Want your home’s interior to be unique and cohesive? How about decorating it using one of the most popular interior design styles around the world? From modern and minimalist to bohemian, traditional, rustic, and eclectic, homes across the globe are decorated in a range of interior décor styles. If you are designing, redesigning, or renovating your home, then our interior design styles’ guide will help you bring any one of these or even a combination of various interior styles to your living space and wow your family and guests.
Let’s begin…
Top Interior Design Styles for Homes
Some of the best design styles for homes include:
- Modern
- Contemporary
- Minimalist
- Traditional
- Transitional
- Rustic
- Bohemian
- Scandinavian
- Eclectic
Now, we’ll discuss each of these interior design styles in detail below. Remember that you can choose whichever design style represents your personality and lifestyle the best, and you can even consider a blend of all these if it suits your purpose and helps you make your home look well-furnished and put together. Hiring a professional interior designer will benefit you further, ensuring that your home décor project is completed in a timely manner.
Modern
While you might love the sleek, bold lines and sharp angles when you observe home interiors on TV, the modern design style is very rarely opted by homeowners because it lacks a certain aura of warmth. Blending it with other styles, though, it can be incorporated into a homely interior. The main features of modern interior design style are:
- A simple and neutral colour palette with bold contrasts
- Clean, sharp lines and edges
- Lack of clutter and small décor ornaments
- Metal, glass, steel, and chrome are some of the dominant materials
- Geometric patterns and basic shapes for furnishings
- Sleek and polished surfaces
- Open floor plans
- Wall art is the go-to for personal touches
- Simplicity in its essence
- Black and white monochromes are common with hints of yellow, red, or blue
Contemporary
We generally use the words modern and contemporary interchangeably, but in interior décor, they hold vastly different meanings. The modern interior style refers to a design trend that came about in the middle of the 20th century. The contemporary décor style though, refers to whatever is trending nowadays. This means that it is constantly evolving and changing with the times. The key features of contemporary interior design style are:
- More freedom to incorporate fluid lines and curves
- Open floor plans with unique layouts
- Neutral colours with the use of natural light
- Metallic accents
- Use of reflective surfaces
- Textured fabrics
- Furniture with exposed legs
- Artistic light fixtures
- Super elegant and sleek with few personal details
- Luxurious interiors with light or dark wood tones
- Often a blend of several different styles
Minimalist
Moving on with our interior design styles’ guide, we have the ultimate choice for millennials—minimalist interior décor. As the name implies, minimalist interiors focus on the ‘less is more’ concept, and takes simplicity to another level. The design trend is inspired by Japanese designs and is often preferred by rental tenants who want a cosy space with bare-minimum furnishings. The key features of minimalist interior design style are:
- Simple but elegant furnishings
- Clean lines and empty spaces
- Neutral colour palettes
- Lack of patterns
- Textures remain prevalent throughout
- Overall appearance of a cosy and functional space
- Lack of glamour or glitter
- Multipurpose furniture pieces, with hidden storage areas
- Black, white and primary colours are dominant
- Has a lot in common with modern interiors
Traditional
Having its roots in European styles of the 18th and 19th centuries, the traditional interior style often dominates Pakistani homes. Once you check out the key features of traditional interior design style, you’ll know what we mean:
- Heavy, bulky furnishings, with ornate details
- Rich and sophisticated colour palettes, with neutral colours on the walls
- Matching furniture sets
- Tables and chairs with dark wood tones
- Symmetrical placement of objects, with one focal object in the room
- Floral arrangements
- Use of fabrics like silk, velvet, linen, or brocade for upholstery and window treatments
- Vast variety of patterns and textures, including stripes, plaids, and florals
- An assortment of accessories on surface areas
- Crystal chandeliers or other fancy lighting fixtures
- Oil paintings adorning the walls
- Use of antique pieces, as well as wood panelling, wooden beams, and built-in cabinetry
- The design style reflects an inner depth and historical influences
Transitional
Acting as a bridge between traditional and modern designs, transitional interiors create a harmonious blend of more than one style to create a sense of balance that is often lacking in some of the more rigid design styles. The key features of a transitional interior design style are:
- Use of materials like chrome, glass, steel, rattan, and wood
- Cosy, curved, and luxurious furnishings
- Calming and neutral colours
- Warm and relaxing interior
- Elegant lines with textural elements
- Minimum use of accessories
- Art used as a focal point
Rustic
Taking inspiration from nature, rustic interiors depict raw and unfinished elements, primarily catering to wood and stone. Most of the design elements are also inspired or taken directly from the outdoors and incorporated into the home to give it a warm touch. The key features of a rustic interior design style are:
- Use of reclaimed wood
- Wooden flooring
- Exposed stone walls
- Wooden ceiling beams
- Wood-burning fireplace
- Stone staircase in a prominent position
- Use of natural fabrics, like leather and cowhide
- Dark colours with a sophisticated touch
- Handcrafted décor items
- Lack of patterns fabrics
- Focus on textures
- Has a farmhouse appeal
- Can be blended with modern touches to make it unique
Bohemian
Reflecting a lifestyle of nomads and gipsies, the bohemian interior style is all about portraying a carefree way of life that follows very few rules and norms. The key features of a bohemian interior design style are:
- Ethnic influences
- Vibrant play of colours
- Bold and loud patterns
- Messy but cosy and appealing
- Use of animal-based fabrics, reflecting tribal elements
- Vintage wood furnishings with metallic accents
- Seating arrangements on the floor and cosy rugs
- Can incorporate beads and jewel tones
- Décor items include travel souvenirs and flea market bargain buys
Scandinavian
As the name implies, the Scandinavian design style is heavily inspired by the Nordic countries where mountains, snow, fjords, and valleys are found at every turn. Here are the key features of Scandinavian interior design style:
- Winter-inspired décor
- Simple, understated, and artistic appeal
- White is the dominant colour with bright contrasts
- Symmetrical, spacious designs with fluid lines
- Use of large mirrors and glass
- Functional furnishing that is stylish as well
- Light-coloured wood tones
- Wooden flooring with cosy light-coloured rugs
- Use of natural light
- Minimal furniture and accessories
- Organic materials are often used
- Variety of textures
- Practical, simple and modern interiors
Eclectic
Reflecting a playful and carefree vibe, similar to bohemian interiors, the eclectic style offers a lot of freedom to display your own personality. Too much of it can be a disaster, but in the right amounts, it can create an attractive home. The key features of an eclectic interior design style are:
- Colourful interiors with energetic vibes
- Small touches of paint or fabrics tie the room together for a cohesive finish
- A variety of contrasts, patterns, and textures
- Every item is chosen based on utilitarian value
- Carefully chosen focal point in every room
- Often based on consistent themes with a fresh twist
This wraps up our interior design styles’ guide with tips on how to incorporate each of them into your home for the best results. You can check out some of the décor essentials for every home before you begin so that you’ll be sure to revamp your interior without missing out on any of the critical elements.
Stay tuned to Zameen Blog for more home décor tips and guides. We look forward to your queries and suggestions at blog@zameen.com.
