Colonial style

Colonial style in the interior

The name of the colonial style speaks for itself. In an era when the world's leading countries conquered new territories, a huge number of French, English, Dutch and Spanish colonies appeared in America, Africa and Asia. For many years, the culture and flavor of European countries mixed with the local way of life. That is precisely how one of the most preferred styles in the design of living space arose, in which designers try to combine at first glance completely incompatible objects of the philosophical east or African exotic with luxury and comfort of the European class.

Color scheme for a bedroom Colonial-style bedroomSimplicity and conciseness - the basics of the colonial style

The essence of the colonial style is that it does not have clear boundaries; explicit zoning of the room is not appropriate here, on the contrary, all transitions are smoothed to the maximum. It is not uncommon for designers to use columns, ceilings with all kinds of differences and niches, multi-level floors, partitions and screens for such a soft separation of space.

Colonial style bathroom Colonial style for the bathroom Bedroom in blue tones.

Color space

The calm, restraint and luxury of the colonial style is also expressed in the color scheme. As a rule, light pastel colors for walls and darker natural colors for furniture or vice versa are used to decorate rooms in this direction. As nowhere else olive, terracotta, gold, the color of the old tree and ocher will be appropriate. However, such a rule does not at all preclude the presence of bright and saturated decor elements, but they should be used with caution.

Materials and textiles for decoration

The colonial style carries a combination of European classics with such an exotics beloved by everyone, which is why it uses a tree of such species as Asian walnut, rubber, yew and rattan palm. Natural materials such as clay, bronze, stone and ceramics will also be relevant here. The selection of textiles also needs to be given special attention. There are a number of requirements for him:

  • it should be exclusively natural materials (silk, leather, linen, wool and suede);
  • shades and colors should be as natural as possible, exotic prints are also welcome, for example, resembling the color of a zebra, giraffe, leopard or tiger;
  • Carpets used in the interior should maximize the culture and color of the chosen subject. It can be woven paths with African or Oriental motifs, or fur coat imitating the color of animals.

The presence of natural materials in the decoration emphasize the rich color and bring a special charm and luxury to the interior.

Picture in the bedroom Bright colonial style living room

In the design of the walls in a colonial style, wallpapers with all kinds of patterns are unacceptable. When choosing wall decoration, you need to give preference to either plaster or wallpaper with a texture under a natural fabric or bamboo. Panels with columns and massive ceiling cornices will be appropriate here. A variety of paintings with nature, animals or some specific symbols in the framework of natural wood or bronze are also welcome.

Large windows in the living room Dark wood ceiling

When decorating a room in a colonial style, not only drywall constructions are erected on the ceiling, but also wooden beams protruding inside the room. The color of the ceiling can be either classic white or exotic, such as mahogany.

Furniture

Furniture items that are used in the design of the premises in a colonial style should be made from natural raw materials. Leather or textile sofas and armchairs, coffee tables with curved legs, chairs with carved backs and soft seats, wicker chests and four-poster beds, the frame of which is made of wood, will help not only recreate the atmosphere appropriate to this style, but also make living in such a room as comfortable as possible.Moreover, such a home environment will be not only functional, but also aesthetically literate, bringing only pleasure to both guests and household.

Antique Fixtures Colonial vibrant colors

Lighting

Colonial-style rooms should be spacious and bright, whether it is a living room, bedroom or bathroom. Therefore, huge windows providing the maximum amount of sunlight will be very appropriate. Of course, this option applies only to private houses, in the apartment you will need to install a large number of light sources. It can be spotlights, floor lamps, lamps and antique chandeliers.

Colonial style - a mix of cultures and colors

This style of interior will be appreciated by lovers of classics. Here there is chic and charm and notes of exoticism, to which most people, remaining exclusively adherents of European culture, are not indifferent anyway.