How wonderful it is to be served different food on vacation, to hear foreign languages, and to see rooms furnished differently than at home. Unfortunately, you can't be on vacation all the time, but why not just bring the vacation home with you? With a few tricks, you can live like you're on vacation all year round and relax wonderfully within your own four walls. On the website www.universal.at/content/ratgeber/wohntrends you will find great tips on the respective interior design styles, including suitable decoration ideas, which we present here:
Colonial style for the home
The colonial style is classic yet exotic and is associated with Africa. The furniture is kept rather dark and earthy colors are used for furnishing.
The colors
The colors of the earth dominate here: brown, beige, ochre, and green. Shades of gray underline the style. A very dark red is used as a contrasting color for accents.
The materials
The most important material is wood in the preferred color dark brown. In the past, exotic woods such as teak and mahogany or real fur were used in this interior style. Due to environmental and animal protection concerns, this should be avoided and imitations should be used instead. In case of doubt, always ask the dealer before purchasing. Furthermore, leather covers for armchairs or sofas are very suitable for this style.
When furnishing rooms in the colonial style, make sure there are clear contours and enough free space, otherwise the room will look too full from the heavy furniture. Anyone who wants to furnish their bedroom in the colonial style cannot avoid a bed with curtains.
If you want to furnish your terrace in the colonial style, opt for rattan furniture in dark colors.
Extra tip: Be careful with natural rattan! It does not withstand the weather in the long run; it is better to buy polyrattan.
Decoration ideas
African sculptures, large dark chests, old globes, or maps fit very well with this rustic living trend. A great idea is to style photos from your vacations to look 'old' using an online photo service, put them in dark frames, and set them up or hang them.
Country house style for the home
This style is very often associated with a wildly romantic life. For many, this rural idyll reflects a harmonious life in harmony with nature, which is why many are drawn to a cottage in the country in times of hectic activity. But you can bring this rustic charm into any apartment, as it is easy to implement with simple decorative elements and natural materials.
The colors
In the traditional country house style, colors that emphasize the connection to nature dominate: earthy colors such as beige, brown, and gray in all shades, as well as white for contrasts, especially in the kitchen area.
The materials
Here it is best to use light to medium-dark woods such as Douglas fir, larch, or fir; individual pieces of oak can be used for charming contrasts. The walls and floors are designed with reddish-brown or beige tiles. Robust floorboards ground the style. Anyone who wants to recreate it in the most original way cannot avoid a tiled stove. Do not choose compact furniture for this style, but rather more expansive pieces. Rely on display cabinets with glass windows or wide chests. Definitely avoid wild patterns with this style and opt for playful decorations instead. The furniture only has a simple pattern, such as small flowers or simple ornaments,
Extra tip: Pick up the paint and brush yourself and decorate wooden furniture with simple patterns. You don't have to be a great artist here, because the simpler these decorations are, the more authentic they look.
Decoration ideas
Decorate the room with playful details, such as flower patterns in all shapes and sizes on dishes, cushions, and curtains. A great combination is large-scale checks as a pattern. Beautiful brass pots and pans and oversized wooden dishes, as well as ornate dishes for the kitchen, go well with this. Just browse through a flea market; you can always find beautiful country-style dishes there.
This style is further enhanced by decoration with natural materials. Bales or arrangements of straw in the entrance area or a simple twig broom set wonderful focal points. Depending on the season, beautiful arrangements can be created: collect chestnuts, branches, fruits, or leaves and decorate them with purchased natural materials such as felt, wool, or clay.
This style can handle full surfaces and cabinets, which makes it look even cozier – but don't overdo it, otherwise it will look messy again.
Mediterranean style for the home
The Mediterranean is one of the most popular vacation destinations in Europe: sun, sea, a pleasant breeze, juicy fruits and vegetables – pure vacation feeling for everyone. You would love to take the sunshine home with you – but that is possible! Simply furnish your home in a Mediterranean style.
The colors
Warm colors are very important in this interior style. Walls and fabrics are designed in warm orange, yellow, or red. The top priority is to bring the sun into the rooms. Try it with a curtain in bright yellow. With this color, the room is bright despite cloudy weather. If you have already designed walls and curtains very dominantly, you should choose more subtle colors for the rest of the equipment, otherwise it will be too colorful.
If you don't like strong colors, you can paint the walls in the colors of the terracotta family. Do not paint the walls perfectly here; it is best to use the wiping technique, which fits perfectly with the Mediterranean style. Feel free to use borders; they complement the style. The floor is designed with tiles or laminate in terracotta colors. This style can handle a lot of color, so the room immediately looks brighter and friendlier – as if the sun were constantly shining in.
The materials
Anyone who wants it to be truly authentic uses furniture made of Mediterranean material such as olive wood, which is, however, rather expensive. You can, however, use all light or dark woods for the furniture in this style. Metal, best painted black, also goes very well with the Mediterranean style. Get a bed with black metal or furnish the guest room with it.
In every house in the south, the kitchen and the dining area play an important role. Take this into account if possible when designing the rooms. Spacious kitchens and dining areas so that the whole family can come over for a cozy meal.
Anyone who wants to furnish their bathroom in the Mediterranean style relies classically on light beige for the bathtub, shower, and sink. In our latitudes, this color is a bit boring, so you can also opt for cream colors. The tiles are designed with patterns or mosaics. Furnish the bathroom with beige, gray, or terracotta-colored bathroom furniture. You should also choose one of these colors as the wall color.
Decoration ideas
To decorate the rooms, vases and vessels made of clay in all sizes and shapes are a must. Filled with bright flowers or even palm trees, the style becomes all the more authentic.
Extra tip: Choose robust palm species such as the parlor palm or Rhapis in our latitudes.
In the kitchen, fragrant herbs such as rosemary or basil are planted in the terracotta pots; this is very practical, because now you can also season your pasta in style. Another popular decoration is stoneware. Here, small statues, replicas of antique busts, or columns can be used for a stylish Mediterranean look. A popular wall decoration in southern countries is copper cookware, which you can best buy at flea markets. Candle holders made of black painted metal on the wall look very stylish.
Oriental interior style for the home
Everyone has wanted to live as beautifully as a sultan or an oriental princess at some point. You now have the opportunity to bring this exotic magic of the Orient into your home. With the right colors, furniture, and decorations, you can put the tea on in velvet slippers in no time.
The colors
With this style, the more opulent, the better. Bright colors, artistic ornaments, and magnificent decorations are used here. Choose very strong and warm shades as colors, such as dark red tones, rich pink, bright orange or water blue, purple, or violet. The so-called "spice colors" such as curry or saffron yellow also come into their own here. These colors are used for walls, cushions, blankets, or curtains, as they form a cozy contrast to the heavy dark furniture.
Extra tip: Be careful before painting the whole room red – because the color red has an invigorating effect. If you want to find peace in the living room or bedroom, you should rather paint only one wall.
The materials
The furniture such as beds and cabinets are made of dark and noble woods. These take up a lot of space and also swallow light. If your room is rather small and dark, use only individual oriental elements here, otherwise the room will look too oppressive.
Designing the dining area with low tables and large seat cushions is good for narrow rooms, because you can quickly move the cushions out of the way. Furthermore, you can always adjust the size of the dining area to the number of guests, because everything is quickly set up and taken down again.
Decoration ideas
Ornaments as wall decoration are a must for an oriental interior. If you are skilled, you can paint them yourself. Furthermore, ornate twists give this exotic flair, which look very good on sofa cushions. You can either embroider these yourself or buy them ready-made.
If you want to furnish your bathroom or kitchen in an exotic way, mosaic tiles with the pattern of an oriental hammam in blue, brown, or with a white background are a must.
Indirect light sources play a major role in the oriental interior style. Small lamps hanging from the ceiling or floor lamps in exotic shapes in the corners of the room provide warm light and oriental warmth. Cozy oriental rugs in the typical colors should also not be missing, as they round off the style wonderfully.
An important decorative utensil in the Orient are mirrors. These must be richly decorated in unusual shapes and hung in every room, not just in the bathroom or hallway. Mirrors give the rooms visual depth.
For an authentic oriental style, also set up bowls and shapes in unusual forms. Classic are shapes with a thick "belly". Fill them with sand for an authentic look.
Extra tip: This style stands on its own and does not tolerate mixing with other styles. So think carefully about whether you really want only this one style in your four walls and do not make any compromises.
Scandinavian living style
This living style was very much shaped by the stories of Astrid Lindgren. The style is bright and friendly and consists of clear, tidy contours. This style is particularly popular with young families, as it can be implemented very quickly even with a small budget. Everything in this style revolves around the sea. The colors and the decoration always have a slightly maritime touch.
The colors
The dominant color for this style is blue like the sea. This color has a calming effect, promotes creativity and concentrated work, and is ideal for the living room or study. In general, light colors are preferred in this style. White can be used in generous areas for furniture, floors, as wall and ceiling color, or panels. Sun yellow, light beige, and gray provide the necessary accents. This style does not work with strong contrasts; everything can be kept in light colors if you like that.
If you paint your room completely white and also choose white furniture, you have to be careful that it doesn't look too sterile like a doctor's office. In this case, definitely use splashes of color, as well as lush fabrics and a colorful mix of materials. You can use patterns over a large area: stripes are very popular in this style. Use checks, dots, or scattered flowers only sparingly.
Extra tip: Keep in mind that light-colored fabrics are very high-maintenance and will likely not stay bright white for long in a household with children.
The materials
Predominantly, wooden furniture in birch, maple, or ash is used in this style. The furniture has clear contours and everything superfluous is omitted. Multifunctional furniture is very popular in this style, so you can save additional space. If a room is used for several functions, the furniture serves to delineate them.
This style is particularly suitable for outdoors; simple garden and terrace furniture for the balcony or terrace look particularly good with the appropriate maritime decoration.
Decoration ideas
In this style, you can easily use many light sources; they reinforce the bright flair. Feel free to reach for unusual lamps if the rest of the room is well-structured.
For decoration, you can stick to the sea: fishing nets, chests made of wood or wicker, small glass and ceramic bottles immediately give the room a maritime note. For the rural character, sprinkle in beautifully designed plates, bright friendly pictures, and rustic rugs so that everything doesn't look too flawless.
In this style, you can also experiment very well with the furniture. Since many pieces of furniture are simply and clearly designed, they do not only fit into the rooms intended for them. You can easily put the kitchen cupboard in the bathroom or set up the hallway cupboard for books in the living room.
If you are skilled, you can also contribute your own color ideas, but always be careful not to mix too much, otherwise it will become confusing and messy.
Why not decorate your garden furniture on the terrace or balcony in the Scandinavian style? Put on a few cushions in blue and white, a striped or checkered tablecloth with matching napkins. Choose dishes with red-blue decor and decorate the table with shells, pretty stones, or reeds. A colorful mix of garden flowers that reminds you of a beautiful summer meadow is suitable as flowers in a vase.
In the garden, you can set up a hammock with a checkered pattern or sailcloth.
In the evening, lanterns, preferably with colorful motifs, are hung up, and candles are placed in zinc buckets or floating candles in bowls. With a few simple steps, you can transform your home into a Scandinavian country house.
Urban chic from New York
The urban chic from New York consists of sharp contours, straight cuts, and functional design. The furnishing is often almost Spartan and therefore ideal for narrow, small rooms. This puristic interior style does not tolerate bright colors or large decorations. Since only a little furniture is used here, it can be all the more high-quality.
The colors
The colors in this interior style are strikingly subtle. Black, beige, white, and gray dominate the entire furnishing. Uniformly subtle colors can also be found in the decoration such as cushions, blankets, or curtains. Colorful or bright things are not found at all in this style.
The materials
There are hardly any characteristic fabrics or materials in the urban chic from New York. Wood is used just as much as steel, stone, or leather. This very mix makes the appeal of the style. A must when furnishing in this style is the seating with fabric cover and "wiry" legs. Large glass surfaces are often used in this style, often also as room dividers.
Due to the small number of furnishings, they can be of higher quality. When buying, pay attention to first-class workmanship and timeless design.
If you want to furnish your kitchen in this style, prefer the materials glass, plastic, chrome, or steel and attach great importance to functionality. Feel free to treat yourself to features that help you save time when cooking. Integrate kitchen appliances that you constantly need into the kitchen, such as the coffee machine. The kitchen must also have plenty of storage space, as only the things you actually need constantly in daily life are standing around here. You can also easily integrate a large television in a clearly visible place in the kitchen. It is important that a dining corner is available; this can also be brought out later, such as fold-out seats and tables.
Decoration ideas
In this interior style, you may only decorate carefully. Most authentic are art prints with modern motifs, preferably with imitations of works from the New York Museum of Modern Art. Small sculptures of modern art are also possible.
If you want to loosen up the style a little, then reach for accessories such as (miniature) street signs, graffiti, or posters with advertising messages. An old record as wall decoration, for example, is original.
The only thing that can be a little more conspicuous are lamps. But do not choose these to be too extravagant or playful. You can also set up spotlights in different colors; these give the well-styled room the desired atmosphere. Illuminated flower pots are very chic decoration.
Read also:Â Which colors for the interiors?
Photos from www.universal.at/content/ratgeber/wohntrends/wohntrends-aus-aller-welt.pdf
