Design Style—How to Choose an Interior Design

Published: 21/11/2010 by Patsy Hamilton for HomeImprovement411.ca

If you ask two designers about today’s most popular home styles, you will probably get two answers. A lot has to do with a person’s tastes. Whether you are remodeling the outside of your home or updating the interior, you can either choose what seems to be popular and stylish or you can stick with the timeless choices that never go out of style. Another suggestion is to use the exterior style as a guide.

While you can change many things about your home, you cannot change the basic design. The architect who designed your home made that choice before it was built.

Homes built prior to 1930 fit neatly into specific categories, based on what was popular during the decade. Homes built after the 1930s were either post-war houses or modernist.

Modernist exterior styles never fit neatly into any single category. Modernist architects use a combination of details from past styles and put them together in different ways to create a new look that they hope is ultra-modern.

If you decorate the interior of your home to match the style of the exterior, you create a more complete look. Some exterior styles are suitable for any interior décor. Others work best with specific furnishings and landscaping designs.

Some people have more eclectic tastes. They really don’t care if the interior style matches the outside design or not. Everything works in their eyes.

The suggestions below are not carved in stone. I came up with them to help people who are struggling to come up with interior decorating ideas. There are so many different themes today.

Minimalism with the white walls and bland furnishings is back in style. It’s not my personal preference, but you might like it. The simplicity is well suited for most exterior styles.

Here are my suggestions for choosing an interior theme based upon the design or style of your exterior.

Ranches and Ramblers
Ranches and ramblers are single story homes inspired, at least in part, by the homes commonly built on ranches in the flat lands of Texas. Single story houses were a better choice in the tornado-prone areas. They became popular choices during the 1970s and 1980s, because they were generally less expensive to build than two story homes.

Variations of the basic ranch style include the raised ranch and the split level. The raised ranch has two levels with the bottom floor being partially or fully submerged. The front door is in the center of the home. Interior stairs lead to the upper and lower levels.

Split level floor plans varied greatly. The design is no longer popular for new homes.

Good interior decorating choices for ranches include traditional furnishings. The houses do not generally lend themselves to large over-stuffed sofas or sectionals. The rooms will look too crowded.

In order to make low ceilings look higher, tall but narrow mirrors and paintings are good choices. Mirrors add space and depth. They make the rooms look larger.

Carpeting is the best flooring option for most of the house. The entry level landing should be hardwood or tile to reduce stains from traffic. The stairs should be carpeted to reduce noise from people going up and down.

Multi-level decks go well with split-levels and raised ranches. Front porches make the basic ranch look larger and add a homey look.

Cape Cod
The Cape Cod is a two story house with slanted interior walls on the second story level and typically dormer windows on the front. The dormer windows are ideal spots for window seats and plant stands.

Although blinds may provide more privacy, curtains with tie-backs will look nice from the street. They “match” the style.

Good choices for interior wall treatments include paint and wallpaper. Light colored wainscoting looks nice in the kitchens and bathrooms. You are looking for a cozy feeling.

Light colored furnishings and floral patterns in subdued colors are perfect for the living rooms, dining areas and bedrooms. It is a light airy feeling you are after.

With boxwood hedges beneath the front windows, rock-walled flower beds and a walkway composed of interlocking paving stones, you have a complete exterior look.

Colonial
There are many original colonials left in the US and Canada. There are also modern versions of the colonials from recent decades and modern times. The style has continued to remain popular.

The floor patterns vary greatly, but one thing is certain. If you have a colonial style exterior, colonial style furnishings are the right choice.

Modern black leather and chrome simply do not match. I am always shocked when I walk into a colonial and see modern style furnishings and decorations.

Williamsburg-style wall ornaments and mirrors look lovely in the entry way. Wainscoting and chair rails work perfectly in the dining room.

Kitchen cabinets can be painted or stained. Balloon-style blinds or curtains are choice window treatments. The white picket fence may seem passé, but it works with the traditional colonial home.

Modern
Modern exteriors are perfect for those who prefer an eclectic interior design. You can pick practically anything (other than antique furnishings) to create the mood you want.

Mini-blinds are the most appropriate window treatments. Of course, many modernist homes have few windows.

The Contemporary style falls under the modernist category, but is quite different from what most of us think of as modern. The windows are large. The rooms are bright and airy. The exteriors are simple, although the shapes are irregular.

Trying to come up with window treatments for the contemporary home can be challenging. The best advice is to consult an interior decorator or blinds specialist. Although the bright airy rooms are sometimes enjoyable, constant sunlight fades furnishings and carpets. Most contemporary homeowners choose lighter colors for their carpets and furnishings, simply because the fading is less noticeable.

The ones mentioned above are only a few of the many home designs popular throughout the US and Canada. Hopefully, you found a bit of advice you can use. The best advice is always to consult an expert. You will get a customized look from an interior designer.