For those who absolute adore the looks of formal hotels and buildings, you may wish you could translate such extravagant elegance into your own home. Beautiful wood floors, intricately carved walls and ceilings, or deep baseboard moldings may be the features you admire in formal homes. But there are several things that you can change in your home to emulate those designs.
Formal homes and spaces usually stand out because of the perfect symmetry of their furniture, windows, flooring, and artwork. These things are usually flawlessly arranged onto a straight axis in perfect pairs all around the room. With formal interiors, there is always one focal point that is constructed to grab one's attention. This may be a stunning picture window that looks straight onto a perfectly mowed lawn, or a fireplace located right in the middle of a long wall, or even just a beautiful furniture piece.
Formal decorating styles tend to look best in homes with high ceilings, tall or long windows, and other architectural features, like paneled walls and large fireplace mantles. Formal decorations are made to catch the attention of others with the use of ultra-polished windows, doors and woods, as well as one-of-a-kind furniture pieces that are of high interest.
With formal interiors, the accessories and furniture within tend to be antiques or top reproductions of antiques. Dark woods are used for a rich and dark look, while light woods are used mainly for decoration.
Highly-polished floors are decorated with Oriental rugs to add a touch of softness to the strong designs. Formal homes are usually outfitted with extravagant rugs made from quality fabrics. You can find a variety of oriental rugs to mimic the look of floors in the most exquisite homes around the world. Look for bold colored rugs with rich red, golds, and browns. Traditional designs are the best choice for a rug in a formal room.
If you love the look of formal homes, you can create that style in your own home by bringing in the right materials. Furniture that is tightly upholstered can be softened with the help of comfortable and decorative pillows. Fabrics that look strong and lush can be used instead of velvets and silks. Practical pieces are still best for everyday use, but several formal pieces can be added here and there to complete the look.
Formal fringe and trim is best to use in comfortable valances, pillows, and draperies, as well as upholstered furniture; while tassels and ruffles is best to use in accessorizing table runners and table clothes. Ensure that the fabric you choose can be easily cleaned.
