Classic Contemporary: guide to decorate in the most elegant style

Pastel colours and beautiful lighting for a fairy tale living room. Designer: Laura Hammet

​It is getting popular even in the white dominated Scandinavian capital, in London is the secret to success of many designers, loved in the Middle East and in new markets like China and Hong Kong. 

What is it so attractive of this style? How to create it? Let's discover it together!

The classic contemporary style is a diligent and superb mix between classic architectural features and the neoclassic style. 
​Originally from France and Russia which may seems two opposite styles without anything in common, they share much more than we think. Both in France and Russia there are plenty of beautiful historic houses. If you think about the French Riviera with all those Renaissance and Baroque buildings or the Neoclassical St Petersburg, you might understand that these two countries shared the need to incorporate in those gorgeous and important architectural features a contemporary feeling. 

Metals such as brass, rose gold, steel are very important. Designer: Laura Hammet

Classic Contemporary style is in fact a superbe mix of two very important styles. How much contemporary and how much classic then? It depends really on your taste, there is no right or wrong in this.
I would say that if you have a very historical property already with crossed-vault ceilings or important boiserie, maybe opt for a more contemporary style in the choice of the furniture to create that mix and avoid a museum alike look.
Architecture is fundamental to create this style, so we must enhance chimneys, vaults, large windows, high ceilings and boiserie as much as possible, because it all starts from here.

Architecture is fundamental and we must enhance it. Designer: Jean-Louis Deniot

Why choosing a Classic Contemporary decor?

This style is extremely elegant, raffinate and timeless. With this decor your home will look like nobody's else with a "wow" factor in each room. The decor must be studied in every detail, in fact an object or a furniture wrong can ruin the overall feeling and mix. We tend sometimes to use furnitures to cover each free space and to show everything we have. In reality, it is not always necessary. If the architecture is very researched from the beginning, it is better to keep the decor contained for a better balance.

Feminist and bright with architectural features as a 5th dimension. Designer: Laura Hammet

Essential Characteristics:​

• Marble floor or parquet (usually fishbone parquet) 
• Warm colours like beige, camel, caramel and modern woods
• Glossy or semi-glossy finishes such as marble, glass, polished wood, metal and mirrors.
• ​Sapient use of boiserie and architectural features such as door frames
• Soft curtains with prestigious fabrics such us velvet and sheer 
• Chandeliers with finishes in brass, rose gold, gold or glass together with strategic LED spot lights​​
• It is not a total white like the Scandinavian therefore we can use more colours and darker woods

Large windows, soft curtains and chandeliers in metal such as brass or gold.

The colours palette

The dominant colours are a mix and match of beige, camel, caramel, light blue, antique rose, ivory, off-whites, champagne. The most common wood finishes are walnut or dark oak but not with a yellow or red hue in it. 

The spatial planning is considered with focus on the depth of the room, with large windows as protagonist and a layout of the furnitures that directs the attention to them.

Beige, camel, caramel, antique rose, ivory and light blue are principal colours.

This decor scheme can work also in darker tones too in dark greys or black. I personally find it very nice and would not dare to recommend it to any client.

Sofas are usually in round shape and located in the middle of room. It is possible to create this decor also in modern houses as there are modern ways of doing boiserie, you do not need to have an old house or apartment.

Darker tones can work too, such as dark greys and black.

Metals 

​A shiny component in this style is a very important characteristic, mixed with marbles and wood, there are finishes in metals in elements such as chandeliers, coffee tables, the chairs or table's legs. Among the more minimalist and pure lines, add always a touch of metal such as: gold, rose gold, brass or silver and raffinate decorative furnitures. 

Raffinate furnitures mixed with simpler ones. Designer: Laura Hammet

As I wrote at the beginning, this style is not so easy and deductive. It can go wrong easily, as it is important to maintain a good balance between classic and more contemporary. It can happen that we get carried away with too many furnitures or the wrong lighting. 
On the other end, if you succeed your house will look extremely elegant and limited edition, as it is very unluckily that any other one can think of the same mix as yours.  

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​If you felt inspired by this article and you wish to design your home in a Classic Contemporary decor but you are afraid or do not know where to start from, I am here to help you create your dream home.
The first consultation is always free and you can reach me at: interiorbyambrosi@gmail.com or by filling the questionnaire in the Contact page. 

Thanks for reading!