Stylish and modern or classy and traditional, both looks are possible when you combine old and new furniture. The juxtaposition of a sleek black leather chair and a un-varnished wooden bookshelf gives a room ambiance and charm. While a total high tech and ultra modern look can leave a room impersonal and cold and a old fashioned room can seem stuck in time, combining both looks lends balance, functionality and style to any room. And you don’t have to be a designer to understand the basics ideas behind combining styles.
Color
The colors you choose say a lot about your style. Modern choices include bold solids in black, red and white. Neutral silvers and greys also give a modern look to furniture. Prints and softer colors are more traditional and add warmth and depth to a room. In a home office space, combining bold red or black chairs with traditional oak desks and bookshelves is a great way to combine old and new. Add touches like red bins, trays and file cabinets to complete the look
Style
Color isn’t the only thing that gives a room it’s look. The style of furniture also plays a role in the final look of a room. From simple to ornate, the style of furniture will dictate the atmosphere and climate of a room. Modern furniture is usually sleek, with simple angular and geometric lines, while more vintage furniture utilizes curves and soft lines. A good way to break the monotony of any one style in a living space is to subtly combine the two. For example, a living room with modern glass coffee tables can be softened by traditional lighting fixtures and lamps. Alternately, beautiful cherry oak coffee tables and end tables can be surrounded by straight cream leather couches and stools.
Position
It’s important to take placement into consideration when combining old and new looks in the same room. You don’t want the room to look confused and undecided. Strategically place items for functionality and style. If you have a glass book shelf that holds wooden planters with flowing ivy, then a wooden coffee table will tie the look together. You want to have differently styled items to be related and connected in some way.
Function
The great thing about design, especially interior design, is that you can combine aesthetics with utility and function for a space that not only looks good but works with your needs and style. Adding built-ins to a room with more modern furniture saves space and adds a more traditional look and feel at the same time. This concept works well in bedrooms as they often serve dual purposes. Having a modern styled bedroom set surrounded by more traditional chairs and tables can allow you to combine your love of modern and traditional styles.
The most important thing to remember when combining two different styles is to look at the overall picture and make sure that the two are related in some way. Whether it is by color, style or function, having vintage and modern furniture in the same room can be a beautiful thing if done correctly.
