If you don’t have a traditional-style home with period features, that doesn’t mean that you can’t create them yourself. Period living can be a great interior design choice, and especially if you’re more averse to modern design features or items. The great thing is that you can also apply period features to any room, whether it’s the living space, bedroom, or kitchen.
Here are seven tips if you want to add more period design choices to your home.
1. Use Darker Colours
One key element of a period home can be darker colours. This could be deep reds, olive greens, dark greys, or darker blues. You’ll want to think about painting your walls in these darker colours, or having a feature wall in this type of colour.
That isn’t to say that you can’t create a period room or home using whites, creams, or lighter colours, as long as you have a lot of period furniture or items to balance it out — otherwise, it will look too modern if the walls are light.
2. Add a Touch of Drama
Dramatic impact is key for a good period property. This can be achieved through bold and dark colours, as mentioned, or you may want to accentuate any period features for maximum impact, such as period tiling, flooring, or bringing focus on dramatic ornaments or artwork. Bold and dramatic is key.
3. Make Use of Antique Touches
For a period feel, you’ll want to introduce lots of antique-style items. This could be an antique fireplace, antique-style lamps, old-fashioned books, or ornaments in more traditional colours like bronze or mahogany rather than cold metal or white.
4. Consider Furniture Shape Carefully
There are lots of furniture styles and shapes which are synonymous with a more period style. Think winged-back armchairs and Chesterfield couches. You’ll want to choose these kinds of dramatic shapes as opposed to plain furniture or fabric.
5. Add Panelling
A lot of period properties will have panelling on the walls or ceiling. Panelling can easily be added to your walls by using wood or other material to create a square shape. You can then paint over it to match with the rest of your scheme. This can add another layer to the room as well as an iconic period feature.
Or, you could try for a wallpaper which has a panelling-effect.
6. Pick the Right Materials
When choosing furniture items, think of a design that best reflects period design. Think dark wood and antique handles, wooden bookshelves, bronze or copper metal, and floral-patterned fabrics with rich texture. You don’t want to opt for shiny flat-pack or smooth, modern surfaces for furniture.
7. Think About Your Lighting
The colour of your lighting as well as lighting style will make all the difference. Period lighting should be warm and deep as opposed to cold or white. You can also try traditional lamp styles — like fabric shades — and even try for candelabras or chandeliers.
Final Thoughts
To successfully create a period theme, you need to be consistent. While you can always mix and match period features and colours, coupling with items that are too-modern may not allow the room to work seamlessly. Plan everything in advance, and remember, the darker and bolder, the better!
