Have you ever thought about it? What makes a room great, to you? Though the answer may be different for each of us, the question is universal when trying to hone in one’s personal style and I’d love to hear your thoughts on this…What makes you love a room (and perhaps dislike another)? Is it a successful color scheme or a functional furniture layout? Is it the art and the accessories? Maybe all of the above?
As I have been writing Café Design for some time now, I’ve been “looking” at a lot of pretty homes over the years and this has obviously shaped my style, if ever so slightly. Though the major constants remain, I am now more drawn towards the “imperfect” homes, the ones that show layers of life and still manage to look chic and pulled together. Which brings us to English Country Style interiors, an aesthetic we owe almost entirely to John Fowler and Sybil Colefax, and the homes featured in The World of Interiors. It’s the “buy-what-you-love” look that is also the hardest to manage without ending up with rooms that look jumbled up, flea-market style. On the other hand, I have seen so many gorgeous rooms designed by designers that I admire that are so perfect and pristine, it is hard to imagine someone actually inhabiting them.
Right now, I am drawn to a polished, American version of the English Country Style room, with a little less clutter. Here are some of the recurring elements that make a room beautiful, to me. Please don’t be offended if you happen to like things otherwise, in fact I’d love to hear your opinions in the comments below!
1. Interior Architecture: I love rooms that are interesting in terms of interior architecture. Wainscoting, beadboard or tongue-in-groove paneling, beautiful base and crown molding, all help to create an interesting foundation on which to layer furniture and accessories.
2. Natural elements: Fresh flowers, potted topiaries, botanical prints as well as old herbarium pages, natural fiber rugs, matchstick or bamboo shades, wicker and rattan… what they have in common is the natural element that infuses each space with an earthy feeling. They also lend rooms a casual, relaxed vibe which I find essential for a space to feel comfortable and inviting.
3. A harmonious color scheme. This one is fluid and easier to explain by stating what I don’t like in terms of color – harsh, strong colors put together for a bold, graphic effect and, at the other end,
4. …Contrast. I like to see contrast in rooms, a mix of dark and light, high and low, rustic and refined, shiny and matte… The contrast is what keeps things interesting, in my opinion.
5. Interesting Art: This one is straightforward enough, although by “interesting” I don’t necessarily mean “expensive”. I mean something “real” that I find beauty in or that evokes a special memory. Children’s art in particular is a favorite and I have a collection of sweet pieces my daughter brought home over the years.
6. Personality: This one’s a biggie. Rooms I find beautiful are always imperfect and personal. They have odd details and quirky pieces with a story to tell.
7. The Odd Chair: I like pairs of chairs and many rooms I admire have them, but it is nice to have the odd-one-out as well, that one chair that is different from the rest, more sculptural and interesting. You know the kind, the one that in a set would overwhelm but by itself, topped with a tray or a stack of books, placed next to a fireplace, in front of a window or bookcase becomes visual poetry.
8. The odd chair with a stack of books brings me to the next reoccurring element I am drawn to – books and collections. I must have been a librarian in a previous life because so many of the rooms I love have stacks and shelves full of them. Books are great and instantly make a home feel lived-in. I used to worry about the multitude of colors on the spine and while I still wish mine were all leather- bound, I think the variety of colors can work so well if styled nicely. (Still working on that last styling bit 🙂 )
9. Pretty fabrics. I am addicted to pretty textiles and have been collecting them over the years so, naturally, many of the rooms I like have a “healthy” dose of textiles mixed to a great visual effect.
10. Cozy seating. Plump upholstery in comfortable fabrics (nothing like a velvet chair or a sofa on a cold winter evening) to perch and enjoy a good book (see point 8. above, haha)
And because it is not all roses (and I’d like to encourage you to do the same), here is a short list of design elements I don’t think I can ever get on board with 🙂
1. Accent walls. Go all the way with a cohesive wall treatment or don’t do it at all, is what I think.
2. Furniture sets. I have been guilty of this in the past. When my husband and I moved into our first apartment together, we bought so much of our furniture from Ikea – bookshelves, closets, dressers and night stands, and it all matched, and I’m ashamed 🙂
3. Boho macrame on the walls. Nope. No. Nuh-uh.
But enough about me and what I like! I’m excited to hear your decorating faves (and pet peeves too!!)
Everything you said, including the trends and characteristics you CAN’T get on board with. For architectural details, just love beams — either in contrasting old wood or painted white for a neutral backdrop. I generally like cozy spaces — have never had and never want one of those gigantic rooms with soaring ceilings that never quite feel warm enough. Oil paintings. Fresh flowers. The occasional piece of needlework that feels like you’ve owned it forever. BOOKS! Overstuffed cushions on chairs and sofas. A touch of bamboo. Soft pools of golden light from lamps (with pink bulbs and pleated lampshades in lovely fabrics). Built-in features like a window seat. A few nautical elements. A fireplace that is USED, with a basket of wood ready to right next to it. Gifts from nature like a found nest….
I could go on….
Author
Thanks so much, Linda!! everything you said, right back at you!! xoxo, Eva
What a terrific line up of inspirational images! I agree that the ever-so-slightly more polished version of the classic English interior is my favorite. It seems to be the middle ground between a (for me) too-cluttered boho look and a formal museum-ish look where everything is “displayed.” So enjoy your posts!
Author
Hi, Paula!! That you so much for your kind words, I appreciate it!! xoxo, Eva
I love an interesting home. Everything that you and Linda have described is what I like in my home. Having “stuff” is a good thing! China, silver, wonderful fabrics, flowers, books, candles, the beautiful patina of old wood-I could go on and on. The important thing is to surround yourself with what YOU find to be beautiful. Build on that and over time, people will come to your home, look around, and say Wow!
Author
Hi, Ellen! You’re spot on, thanks for stopping by and commenting! xoxo, Eva
My favorite post you have ever done and I enjoy all your posts. In full agreement on your likes and dislikes.
Author
Thank you so much, Pam! I’m so happy to hear that, it was one of my favorites to write as well! xoxo, Eva
Likes: Everything you mentioned plus minerals, seashells/coral, pinecones, naturally shed antlers, chintz, blue and white porcelain (in moderation), casually arranged liquor bottles on a console or chest of drawers (NOT a bar cart).
Dislikes: Mid-century modern, backwards-facing books, too-bright paint colours, any room that could be described as “bohemian”, bar carts.
Author
Thanks for sharing your likes and dislikes with us, Squeak!! Yes to all! xoxo, Eva
Guilty of a past life of two sofas, two chairs , two tables that had lamps on each one. Everything matched in some way. I hid my treasures in cupboards. Now I’m bringing those treasures to the fore. Got rid of tables and I’m layering. When I walk into the rooms now I smile. Your pages and rooms have helped me the most. Thank you
Author
Thanks for sharing that, Tina!! Creating a home is a life-long journey and I’m glad to hear that you’re bringing your treasures front and center. Please feel free to send photos if you’d like to share them on the blog. xoxo, Eva
I’m a big fan of Rita Konig’s work, which you showed here. Clearly a lot of thought went into her spaces, but they don’t look “decorated.” There are many “perfect-looking” rooms I admire as well, but it’s those spaces like Rita’s that make me want to study every surface, and make me feel like I could walk in and be right at home. Even the slightly askew and uneven window shades in the family room you shared that she designed — it looks like real life, not a perfectly staged photo, even though it is.
I am drawn to old houses and quirky details. Many years ago we bought a spec house that had all the spaces we needed, and it was all fresh and new. There was nothing specifically wrong with it, except that it was generic. The trim wasn’t beefy enough. The doors were all hollow-core. The kitchen had boring vinyl flooring and the cabinetry was meh. Most people would consider it a nice house, but it just wasn’t us. There was no charm, no uniqueness, nothing special — just builder McMansion style. We sold it and built a new custom home, made to look like a 1920s-style bungalow. We chose every single detail in that home, and loved it. Then we decided to take on a new adventure, and now we live in a 1916 home with plenty of quirks. It needs a lot of work and drains all our money, but it’s charming and has so many special moments.
Author
Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Hollie! xoxo
Eva,
Enjoying your blog immensely; this post especially. I am saving your list for future reference as you are spot-on!
S
Author
Thank you, thank you, Sharon!! xoxo, Eva
This is perhaps one of my all time favorite posts from any blog, EVER! Just love every detail! My home tends to “follow these guidelines”, I even have a stuffed pheasant” Felix” with my many assorted shells, bird nests,butterflies and nature items. I’m an artist and hang many of my oil paintings on gallery walls as well as our collected paintings. It’s ever changing! And I had to laugh about the bar cart comment, I have one in my dining room with a large oil painting in a very ornate French frame painted by my husbands great grandmother, it’s a self portrait of her! Quite a mixture but fun! Anyway, thank you so much for this post! I will be for sure saving it for future reference!
Author
Dear Jane,
Thank you so much for your sweet comment!! Glad you enjoyed the post, your home sounds wonderful!!!( If you ever feel like sharing it on the blog, please feel free to send me some images!) xoxo, Eva
Hi,Eva! I’m a long-time reader and have never posted before. I concur with another reader to say this is the BEST I have read on any “house ” blog ever! I shall return to the timelessness of it many times to come. Thank you for all the time and effort that you spent and thank you for sharing.All the best to you and your family as you begin life in your lovely cottage. xo
Author
Dear Annette, thank you so much for your kind comment! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this post and have found inspiration within its images. It is because of comments like yours that I enjoy so much writing Café Design. xoxo, Eva
Dear Eva,
I have seen your blog frequently on Pinterest, but this is the first time I’ve posted here. I really enjoyed this post and agree with so many of your choices! It is fun putting together lists of likes and dislikes, and I agree with your view that a slightly more polished, English country-house style is the BEST! I am English myself and an interior designer, but I have lived in Switzerland for 31 years and spent some of that time in France. So my big likes are French furniture from the 1720s to the 1790s (i.e. Régence to Directoire), English furniture from the 1740s to the 1820s (i.e. early Georgian to Regency) and fabrics, fabrics, fabrics! Particularly stripes, toiles, florals, tree-of-life designs, linen, velvet. Trimmings, lots and lots, but used in an understated way. Harmonious colours, all-over pattern (particularly for bedrooms), classic shapes, symmetry and lots of things in pairs (but not arranged in a contrived or stiff way – it must look relaxed!). My dislikes (I don’t want to sound too negative, so I’ll only list the very worst): mid-century modern, Memphis and ANYTHING 1970s. Uncomfortable and so very, very ugly. I also dislike garish colours and conspicuously expensive rooms designed to impress. Cavernous American kitchens with breakfast bars and pendant lighting (you can tell they’re never used – the kitchens, I mean!). Deliberately clashing patterns and, wait for it – that “go-to” tiger silk velvet cushion or chair meant to “shake up” an interior – hideous, and doubly so because everyone knows that fabric costs a fortune. Enough ranting now, but what fun! Congratulations again on this very inspiring post. Toby
Author
Dear Toby,
Thank you so much for your kind words!! You have excellent taste and I couldn’t agree with you more, on all the elements you’ve listed (especially the ‘go-to’ tiger pillows that cost a small fortune 🙂 and all things mid-century modern). Thank you!!! xoxo, Eva
Dear Eva,
How kind of you to reply. I hope to be able to share a new interior on my site by mid-September – it’s a new-build apartment in Geneva, very cold, no architectural detail whatsoever, not at all my kind of place. So the challenge has been to inject some warmth, charm and patina and make it feel as if it’s “always been there”. I can reveal that there are lots of antiques and lots of lovely textiles 😉
I look forward to your next post!
Best wishes,
Toby