Classic interiors… You can talk about their magnificence for hours, but if you try to describe them in a few words, then such decor is, first of all, beauty and dignity in every detail.
Living rooms in a classic style are interiors for seasoned individuals who know a lot about architecture and are able to appreciate the traditions of laconic design. Since the sophistication of taste is polished over the years, the understanding that classicism is so magnificent that it will always remain out of competition and will never go out of fashion also comes with age. This explains why middle-aged and older people predominate among the admirers of the classical canons.
Stylistic foundations of the classics
It is appropriate to start creating an interior in a classic style only if the room reserved for it is large, not limited by low ceilings and equipped with high windows that let in enough light and sun. Such a living room should be finished with quality materials and furnished with solid furniture, the purchase of which will have to fork out.
Classical style is elegance captured in every object, clearly drawn proportions and truly refined forms without pretentious excesses.
Of the materials in the decoration of living rooms in the best traditions of the classical style, wood, expensive fabrics and metal are actively used. From the first one is made:
- Furniture;
- Floor covering;
- Decorative items.
From the second:
- Furniture upholstery;
- Curtains;
- Pillows;
- Tapestries.

a crystal chandelier with candlesticks is in perfect harmony with the rest of the decor in a classic interior
Metal elements are present in the decor as accessories or parts of lighting fixtures.
If your intentions are serious, and you are going to embody the smallest stylistic features of classicism in your living room, then you cannot do without a fireplace. This is perhaps the only object whose presence is not discussed, because a priori it is assigned the role of the heart of the living room.
back to index ↑Classic living room color palette
The general background of a classic living room is always done in neutral and very light shades. The priority of choice may be: pale pink, delicate blue, beige, cream, blurry green and pale yellow, which are diluted with large portions of white. Only furniture, lighting frames or small decorative gizmos can contrast with the main palette.
But if we are talking about living rooms in a truly classic style, then ideally, make the main background still pure white, because it really creates the impression of unsurpassed luxury, wealth, chic and, of course, cleanliness.A great addition to such a background will be gilding, which can be applied to stucco decorative elements. If it is necessary to correct the spatial perception of the room, vertical stripes, decorative columns can appear on the walls (in this way, designers “raise” the ceilings) or a small pattern (this will visually expand the room).
Naturally, when choosing the main color, you need to consider how sunny and bright the living room is. If its windows look to the north, then it would be more correct to decorate it in warmer colors, otherwise they use a cool range.

baroque style in the interior of the living room grotesque classic in the interior of the living room
How to decorate living rooms in a classic style
As already mentioned, the classic style involves the use of only expensive materials of natural origin. Valuable wood, luxurious fabrics, gilding… But what about those who do not have a bank account with six zeros? First of all, do not give up on your dream, because today there is an opportunity to purchase modern and fairly budget materials that perfectly imitate the texture of stones, fabrics, and wood. They are quite able to bring notes of the classic entourage into the interior.
Classic floor
As a flooring in a classic living room, natural wood parquet of the highest quality is most often used. The surface of the tiles can be covered with a geometric or openwork pattern. Such love for this material is explained by the fact that in addition to high aesthetic indicators, it also has incredible durability. In fact, parquet is laid not even for decades, but for centuries.

as a floor covering in a classic interior can be used laminate and parquet
An alternative in finishing can be a light parquet board. It will preserve the lightness inherent in classicism in the interior.
Classic walls
You can decorate the walls of living rooms in a real classic style in many ways. Decorative plaster can be used here, Wall panels from wood, fabric upholstery and wallpaper. If you settled on a fabric finish, then choose a pearl or golden hue, acacia or beige. The pattern on such fabrics should be soft, symmetrical and certainly intricate. Sometimes living rooms are decorated in darker, muted shades of burgundy, wine red, purple with gilding. As for the wallpaper, they should be of an elite class, in a light spectrum and have a fancy vertical pattern.
It is advisable not to decorate the walls brightly and brightly. In favor of a plain background and embossed pattern. If you want to see gilding on the walls, then try so that the overall picture does not turn out to be clumsy, but looks expensive and solid.
The use of stucco elements on the walls is not alien to living rooms in a classic style. It can be:
- Pilasters;
- Panels;
- Friezes;
- moldings;
- columns;
- Semi-columns.
Under such a relief decor, the walls are usually simply painted in soothing colors.
Classic ceiling
For a classic style, it is very important to properly decorate the ceiling. This is a very difficult process, because the surface must be flawless. Jewelry should look luxurious and organic, and for this you need to be well versed in art and remember about symmetry.
The ceiling can be made pure white and decorated with a classic cornice and a rosette for a chandelier, or you can cover it with paintings. In the latter case, you cannot cope without the help of professionals. You can, of course, replace the painting with high-quality photo printing, but even if it is made using the most modern technologies, it will never be able to compare with the chic of handmade work.
Doors and windows of a classic interior
To decorate the window area, heavy curtains and curtains are used, which in classic-style living rooms should be used in at least two layers.
Living rooms in a true classic style do not tolerate the use of modern materials. Consumer goods made of plastic, even in the most elaborate form, will instantly destroy the spirit of antiquity, and with it the historical background of the style. That is why window frames and doors in such interiors are unconditionally made of natural wood. As for the shape of the openings, they can be of any kind, but most often they are made arched. Decorating them with cornices and columns does not contradict the canons of the classics.
It is important that the window openings match the style and shape of the door openings. To decorate the window area, heavy curtains and curtains are used, which in classic-style living rooms should be used in at least two layers. Dense curtains are combined with tulle. In order not to restrict the access of light to the living room, the curtains are equipped with tassels decorated with tassels. The design should be chic, replete with folds and drapery, so not only velvet is used for sewing curtains, but also satin, printed silk, and brocade.
By tradition, the curtains are mounted on a cornice-rod. It must be forged or carved, because in addition to the functional load in this interior, it also plays the role of decorative decoration. Ideally, choose models of cornices that would be combined with the exterior of the chandelier and other fixtures.
Furniture for a classic interior
The furniture present in the living rooms in the classical style must certainly have graceful carved legs, armrests, backs, facades, but with all the splendor of the products, moderation should still be traced in their decor.
Since the interiors of living rooms decorated in a classic style should have a special character, only those pieces of furniture that can accurately convey the historical essence of the direction are used in their furnishings. This explains the high demand for antique armchairs and unusual chairs in the spirit of Chippendale, Chesterfield sofas and Sheraton chests of drawers.
As mentioned earlier, all furniture used in the interior should be made exclusively from precious woods such as oak, wenge, mahogany or hevea. If we talk about the specifics of the upholstery of upholstered furniture, then the fabric used for this should be in tune with the main background of the room. The most desirable colors for upholstery textiles are white and natural sand. However, in some cases, the upholstery can imitate the shade of a wooden frame. For example, an oak armchair can be upholstered in velvet, jacquard or velor fabric in light brown tones.
The furniture present in the living rooms in the classical style must certainly have graceful carved legs, armrests, backs, facades, but with all the splendor of the products, moderation should still be traced in their decor. The arrangement of objects is carried out measuredly, and that is, at a certain distance from each other. Crowding when furnishing will violate the feeling of freedom of space, which is unacceptable for classic interiors.
Do not overload the room with massive furnishings, even if the area allows it to be done painlessly. It will be quite enough to install a console, a chest of drawers or a sideboard as an addition to the main setting. This step will allow the living room not to look empty and maintain harmony.
back to index ↑Classic interior lighting
Living rooms decorated in a classic style require bright lighting, so the presence of chandeliers in them is a must. In fact, the chandelier is the second integral (after the fireplace) attribute of a classic interior. The frames of such lighting masterpieces are made either from carved wood or forged metal. They are painted in bronze color or covered with gilding. By tradition, the design is equipped with several horns, on which fabric lampshades or imitation candles are attached. Chandeliers are decorated in a classic style with sparkling crystal pendants.

a luxurious chandelier emphasizes the richness and sophistication of the classic interior of the living room in the Empire style
Since the room being designed has sufficient height, the chandelier should not be attached right up to the ceiling. The leg supporting the structure can be up to 70 cm long. This arrangement is not just a whim, but one of the design techniques for filling the space.
But it will not be possible to solve the problem of the play of shadows and light in a classic interior only with ceiling lighting, so you will have to add sconces and table lamps. These elements should be in harmony with the exterior with the main light source, that is, if the chandelier is equipped with lampshades, then the sconces should also have them, and not be an imitation of candlesticks. As for table lamps, they should have curly bases.
back to index ↑Decorating a classic interior
For all their luxury, the interiors of living rooms made in a classic style will not look complete if they are not complemented with the appropriate accessories.. Walls with moldings and wallpaper, no doubt, look great, but their surface is empty and, of course, pictures will help to fill it. They should be in massive, expensive frames and depict hunting scenes and landscapes.
A worthy decoration of the interior will be portraits of household members, painted in oil on canvas and artificially aged. But it will be real chic if genuine canvases by the great masters of painting appear in the setting. Since there can be several paintings in a room at once, they must be placed symmetrically.
Mirrors are also welcome in classicism. They must certainly be large and in an expensive frame.
Consoles, tables and a mantelpiece, which are certainly available in the living room, furnished in a classic style, are decorated with vases, candelabra, figurines and boxes made of bronze, porcelain and silver. It should be noted that such elements should not be in excess. In this elegant style, the impeccable taste of the owners should be traced in everything. To decorate the fireplace, it is quite enough to put an old clock and a pair of forged candlesticks on it. Family photos in black and white, enclosed in wooden frames and displayed as a small composition on a chest of drawers, can also become an object of decoration. Books displayed on the shelves of massive cabinets or wooden shelving look no less organic and appropriate in a classic living room.
Since living rooms decorated in a classic style are disgusted with modern items, care should be taken that none of them fall into the field of view and do not violate the traditional decor. Electrical sockets should be hidden, and all modern appliances are hidden in niches, special sliding sections of furniture, behind draperies and panels. To do this in a spacious room is not at all difficult.
back to index ↑Instead of an epilogue
Classic - the style is strict and chic. It is based on the exceptional perfection of the variety of patterns and the geometric accuracy of forms. Such interiors make a simply enchanting impression on guests, they are perfect and impossible to criticize.These decors better than others demonstrate the wealth of the owners, in connection with which they are perceived not just as a sign of a certain status of the owners, but as an application for something more. This is probably why classic-style living rooms will always exist.
back to index ↑Photo gallery - living rooms in a classic style: