(BPT) – It can be hard to keep up with the latest changes in decorating styles for the home. But the latest trend might actually make it easy for you to have a stylish house, especially if you’ve kept some family treasures around.
Mixing traditional and contemporary decor within a home can give your spaces a warm, yet up-to-date, feel. Keeping those traditional accents, furniture pieces or even wallpaper in your home and blending them with contemporary elements that have clean lines or bright colors can create a relaxed and attention-grabbing look. You can incorporate this style in any room of the home, and it allows you to display that mirror your grandma had in her bathroom, or to bring new life and energy to the aged marble countertops in your kitchen.
Try these tips to help get the most out the old, while bringing a new look to your home:
* Accent with white – One great way to give a room a contemporary balance is to accent with white. The trim, molding, doors and even decorative linens you use can bring new energy to a furniture item or heirloom piece you’ve had in your family for years. Blending the soft wood tones of older furniture or dark wood floors with cool and fresh white accents will make the room vibrant. If it’s your kitchen that’s sporting the contemporary white color, add Danze faucets in stainless steel finishes that showcase a more traditional décor to balance the overall feel.
* Choose your finishes with intention – The finish you choose for your fixtures and faucets will have a significant impact on the look and feel of the room. For example, a white sink or toilet fits well when adding contemporary elements versus biscuit, which will bring a more subdued, traditional flavor. Selecting faucets with a bronze finish could add a noticeable and beautiful deviation to an otherwise white bathroom decor. The Eastham Collection by Danze has a very architectural look that works well in either traditional or contemporary environments. But changing its finish can alter the impact it brings the room.
* Add little touches – An old six-paned window with cracked and worn wood can become a frame for family photos. Wood from an old barn can be used for a coffee table or fireplace mantel. Mix up the chairs around your dining room table by blending both modern and contemporary styles. These little changes in a room’s decor might not be immediately obvious, but as visitors look around the room, they’ll notice the special touches you’ve made by mixing two distinctive styles.
* Incorporate a couple focal pieces – If the shell of your room has a contemporary look, adding a few traditional elements and conversation pieces into the room can create a stunning look. An antique lamp, an old trunk that becomes a side table or a church pew in an entryway can all be attention-getting additions. On the flipside, if your home features traditional wooden floors that have aged beautifully, let the floor take center stage with simple, modern decorations.
Mixing old and new is a decorating trend in today’s home decor, and there are benefits galore to exploring its flavor. You’ll have a beautiful home today, with flexibility to alter it in the years to come. If, in five years, you decide going contemporary is the path for you, simply switch out that bronze faucet with chrome or replace the antique accent pieces in the living room. Regardless of the way you mix traditional and contemporary elements, you can be assured that it won’t overwhelm your guests. Instead, they’ll enjoy experiencing your creativity and the breath of fresh air you brought to your home.
