Whether you are just starting out or you’ve been designing interiors for years, there is a long list of popular styles, designers, color combinations and textiles you need to know to be successful. Some of it comes through time and experience, but we’ll help you out when it comes to traditional furniture styles.

‘Traditional’ Includes a Wide Range of Styles

Design novices might not realize just how many nuances and niches there are under the umbrella of the “traditional” style. In fact, traditional furniture styles that are widely recognized in the field of design may hail from time periods as early as the 1600s, and as late as the 1900s. Many of these style reflect the fashions and functions of their historical settings, as well as the influence of even older classical styles.

Louis XVI

Strongly influenced by Neoclassical design, Louis XVI style furniture was designed for the famous Marie Antoinette, queen during the French Revolution. The style is defined by its Greco-Roman influence, featuring richly carved details, straight lines, and beautiful classical motifs, such as fluting.

Victorian

Perhaps one of the most well-known furniture styles, Victorian design marks the period in English history when Queen Victoria was on the throne. Characterized by deeply rich finishes and fancy ornamentation, Victorian-style furniture is generally large, heavy, and luxurious. It was also the first type of furniture to be manufactured, rather than hand-built.

Arts and Crafts

William Morris was the artist who heavily influenced the Arts and Crafts movement. His ideas were born out of a desire to “return the the roots” of craftsmanship. Once the industrial revolution was under way, a lot of items were being fabricated by machines and not by man. His simple, functional designs captured a different kind of beauty, featuring beautiful woodwork in geometric shapes and practical proportions.

Scandinavian Contemporary

Although sporting the name “contemporary” in the title, Scandinavian Contemporary styles hail from a time in the mid-1900s when a group of European countries began creating a design based on simplicity, functionality and minimalism. This utilitarian design is usually made with natural materials left largely unstained.

These traditional furniture styles represent only a fraction of the incredible options you will have to work with as a room designer. Their individualized beauty is only added upon by their long-time popularity and the history associated with their design. This unique combination of elements can help you to create spaces that are both sentimental and striking.