How to Figure Out What Style Living Room You Like

If you've watched any of the countless shows on television that deal with makeovers and remodels, then you've probably heard the show's designers bandy about terms describing different styles: modern, rustic, antique, county, contemporary, colonial, etc.

But what do these all mean? In most cases you'' want to choose a style before you ever start redecorating, so let's review the various design styles so you can match them to your own taste in furniture and dcor.

American

There are several styles of American furniture: antique, modern, rustic, country and Amish.

Antique: This style is just what it says. The look harkens back to the styles that came over from Europe roughly between the Revolutionary and Civil wars. They are practical pieces that can have some nice detailing, but were designed to be used, not simply admired.

Traditional: This includes Queen Anne, Chippendale and Hipplewite furniture. The woods are typically dark and the furniture is characterized by ornate carvings and an overall regal appearance. They make a living room look extremely formal and elegant.

Modern: Also known as contemporary, modern furniture takes a page from the visionary designers of the Modernist movement who felt that form should follow function. As such, the pieces are streamlined and devoid of brash ornamentation. Typically, modern pieces use chrome or stainless steel, aluminum, plastics and fiberglass. Much of it is playful in nature and the emphasis is on comfort.

Rustic: This style emphasizes natural materials, handcrafted pieces and often has regional or cultural influences. It is very casual and organic in approach and feeling. A rustic living room can feel like a cozy cabin that is comfortable and welcoming.

Country: This style of living room would focus on comfort and color. The use of simple lines and equally simple furniture is complemented by natural fibers, a weathered look to wood pieces and cottage style fabrics.

Amish: This has a lovely handcrafted look. The Amish use lighter colored woods such as pine and oak, giving your room a warm, relaxed look that emphasizes craftsmanship and clean lines.

European

Of course, furniture with European influences can take many forms, given the centuries of influences from some of the greatest cultures of ancient and modern history.

English: A living room inspired by English styles has a lot of oak, walnut and mahogany furnishings that are dark and heavy looking. Handcrafted details are evident and there's limited decoration.

French: Obviously, Louis IVX furnishings come to mind when you're thinking about French dcor. The carvings are highly intricate and the elaborate furnishings use lush fabrics. It gives a living room a very fancy, formal look.

Italian: Italian styles are ornate as well, but are typically larger that French. A living room decorated in an Italian style would take its influences from classic Roman architecture, using materials such as marble and stone.

Other Styles

A lot of people gravitate toward less formal styles. This can include urban and eclectic approaches to living room dcor.

Urban: This is a very minimalist style of design. Think IKEA and you'll get an idea of the urban look. Woods are black, blonde or white with lots of glass and brushed aluminum. The pieces are scaled for smaller rooms and work well in a small apartment or flat.

Eclectic: If you want your room to be a mix of styles, you could consider an eclectic approach to your living room. While the pieces may span different periods or styles, they are tied together with a common color palette, texture, shape or finish.

As you can see, there is a style for nearly every taste out there. In deciding what style your living room should be, you need to go with your personal preferences. You want something that reflects your lifestyle and tastes, not those of a famous interior designer or something you saw on HGTV.

A big part of your decision will be the type of home you live in and the approach the builders used in building your home. For instance, you may want to go with an Amish look in an Arts & Crafts home while a downtown loft may demand a more modern, contemporary or even urban approach.

The best way to narrow your choices is to look at the different styles online. Start by saving photos of rooms you like or pieces of furniture you're particularly drawn to. Once you have a collection of photos, go through them and look for common themes, such as colors, textures, design elements or style. The results may surprise you. Instead of thinking urban is the look for you, you may find your self drawn to traditional or antique styles instead. By focusing on images instead of labels, you may find that you like a style you would have never thought of if it were called by a particular name.

The Very Versatile Look of Mission Style Kitchen Cabinets

If you're a person who loves the rich look of wood grain and classic, simple lines, you're bound to like Mission style kitchen cabinets. These beautiful cupboards are done in the Amish style, much like Mission style furniture. Usually constructed of either beautifully-grained light or dark oak, they look both hand-crafted and elegant. Many of the top American cabinet makers offer lines of mission style cupboards, accessories, and pantries which will make your kitchen look great.

As you probably know, Amish furniture is highly prized for its fine craftsmanship and meticulous attention to details. This is the style that cabinet makers are striving to emulate when they design their lines of Mission style cupboards. The design has been in vogue since early in the 20th century, and its straight, classic lines and natural simplicity has kept it popular ever since. Following the Victorian era of overabundance of design elements, carvings, and flowery figurals, designers were looking for something that was completely the opposite when Mission style was created.

Mission style cabinetry, with all it's square or rectangular look, manages to incorporate subtle decorative elements, such as leaded glass inserts or hardware that appears to be handcrafted. When you decide to include more decorative accessories, however, you don't want to go overboard. Mission styling is all about simplicity and understated elegance.

One of the nicest things about Mission style cupboards is that they will fit easily into many types of dcor and be the perfect match for numerous different appliance finishes and furniture styles. You don't have to keep everything stark and simple for the look to be effective. Use the glass fronts to show off Oriental porcelain for a beautiful, serene look, or spice everything up a bit with pieces of bright Fiestaware. You aren't stuck with being able to use only one color of appliances, either, because many appliance finishes will look really nice provided you keep the look of the entire kitchen cohesive.

If you've always wanted a rustic-looking or country kitchen, Mission style cabinets will be the perfect match. You can leave them with the gorgeous wood grain showing, or you can paint them white for an effect like Grandma used to have in her kitchen. You will find lines of cabinet hardware that have been specifically styled for the Mission look. You can do some browsing on the Internet where you'll find pictures of many kinds of hardware. If you find something you like, you can always print out a copy of it to hold up against your cabinets and see how you like the effect.

Country French Furniture That Screams Style

The country French style of decorating is quite popular, thanks to its unique sense of charm and natural sense of style. Country French furniture pieces traditionally have a simple and homey look, but with subtly beautiful patterns and details that add visual interest. This style of decorating can work well in the bedroom, the living room, the kitchen, or even the bath. If you'd like to add a few pieces of French furniture to your home, here are some tips that you can use to make the most stylish choices.

Country French in the Dining Room

A beautiful table is always the centerpiece of a dining room decorated in the country French style. Depending on your tastes, you'll find table styles that are more decorative and ornate, as well as simpler and more rustic styles. Country French dining room tables are usually large, rectangular or round, and finished in a low-sheen fashion. You'll frequently find these tables with painted wooden legs and an oiled wooden top. Although the table style is often simple, the accompanying chairs often have interesting curved details or hand-carved accents. Dining room chairs frequently feature slatted seats and backs, which can be paired with pretty patterned cushions to make them a bit more comfortable.

When looking for other country French pieces to decorate your dining room or kitchen, you'll frequently find those that feature a homespun motif. Flowers, barnyard animals or countryside scenes are all common themes. Color schemes often focus on sunny yellow shades, soft gold, beautiful lavender, or vibrant blues. These colors are as common in French furniture pieces as they are in the beautiful country landscapes of France.

Country French in the Bedroom

If you are looking for a way to add comfort, warmth and a wonderful rustic feel to your bedroom, French furniture can be the perfect choice. Furniture pieces often have a sturdy and durable look and feel, but with beautiful touches that add a lot of charm. The overall look is often somewhat eclectic, with touches of romance and old-world appeal. A handcrafted country French bed can be combined with simple side tables, and an authentically styled cupboard, wardrobe or armoire for clothing storage. Color combinations such as gold and blue or gold and red can add visual excitement to the bedroom without interfering with its gentle homespun charm. You'll frequently find bedroom furniture pieces with naturally finished wood tops combined with painted legs.

In the bedroom, you can complete the country French look with country style blankets and bedding. Although the "shabby chic" decorating style, which is based on country French, is wildly popular, you could also opt for a slightly more formal look and feel if you prefer. Either way, the overall look is fresh, rustic and natural, with a slightly romantic aura. If you prefer a slightly more ornate look, focus on antique French furniture pieces. The average French home is decorated with a combination of antique pieces handed down through the years as well as more modern pieces, so don't be afraid to mix and match to create a wonderfully eclectic style.