HOW TO DESIGN YOUR HOME WITH TIMELESS STYLE
Designing a home with timeless style means striking the perfect balance of old and new, luxurious and casually comfortable. Curating a timeless, layered look at home can be stressful, but it shouldn't be, it can be quite fun!
Going the extra mile to curate a collection of interesting, slightly quirky antiques to add to each room in your home that express your passions and personality is a sure way to make your interior swoon worthy.
After the basics are done, such as walls, floors and the main pieces of furniture, antique and vintage accessories will add a level of sophistication and create a sense of drama to each space.
More importantly, the right antiques, layered throughout your rooms will tell your story better than anything else.
My dear friend Eric Ross of Eric Ross Interiors says : "It’s the layers of things that take a space from blah to bombshell."
Not only is Eric a decorator with amazing talent like the late, great Charles Faudree, he is such a charming, warm and kind man. John and I had an absolutely wonderful time in Parma, Italy last October with Eric and his wife Ruthann. I am so thankful that he graciously allowed me to use some of his beautiful design photos for this post.
Decorating is a process, finding just the right accent pieces for your rooms to create spaces surrounded by things you love is one of the best ways to express yourself.
Antique accessories let you play with color, texture and light. It's why I chose to specialize in antique decorating accessories {called "smalls in the design trade"} because they are the tools with which you can add personality, style and unique design to any room in your home. Often, it can be difficult to find just the right fine quality antique accessories, our goal here at FrenchGardenHouse is to bring the best directly to you.
Antique accessories can be mixed in with other antiques of completely different styles and eras, and look gorgeous in combination with contemporary furniture and art. Best of all, simply by switching them out, or arranging them in different layers, ways, antique accessories can change a room instantly!
So how can you design your own home with the same seemingly effortless timeless style? It's not difficult if you know the tricks my talented designer friends use.
HERE ARE SOME DESIGNER TRICKS TO CREATE A TIMELESS, LAYERED LOOK IN YOUR HOME.
1. COLLECT FINE QUALITY THINGS FROM THE PAST.
Celebrate your home and your own personal style be choosing the best of the past. Antiques are art with history, they have stories, and nothing displays your own personal style more than a selection of slightly quirky elements.
Coco Chanel said "Fashion fades, only style remains the same." and nothing could be more true when selecting high quality pieces for your home. Beautiful, well crafted pieces made long ago of porcelain, glass, ironstone, wood and linen always add a touch of luxury.
In this beautiful study, Eric used an exceptional tapestry to set the tone for everything else in the room. A fantastic mix of patterns and colors are what makes this dark paneled room sing!
If you only buy pieces that you love, you will never tire of them, and they will continue to make you smile each time you see them. Any time I write for magazine publications, I encourage my readers to buy the best they can afford.
If you can only afford one great, heart-stopping investment piece for a room in your home, buy it! It will be the focal point of your room, and the rest can be less expensive until your budget permits another "I have to have that!" purchase.
2. BUY REAL ART.
Art is something so very personal, that giving a "tip" for that is difficult, but my advice is to buy a "real" work of art. The piece or pieces you choose need to fit the room's dimension, but it also needs to be something you will want to look at for a while. If your budget allows, oil paintings have a charm all of their own. {Not all oil paintings are unaffordable, flea market paintings are charming for a French Country style home and often in the 400-600 dollar range.}
In this beautiful bedroom, Eric used two oil paintings in lovely gold period frames as the perfect accent for the walls.
One cost effective way to display beautiful antique art is to collect antique prints, chromolithographs or hand colored engravings. Framed as a group, they make an eye-catching display and will add color and style to any wall. They are not too expensive, and each is still a one-of-a-kind work of art.
3. COLLECT PORCELAIN TREASURE.
Antique porcelain comes in such a variety of colors and styles! Hand painted Sevres pieces are my own personal favorites, as even just one can make a whole room sing! But there are so many different kinds of porcelains to collect...find one you love and build a collection.
Blue and white is a classic & timeless favorite, and always looks fabulous. No matter what colors it's mixed in with. Here, the blue and white porcelain pieces add depth and history to this entranceway designed by Eric for the O'Moore Showhouse.
Antique tureens look beautiful on a buffet, but don't underestimate their charm when holding an exceptional orchid, or a fresh flower arrangement as the centerpiece for your next dinner party table.
Plates are happy to serve food, but just as happy to decorate your walls on individual plate hangers or in a plate rack.
In this alluring room designed by Eric, just one red transferware platter makes a statement on the mantel.
A whole arrangement of them would be stunning on a dining room wall! Antique porcelains are not just for museums, their grandeur will add a special spark to your home.
4. LIGHT IT UP.
Chandeliers add opulence and sparkle to every room. There are so many options available, my personal favorites are antique chandeliers, their crystals simply light up a space! Here at home I even have huge chandelier hanging over my desk in the office. Chandeliers are the gems of every room.
{I have a new container of antique French chandeliers and sconces on their way from Europe to FrenchGardenHouse, they should be on the website by mid-May.}
5. SAY IT WITH STATUARY.
Whether you like marble, limestone, or bronze, statuary can add another dimension to any interior. Statues add great charm and personality to little niches, on top of a stack of antique books, or on a pedestal.
In this great room, Eric placed two stunning bronze statues to flank the mantel. Not only are they beautiful to look at, they add another texture and dimension to the room.
Statues or figurines almost always tell a story or have a theme that the artist of the time wished to tell. Again, buy the best you can afford, or just choose something for its whimsical details! This pair of antique figures are so charming, he, a figurine peddler, is showing off his wares to this lovely mademoiselle.
I know you've seen these vintage dog figures before. If you adore dogs, they are a fun way to display that love and inject a little whimsy into your decor.
6. CLASSIC BOOKS.
Decorating table tops, shelves, and bookcases with stacks of antique or beautiful design books creates a comfortable and inviting look.
When you place a small antique decorative accent piece on top of a small stack of books, or right next to several upright books, it gives your eyes a chance to rest and really focus on that antique piece.
Books are great space fillers an are a relatively inexpensive way to highlight your accent colors in any room.
7. LET YOUR PASSION SHOW.
I love to add antique French Country pieces into every room. Just one slightly well worn piece will bring all the other elements of your room together, it grounds the room. When that piece is something I adore and collect? Magic.
In this guest cottage kitchen, Eric displays the home owner's collections with such flair! Classic and timeless, and who wouldn't want to visit here?!
Here is another welcoming and personal kitchen designed by Eric. You can tell right away that this home owner loves blue & white, French Country, and my favorite {!} toleware. The wall color is bold, it makes all the collections stand out beautifully, don't you think so?
Collections of antiques you love help give a room a sense of timeless style, and the feeling that the room has been assembled over time with things you love, rather than being purchased straight off the furniture store showroom. Even the smallest rooms in your home can show off your passions, as these two bathrooms Eric designed show!
My friends and clients know that designing a home with timeless style is all about the mix - it’s about creating a place that feels authentically like you as a canvas that evolves as you do. Adding at least one antique accessory to your rooms is my very best advice for timeless style.
Antiques add drama, luxury, and a sense of history. It's why we sell country and fine antiques sourced in small French villages and all over the world, antiques with plenty of wear, patina and charm. A quality antique will give your home a sense of history, and will add beauty and joy to your home forever.
After all of the above tips, please remember that your goal in designing and decorating your home is to create a space that makes you feel happy and is a reflection of you and your family's lifestyle.
Fill your home with the things you love, regardless of whether they are in style or trendy. Trends come and go, but a home filled with timeless beauty that appeals to you and makes you happy is what matters most.
You can learn more about Eric Ross HERE >
{If you live near the Nashville area and are looking for a decorator to make your home everything you've always dreamed it would be, Eric Ross Interiors will be able to make that a reality!}
BE THE FIRST TO SEE ALL OUR LATEST ANTIQUES HERE >
Remember to leave a comment for our reader's appreciation on any post:
What antique or vintage accents do you use in your home to tell your story? Do you add to your collection? Do you move your accessories around during different seasons in the year?
Going the extra mile to curate a collection of interesting, slightly quirky antiques to add to each room in your home that express your passions and personality is a sure way to make your interior swoon worthy.
After the basics are done, such as walls, floors and the main pieces of furniture, antique and vintage accessories will add a level of sophistication and create a sense of drama to each space.
More importantly, the right antiques, layered throughout your rooms will tell your story better than anything else.
My dear friend Eric Ross of Eric Ross Interiors says : "It’s the layers of things that take a space from blah to bombshell."
Not only is Eric a decorator with amazing talent like the late, great Charles Faudree, he is such a charming, warm and kind man. John and I had an absolutely wonderful time in Parma, Italy last October with Eric and his wife Ruthann. I am so thankful that he graciously allowed me to use some of his beautiful design photos for this post.
Decorating is a process, finding just the right accent pieces for your rooms to create spaces surrounded by things you love is one of the best ways to express yourself.
Antique accessories let you play with color, texture and light. It's why I chose to specialize in antique decorating accessories {called "smalls in the design trade"} because they are the tools with which you can add personality, style and unique design to any room in your home. Often, it can be difficult to find just the right fine quality antique accessories, our goal here at FrenchGardenHouse is to bring the best directly to you.
Antique accessories can be mixed in with other antiques of completely different styles and eras, and look gorgeous in combination with contemporary furniture and art. Best of all, simply by switching them out, or arranging them in different layers, ways, antique accessories can change a room instantly!
So how can you design your own home with the same seemingly effortless timeless style? It's not difficult if you know the tricks my talented designer friends use.
HERE ARE SOME DESIGNER TRICKS TO CREATE A TIMELESS, LAYERED LOOK IN YOUR HOME.
1. COLLECT FINE QUALITY THINGS FROM THE PAST.
Celebrate your home and your own personal style be choosing the best of the past. Antiques are art with history, they have stories, and nothing displays your own personal style more than a selection of slightly quirky elements.
Coco Chanel said "Fashion fades, only style remains the same." and nothing could be more true when selecting high quality pieces for your home. Beautiful, well crafted pieces made long ago of porcelain, glass, ironstone, wood and linen always add a touch of luxury.
In this beautiful study, Eric used an exceptional tapestry to set the tone for everything else in the room. A fantastic mix of patterns and colors are what makes this dark paneled room sing!
If you only buy pieces that you love, you will never tire of them, and they will continue to make you smile each time you see them. Any time I write for magazine publications, I encourage my readers to buy the best they can afford.
If you can only afford one great, heart-stopping investment piece for a room in your home, buy it! It will be the focal point of your room, and the rest can be less expensive until your budget permits another "I have to have that!" purchase.
2. BUY REAL ART.
Art is something so very personal, that giving a "tip" for that is difficult, but my advice is to buy a "real" work of art. The piece or pieces you choose need to fit the room's dimension, but it also needs to be something you will want to look at for a while. If your budget allows, oil paintings have a charm all of their own. {Not all oil paintings are unaffordable, flea market paintings are charming for a French Country style home and often in the 400-600 dollar range.}
In this beautiful bedroom, Eric used two oil paintings in lovely gold period frames as the perfect accent for the walls.
One cost effective way to display beautiful antique art is to collect antique prints, chromolithographs or hand colored engravings. Framed as a group, they make an eye-catching display and will add color and style to any wall. They are not too expensive, and each is still a one-of-a-kind work of art.
3. COLLECT PORCELAIN TREASURE.
Antique porcelain comes in such a variety of colors and styles! Hand painted Sevres pieces are my own personal favorites, as even just one can make a whole room sing! But there are so many different kinds of porcelains to collect...find one you love and build a collection.
Blue and white is a classic & timeless favorite, and always looks fabulous. No matter what colors it's mixed in with. Here, the blue and white porcelain pieces add depth and history to this entranceway designed by Eric for the O'Moore Showhouse.
Antique tureens look beautiful on a buffet, but don't underestimate their charm when holding an exceptional orchid, or a fresh flower arrangement as the centerpiece for your next dinner party table.
Plates are happy to serve food, but just as happy to decorate your walls on individual plate hangers or in a plate rack.
In this alluring room designed by Eric, just one red transferware platter makes a statement on the mantel.
A whole arrangement of them would be stunning on a dining room wall! Antique porcelains are not just for museums, their grandeur will add a special spark to your home.
4. LIGHT IT UP.
Chandeliers add opulence and sparkle to every room. There are so many options available, my personal favorites are antique chandeliers, their crystals simply light up a space! Here at home I even have huge chandelier hanging over my desk in the office. Chandeliers are the gems of every room.
{I have a new container of antique French chandeliers and sconces on their way from Europe to FrenchGardenHouse, they should be on the website by mid-May.}
5. SAY IT WITH STATUARY.
Whether you like marble, limestone, or bronze, statuary can add another dimension to any interior. Statues add great charm and personality to little niches, on top of a stack of antique books, or on a pedestal.
In this great room, Eric placed two stunning bronze statues to flank the mantel. Not only are they beautiful to look at, they add another texture and dimension to the room.
Statues or figurines almost always tell a story or have a theme that the artist of the time wished to tell. Again, buy the best you can afford, or just choose something for its whimsical details! This pair of antique figures are so charming, he, a figurine peddler, is showing off his wares to this lovely mademoiselle.
I know you've seen these vintage dog figures before. If you adore dogs, they are a fun way to display that love and inject a little whimsy into your decor.
6. CLASSIC BOOKS.
Decorating table tops, shelves, and bookcases with stacks of antique or beautiful design books creates a comfortable and inviting look.
When you place a small antique decorative accent piece on top of a small stack of books, or right next to several upright books, it gives your eyes a chance to rest and really focus on that antique piece.
Books are great space fillers an are a relatively inexpensive way to highlight your accent colors in any room.
7. LET YOUR PASSION SHOW.
I love to add antique French Country pieces into every room. Just one slightly well worn piece will bring all the other elements of your room together, it grounds the room. When that piece is something I adore and collect? Magic.
In this guest cottage kitchen, Eric displays the home owner's collections with such flair! Classic and timeless, and who wouldn't want to visit here?!
Here is another welcoming and personal kitchen designed by Eric. You can tell right away that this home owner loves blue & white, French Country, and my favorite {!} toleware. The wall color is bold, it makes all the collections stand out beautifully, don't you think so?
Collections of antiques you love help give a room a sense of timeless style, and the feeling that the room has been assembled over time with things you love, rather than being purchased straight off the furniture store showroom. Even the smallest rooms in your home can show off your passions, as these two bathrooms Eric designed show!
My friends and clients know that designing a home with timeless style is all about the mix - it’s about creating a place that feels authentically like you as a canvas that evolves as you do. Adding at least one antique accessory to your rooms is my very best advice for timeless style.
Antiques add drama, luxury, and a sense of history. It's why we sell country and fine antiques sourced in small French villages and all over the world, antiques with plenty of wear, patina and charm. A quality antique will give your home a sense of history, and will add beauty and joy to your home forever.
After all of the above tips, please remember that your goal in designing and decorating your home is to create a space that makes you feel happy and is a reflection of you and your family's lifestyle.
Fill your home with the things you love, regardless of whether they are in style or trendy. Trends come and go, but a home filled with timeless beauty that appeals to you and makes you happy is what matters most.
You can learn more about Eric Ross HERE >
{If you live near the Nashville area and are looking for a decorator to make your home everything you've always dreamed it would be, Eric Ross Interiors will be able to make that a reality!}
BE THE FIRST TO SEE ALL OUR LATEST ANTIQUES HERE >
Remember to leave a comment for our reader's appreciation on any post:
What antique or vintage accents do you use in your home to tell your story? Do you add to your collection? Do you move your accessories around during different seasons in the year?
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Lidy
December 31, 2021
Thank you so much Ledia, for taking the time to comment. I hope your holidays were blessed!