:
- Stripes. They should contrast in color and be relatively wide. Visually, this raises the ceiling and increases the space.
- Monograms. Very common decoration of the English living room, which is applied to this day.
- Floral patterns. The British prefer the image of lilies, rose hips and roses.
The walls can be painted, glued with wallpaper, covered with textiles. A very common technique is the upholstery of surfaces with wood panels. The whole living room can be covered with natural wood from floor to ceiling. You can also use the upholstery only on the bottom of the wall, and arrange the top in one of the above ways.
Windows and doors
The English living room does not use synthetic or artificial materials. Plastic windows and doors should prefer wooden options. Instead of the usual openings, the classic version of the style assumes the presence of stained glass inserts of multi-colored glass. You can simply use the technique of dividing the window into many fragments in the form of a square or rhombus. Door and window openings can have the following form:
- elongated vertically;
- elongated horizontally;
- arched;
- multi-level.
The English style suggests the presence of wide window sills, on which it is customary to relax. That is why they are often equipped with soft seats and decorative pillows.
Fireplace
An English-style living room with a fireplace is the main condition of this area. It should be maximally adapted for spending a quiet leisure time for all family members and their guests.
For registration it is necessary to install a coffee table, sofa or chairs (if there is a rocking chair, the classics of the genre will be fully respected). It would be a smart decision to install a small bar with drinks, made of wood, as well as a cupboard for storing dishes. Fireplace accessories should be within walking distance.
Small living room
It is very difficult to create a small living room in the English style, because to fully comply with the British direction, you need a large space. In this case, we will talk about stylization, giving the room a specific atmosphere. Recovering a cherished dream will help the advice of specialists:
- Tape the walls with wallpaper or upholstery in light pastel colors.
- Cover the floor with parquet.
- Install a fireplace or make an imitation (false fireplace).
- Place two armchairs or a chair opposite the sofa.
- Hang a mirror in a wooden frame.
- Maintain primary colors in the design (natural shades).
Parts not recommended for this style
It is very important to consider the following. If you decide to decorate the living room in the British style, you must adhere to strict rules in this area:
- developing a design, it is necessary to abandon stretch ceilings and multi-tier structures made of drywall;
- modern technology should be hidden under sliding wooden panels and open exclusively for practical use;
- it is necessary to abandon chrome elements;
- spotlights, fluorescent lights and halogen sources should not be used to illuminate the living room;
- bright color accents are unacceptable, it is necessary to give preference to a harmonious and unobtrusive range that gently flows from one color to another.
The British-style living room is the choice of intelligent, respectable, refined and refined manners people. This style is not only a wealthy society, but also those who are able to replace some items and materials with relatively budget, but no less attractive and relevant elements. If there is a great desire from the side of the household, the room will find elegant decoration and an atmosphere of comfort.