When we think about the interior in the British style the following immediately comes to mind: Sherlock Holmes, Mrs. Hudson, real gentlemen and ladies and the Queen with her corgi. The unique British style has been developing for a period of several centuries. This style is well known for its elegant restraint, spectacular luxury, high-quality materials, a large number of accessories and a complete lack of bright details. The British approach to the interior design has long been synonymous with elegance and good taste. Though nothing prevents you from recreating it at home, consider that it is quite an expensive pleasure. But the obvious comfort and nice everyday environment fully compensate for this.
Modest Chic of Colors
The color palette includes only 2-4 colors to make the room as comfortable as possible yet inviting to the eye. It is better to choose muted colors, while the modern British style is much braver with unusual patterns that replaced classic flower prints. All muted shades of red are widely popular and welcome in the organization of the interior: carpets, tablecloths, lamps, dishes and, of course, plaid blankets and throws. But among the furniture, white shades for tables and cabinets predominate.
British style in the interior is impossible to imagine without many different fabrics. But all the fabrics used should be in harmony with each other and subordinate to a single idea. The design includes sofas upholstered with leather, cushions of different sizes and delicate lace curtains on the windows. Do not be surprised if you find unusual decorative combinations in one room: polka dot, flowers, large prints and small patterns, all of them looking harmoniously in the British interior.
All Hail the Sofa
It is practically impossible to imagine the classic British style without Victorian furniture, made of light and dark wood. Depending on your personal preferences, it can be artificially aged and given an antique look. The room can be decorated with drawers and bookshelves made of mahogany oak and pine. There is little metal here, but brass handles and other accessories are acceptable. Usually, sofas and chairs are located not high from the floor and are always covered with tapestry. If the furniture is not upholstered, it is compensated with numerous pillows everywhere. You can find elegant furniture pieces elaborated with the inspiration for English style in the Nyfurnitureoutlets assortment.
Functional Decor that makes you Proud
Brass hangers, numerous bookshelves and cabinets in which you can put porcelain and your favorite tableware – this is the common decoration in the British style. They are used to showcase any beautiful items and heirlooms. Here you can see tea sets, small drawings, straw baskets or favorite photographs of pets in bright, spectacular frames. Elegant handles and candelabras are used to highlight the furniture. Also designers can add carpets with thick pile and a beautiful pattern, tiles in the English style, pillows on the windowsills, furniture with curved legs.
Light as Soft as a Grandma’s Hug
It is highly not recommended to install a bright annoying lighting source flooding the entire room with light. The British approach to the interior prefers a dim light, soft and diffused coming from sconces, table lamps and floor lamps. Here, soft warm light sources are more widely used, including candlesticks and a fireplace.
Yes, a fireplace could be great as a source of illumination. It is simply impossible to imagine the British interior without it. Though a real fireplace always creates a special feeling, modern alternatives work just fine. When the fireplace is installed, you just need to position the furniture facing it, lay soft woolen rugs and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere of a cozy British interior.
Along with the fireplace, there are armchairs in the living room, most often upholstered in velvet or natural leather. As this is one of the most common characteristics of the British interior, it is advisable to only choose furniture upholstered with comfortable armrests so that the design turns your home in a place where you can completely relax.
“A room without books is like a body without a soul”
Another element of the decor that has become a casual classic of the British interior is, of course, a place to store books. Often it can even be a separate room or at least a large wooden rack all over the wall. By the side of the rack, you definitely need a table and armchair set to relax in the evening with your favorite poetry book over a cup of tea.
The kitchen Starts with a Tea
The British interior style involves the design of the kitchen in a serene, comfortable and slightly old-fashioned way. Traditionally, the kitchen requires an armchair so that you can relax even while cooking. Arched doorways and kitchen islands will create comfort that does not interfere with the functionality of the room. When it comes to colors, it is better to stick to the classics: warm white, eggshell, ivory, light yellow, pale brown, vanilla and other warm shades. For decorating the kitchen, flying curtains, canopies of towels are perfectly combined with beautiful patterns and soft cushions to provide vivid color details.
When choosing material for the kitchen, you need to focus on quality and reliability. Most often natural stone wood and marble point are used. As in the entire house or apartment, kitchen furniture should be beautifully decorated with brass furniture fittings.
Sweet Dreams
The focal point of the British-style bedroom is the king-size bed. A luxurious bed from natural dark wood comes to mind and instantly lures you into a good sleep. If it is not possible to arrange such a bed, the desired atmosphere can be created with the help of draped curtains and bedspreads with embroidered patterns. Add pillows and you get a classic British bedroom. Children’s rooms are recommended to be divided through colors into zones for a playroom and a work desk. The traditional style requires creamy, beige, pale pink, white combined with more saturated burgundy or green. Oddly enough, regardless of the gender of the child, you can find the use of the King’s Colours in the children’s room. These are the colors of the flag of Great Britain: white, blue, red.