English style is very popular in the design of offices, libraries and living rooms. It brings nobility, solidity and luxury to the house. An English-style living room is suitable for conservatives, bibliophiles, adherents of family traditions and a quiet, comfortable stay, as well as for avid travelers who like to bring various souvenirs from everywhere (especially from exotic countries). In such a living room it is comfortable and pleasant to spend time both alone with a book and with loved ones over a cup of tea. However, for people prone to minimalism, this style is definitely not suitable because of the abundance of furniture, which is designed to block the drafts.
A fireplace, Chesterfield sofas and armchairs, a massive dining or work table and many small tea tables of various shapes, large bookcases, fabrics in small flowers, natural dark wood - all this immediately reminds of England of the 18th and 19th centuries. It was during this period that the style that we now call English was formed. The Georgian and Victorian eras had a huge influence on the English interior, as well as the English spirit of conquest, which forced the British to decorate their homes with cute exotic souvenirs.
To decorate a living room in the English style, you need to imagine the nature and weather of England. It is necessary to think over all aspects of design, because everything has its own nuances.
The components of the living room in the English style
The room and its decoration
- For an English living room, a spacious room with high ceilings is suitable. If the space is still limited, you can and should use different ways to expand it visually. This effect can be achieved with the help of skillful play with color and light.
- Doors here should be massive, wide and high. The material should be natural wood.
- The English style is very photophilous. Since England is a country with predominantly overcast weather, the windows are made as large as possible to let in the maximum amount of light possible. Windows are usually rectangular or arched in shape. They are decorated with heavy curtains.
- The ceiling is recommended to be finished in the color of wood or in white. It can be plaster, painting, wood paneling. They should not only be tall (or appear to be), but also elegant. Stucco and other decorative elements are often used here.
- The walls in the English-style living room can be upholstered with textiles, painted, wallpapered or covered with wood paneling. The latter option is not suitable for small rooms, wooden panels will visually reduce the room. Using fabric is an expensive pleasure, but the result can exceed expectations. Properly selected textiles will make the room luxurious and cozy in English. A tapestry or curtain fabric is suitable here.
- It is recommended to decorate the walls with a small floral pattern, but, depending on personal preferences, you can use medium or even large flowers.In these cases, the English favor roses and fleur-de-lis, and exotic birds often appear on flowering branches. Vertical lines and checks are also popular. There should not be variegation here. The alternation of wide and narrow vertical stripes looks very interesting.
- For an English-style living room, another interesting wall decoration option is common: the lower part of the wall is decorated with wooden panels, and the upper part is decorated with wallpaper or patterned fabric. In some places, stonework may appear, if it looks good in a particular interior.
- It is advisable to use wooden flooring, it should be rich and luxurious dark wood species. Light breeds are also used, but less often. The floor covering is varnished or waxed to give a special shine.
- You can also use a ceramic coating, then it is desirable to lay out an interesting geometric or floral pattern.
- A contrasting plinth is fixed around the perimeter of the living room.
Light
- English living rooms, offices and libraries love diffused and soft light.
- It is recommended to use large, elegant, luxurious chandeliers, light bulbs in the form of candles, floor lamps, sconces, table lamps.
- There should be enough light sources.

a classic chandelier with candlesticks will fit perfectly into the classic interior of an English living room
Color
- The English love to insulate their living rooms. To do this, they use warm and rich noble shades. Beige, brown, mustard, honey, cream, burgundy, terracotta, red, dark green, emerald, gold and bronze shades are very popular here.
- The color background of the living room in the English style should not be conspicuous and harmonize perfectly with the decor.
Furniture
- Furniture does not have to be dark, although this practice is very popular. It can also be light. The main thing is that the furniture goes well with the design as a whole. Dark wood furniture looks especially beautiful against the background of light walls, in harmony with the dark flooring.
- The main component of the living room in the English style is the fireplace. It doesn't have to be big, a small one will do. The main thing is decor. Modern designers come up with completely different ways to decorate it. It can be both wood panels and masonry, ceramic tiles are also suitable. The fireplace is the central figure in the living room. If it is, all furniture should be turned towards it. The British love to sit by the fireplace, because in England it is almost always cold and damp, so this is where the whole family gathers for tea.
- Near the fireplace there should be a Voltaire chair "with ears", a sofa with a "skirt" or Chesterfield. Armchairs "with ears" did not accidentally become so popular in England. It's all about the drafts again.
- Near the chair there can be a bench for legs and a tea table.
- All furniture should be made of natural wood - natural solid wood or veneer. It is not painted, but, to give a special shine, varnished or waxed. All furniture items should be made of expensive wood species: bog oak, mahogany, walnut. The use of plastic is not allowed.
- Living room furniture in the English style is often chosen antique, or specially aged.
- From India, the British brought bright upholstery for furniture and geometric patterns that have become traditional in the English interior. But this is an optional attribute. Leather upholstered furniture is also popular here.
- Bookcases are a must here. At the same time, they can be both massive and built-in. Tall bookcases that hit the ceiling are the perfect option for an English style.
- There should be a lot of furniture. Thus, the British block the drafts.It should appear massive and heavy.
- Despite the predominantly strict lines, a distinctive feature of the English style is furniture with bent legs in the form of an inverted comma.
- Very elegant furniture fittings are used here. Sometimes it can even seem pretentious.
Decor
- The English living room is not only a place for solitude and reading, but, to a greater extent, it is a room for communication with family and friends. For its design, family photographs are used, which are hung on the walls or placed on the shelves. A particularly popular place for photographs is the mantelpiece.
- Textiles are used in large quantities to decorate the living room.
- For curtains, heavy fabrics with a floral or geometric pattern, such as satin, velvet, brocade, are suitable. Curtains of a classical form or in the Baroque style are popular. They can be decorated with heavy twisted cords and pendants, lambrequins, exquisite cornices. Curtains must be in harmony with sofa cushions. This harmony can be manifested in fringe, tassels, embroidery and other nuances.
- The British love carpets made of natural fabrics with a high pile of milky or creamy shades. They do not occupy the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe room, most often they designate only a recreation area. The pattern on the carpet can be either geometric or floral. Large roses are especially popular.
- Oriental cultures brought exotic notes to the English style. Here you can find Indian pipes, oriental figurines, Chinese vases and caskets, porcelain figures, plaster sculptures and other items in large quantities.
- The walls are often decorated with paintings in exquisite frames. Landscapes and portraits are especially popular.
- In addition, guns and other weapons can hang on the walls.
Now a mixture of English style with classical, Scandinavian, baroque, Provence is popular, there are mixtures with even country style. This is very helpful in cases where you want to give the room more lightness and brightness.
English style living room - This is an indicator of the refined taste of the owners. It combines discreet luxury, conservative classics and exotic elements. It is designed for quiet, cozy family evenings.
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