When I first started learning about interior design, I was lost looking at endless photos with no way of defining them. I’d find an image of a room I loved and want to search around for similar furniture and decor, but I wouldn’t know what to type in. A quick search for “brown wood coffee table” brought up a lot of results, but none of them matched the aesthetic I was trying to replicate.
To solve this problem, I started researching the fundamental interior design styles. I wanted to be able to look at a couch, a rug, or a layout and be able to define it clearly. Knowing how to recognize and define popular interior design styles will make it easier for you to explain what you’re looking for in a way that other designers will understand. (When you search for “mid-century modern teak wood coffee table with peg legs,” you’ll get much better results.)
In this guide, we’ll cover some of the most popular types of interior design styles to help you build up your interior design vocabulary. We’ll cover the history and elements of different design styles, and give you some great examples.
Transitional Style
What Is Transitional Design Style?
Transitional style is often defined as a blend of traditional and modern design styles. Traditional interiors incorporate elements of modern and traditional styles to create a warm, welcoming space that brings the past and the present together effortlessly. Transitional literally means to be in between two things, and transitional design is exactly that—a middle ground between traditional and modern design.
If you find yourself drawn to both classic and ultra-modern design elements, you are very well suited to a transitional style. The look combines elements from various time periods in a balanced and meaningful way, creating a space that is both insanely comfortable and highly sophisticated.
History of Transitional Design Style
Transitional style originated in the 1950s. Early adopters rebelled against the stark and severe styles that were popular at the time, embracing a softer and more comfortable aesthetic. Because it incorporates modern elements, transitional design evolves as quickly as contemporary looks do. With a transitional home, you can center your design around timeless pieces while bringing in trends to keep the space from looking dusty and dated.
Elements of Transitional Design Style
A transitional style can bring warmth and character to an ultra-modern apartment, or modernize a historic home. To get the transitional look, you can:
- Use a neutral, muted color palette
- Incorporate wall paneling and molding
- Use symmetry when arranging furniture and decor
- Look for furniture that features tufting and nail heads
- Choose deep, comfortable furniture with soft curves
- Avoid using too many accessories to prevent a cluttered look
- Avoid strong, bold accent colors and patterns
- Choose one focal point and design around it—less is more!
Mid-Century Modern (MCM) Style
What Is Mid-Century Modern Style?
If you’ve ever watched an episode of Mad Men, you know what mid-century design looks like. The style dominated the mid-20th century and experienced a resurgence during the late 1990s. With a focus on simple, functional furniture, mid-century modern interior design style is meant to serve the average family's needs. Mid-century furniture was meant to be used, not just looked at, and form always follows function in mid-century interiors.
Mid-century modern home design rejects the lavish ornateness of art deco style and is instead casual, organic, and accessible. Experimental design was having a moment at the time of its inception, and classic pieces like the Eames Lounge Chair and the Wassily Chair quickly became hallmarks of mid-century design.
Mid-Century Modern Interior Design History
Mid-century modern style originated during the mid-20th century and is most commonly associated with the 1950s and 60s. As technological and manufacturing advancements abounded during the era, new possibilities arose. Materials like metal and lucite could be used to manufacture furniture in a way that had never been done before. Extra-large windows were suddenly possible. The world was changing, and mid-century style embraced a modern way of living.
How to Create a Mid-Century Modern Interior
When you’re designing a mid-century home, you need to find a careful balance between mid-century modern and modern-modern. Mid-century is a style specific to the 1950s and 60s, and you don’t want your house to look like a time capsule (unless, of course, you do).
To get the mid-century modern look, you can:
- Use a lot of teak and walnut wood in medium-warm tones
- Arrange your furniture in a casual layout
- Bring the outdoors in with big windows and lots of plants
- Choose furniture with round, tapered wooden peg legs
- Opt for abstract patterns
- Bring in pops of color using pastels or earth tones
- Keep it simple and avoid over-embellishment
- Mix classic mid-century elements with modern pieces
Contemporary Design
What Is Contemporary Interior Design?
The words “contemporary” and “modern” may be synonyms but in the interior design world, they’re not the same thing. Contemporary style doesn’t refer to a specific time period. It’s a design and decorating style that prominently features current trends. As such, it is ever-evolving and changes with the times.
Today, contemporary-style homes embrace simplicity, clean lines, and natural elements. They are often minimalist and aim to provide a calm, peaceful space. So many people are living hectic, busy lives today. Contemporary style aims to provide them with a soothing haven to retreat into when they come home.
What Are the Elements of Contemporary Design?
If you want to decorate in the contemporary interior design style, you should:
- Remove anything that feels extraneous, like detailed molding
- Use a neutral palette with natural tones, black, and white
- Use warm neutrals and earthy tones to bring in pops of color
- Try to connect your indoor and outdoor spaces seamlessly
- Use natural materials like travertine, stone, wood, and hone marble
- Integrate your appliances into your cabinetry
- Minimize grout lines by choosing oversized tiles
- Opt for low-profile and sculptural furniture
Farmhouse Style
What Is a Farmhouse Style House?
If you’ve ever been inside a Target, you know what farmhouse style looks like. Joanna Gains has capitalized on the farmhouse chic style with her Magnolia Home line, which showcases classic and modern farmhouse style elements.
Farmhouse style is inspired by actual European farmhouses and embraces practicality. When you’re decorating a farmhouse-style home, you should aim to create a laid-back, lived-in environment.
You want to incorporate materials that would be found on real farmland to make the style feel authentic. Natural materials like stone and wood are essential, as are vintage and antique pieces that look worn. While it’s totally possible to replicate the farmhouse style with new, modern pieces, it will look more authentic and intentional if you implement as many vintage pieces as possible. You don’t have to drop thousands on expensive antiques to get the look, though. You’ll be able to find plenty of worn-in-a-good way pieces by frequenting your local thrift store.
When Did Farmhouse Style Start?
Farmhouses have existed for as long as farming itself. Farmhouses were built to quite literally house farmers and their families. They were constructed to serve a purpose and needed to be as practical as possible.
What we think of as farmhouse style today has its roots in 16th and 17th century Europe. During the colonial period, farmhouse style came to America, though it was still a highly practical style used on genuine farms. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, farmhouse style as an aesthetic really took off. This is when we see elements of farmhouse decorating being incorporated into houses that are not anywhere near a farm.
The Elements of Farmhouse Style
If you want to bring the farmhouse look into your home, incorporate the following elements:
- A simple floor plan with the kitchen at its center
- Exposed wood beams
- Black iron details
- An apron sink
- Lots of natural materials and found objects
- Shiplap
- Quilts and lace
- Lots of objects and accessories
- Edison lightbulbs
We’ll be updating this post regularly with new styles. Come back soon for more!
