Based on classical styles abounding in luxurious excesses - Rococo, Empire and Baroque, the Italian style has become the embodiment of a new understanding of aesthetics that can be comfortable and functional. Italians know what luxury is: for centuries they were ready to pay a high price for it, but it was worth it. The Italian style living room has become the embodiment of the ideals of high fashion in interior design - when it comes to chic, these people do not compromise!
modern italian style living room
Times change, people become pragmatic and often sacrifice beauty in favor of convenience. The inhabitants of Italy favorably differ in this sense from the majority of those around them. They do not agree to forget that beauty will save the world, so they continue to build chic villas with fountains and invent new carnival costumes for walking around festive Venice, but this particular feature of Italians will never cease to amaze us!
Living room decoration in Italian style
The Italian-style living room is a classic read by the heirs of the ancient Roman Empire with their characteristic temperament. The bright individuality inherent in the Mediterranean type of people is reflected in the original design approaches, which will be discussed.
Italian-style living room is characterized by palatial luxury and chic
Theoretically, French, English and Italian styles have one basis - however, this is a seeming similarity. From the good old classics, Italian designers took only the best: elegance of forms and symmetry of smooth lines, rich accessories and sophisticated finishes, solid durable materials and muted tones. But the old colors have played in a new way in the light of modern geometric lines, ornaments, patterns and color contrasts. It is quite possible to successfully embody the style of uncompromising southerners in your home, all that remains is to reveal its main secrets for yourself.
Color in the design of the Italian living room
The basis of the design of the living room in the Italian style is the right colors and their shades - mostly warm, ocher, natural.. Beige combined with gold, ivory and caramel, olive undertones, bright turquoise, purple shades, yellow and terracotta shades - all these colors have always been loved in Italy. But relatively recently, temperamental Italians discovered the beauty of a new, infinitely bright contrast: black and white, light and shadow, day and night. Well, everything new is a well-forgotten old, and talented southerners again saw the world in new colors.
Italian style living room interior design in light colors
Chocolate-colored furniture in the golden reflections of light walls will look quite Italian, and dark olive-colored curtains are in perfect harmony with the caramel-colored sofa, because there is no light without a shadow.
Stone, wood, metal
Italian style promotes luxury and the use of the most durable natural materials. Here, the best types of natural stone are combined with solid wood and heavy forged metal.
The massive masonry of the walls, no doubt, will serve faithfully for more than one generation of a strong and close-knit family.
decorating a fireplace with natural stone in an Italian living room
Red brick walls create a sense of security and warmth, while marble countertops and cabinets enhance this sense of peace.
The floor can be tiled, but the mosaic makes a lasting impression, reminiscent of the decoration of ancient Roman villas. It was the mosaics that became the symbol of the era of Ancient Rome. Even after thousands of years, the beauty and brightness of the colors of the mosaic compositions testify to the highest level of skill of the old artists.
As for furniture, in the understanding of the Italians, it simply has to be wooden. At the same time, the natural appearance of knots in wood is not at all welcome, they prefer a painted plain surface, richly covered with shiny varnish.
wooden beamed ceiling - a must-have element of a classic Italian-style living room
Metal parts within the Italian style are not easy to apply. The flashy shine of nickel-plated interior elements will not work: the headboards of the beds and the legs of the chairs should be forged, covered with white or black paint on top.
Italian style living room features
Making such a living room is not an easy task, even the masters of style do not always succeed in combining the high desire of high society for luxury with the pragmatism of modern design approaches and new technologies.
In the days of the distant ancestors of modern aristocrats, everything was somewhat different: pomposity did not seem funny, and one could not skimp on decorative details.
the interior of the Italian living room is rich in various decorative elements
Modern views on the interior of the living room in the Italian style are as follows:
- The snow-white elegant ceiling, visually increasing the height of the walls, should be perfectly even, plastered, and covered with matte latex paint. Large borders under the ceiling are designed to remind of the old times and the rich decoration of plaster moldings.
- Walls should be flat, smooth, painted or covered with expensive wallpaper, with or without elegant patterns. Paper or textile wallpapers with relief, as well as silk-screen printing in a restrained style, are suitable.
- For the floor in the Italian living room, you can choose parquet, laminate or special tiles - fundamental in the rest, the Italians, fortunately, do not pay much attention to the color of the floor. The parquet board covered with a brilliant varnish looks impressive and expensive. And Italians also like to cover the floors with marble, but if fate forces you to choose ceramic tiles, then it’s better to buy a stylized natural stone.
- Expensive dark wood furniture is the best way to decorate an Italian-style living room, it embodies the spirit of this beautiful country. However, adherents of light colors also have the right to their opinion on this issue, if they are ready to comply with the following important rules:
italian style furniture design
- do not disturb the smoothness of lines and bends;
- choose furniture with symmetrical patterns and carvings;
- arrange furniture items symmetrically;
- use upholstery only from expensive fabrics;
- do not skimp on gilded inlay and spectacular bronze details.
In the center of the living room, there must be a massive table surrounded by many chairs.
a small table located in the center of the room is an indispensable element of the Italian living room
Upholstered furniture is certainly elite, expensive. It is recommended to purchase a large, even bulky sofa, because respectable owners never think about saving space. The choice of materials for upholstery is strictly limited to only the most luxurious of them - genuine leather, jacquard, velor, satin and velvet.
back to index ↑Choice of living room accessories
It is important not only to understand the style, but also to feel the spirit of Italy! There are an incredible number of accessories, it is impossible to choose only suitable ones, so we will highlight only the mandatory attributes of the living room interior:
a beautiful forged chandelier with candlesticks will be the main touch in the classic interpretation of the Italian living room
- massive chandelier made of high quality crystal;
- classic fireplace;
- impressive size carpet of dense texture;
- gilding on frames for pictures and mirrors;
- vases made of expensive porcelain on powerful wooden shelves, and plates hung on the walls;
- living, most often curly indoor flowers with large leaves.
vases are one of the most common Italian interior decor items.
It is important that the living room in the Italian style is light: large windows should let in as much bright sunlight as possible, illuminating the luxurious environment and crumbling into many iridescent fragments on a chic soft carpet.
As you can see, designing in the Italian style is much more complicated by the need to show taste and stop in time without overloading the atmosphere of the room with regular columns and statues. The main guideline in the difficult task of creating sophisticated beauty is the preservation of the comfort and convenience of a living space.
accessories in italian style living room interior
It is unlikely that you would like to experience the strange feeling of waiting for the visit of the English queen to your house every day! How then to be with family watching football matches, children playing on the carpet and beer parties with friends? Italians do not spare time for their native people, family traditions are above all for them.
To create a cozy atmosphere, you can use various pleasant little things. Italian women often buy or embroider pillowcases for decorative pillows themselves, additionally decorating them with lace. This is also a peculiar way to express the desire for beauty and luxury, without harming the silence and comfort of the home environment.
Venetian style in the interior of the living room
Conclusion
Let's not forget that Italy is a Mediterranean country, which means that elements of a marine style in design will be fully justified. Souvenirs on a marine theme will be a worthy decoration of an Italian-style living room!
Photo gallery - Italian-style living room:
