The Essential Elements of Five Popular Home Decor Styles

If you've ever considered redecorating your home or apartment, you know there's a lot to choose from when it comes to home decor style. In fact, the choices can be downright overwhelming if you've never done this before. A good starting point is to narrow it down to a few of the most popular home decor styles, which include modern, traditional, transitional, rustic, and coastal. Of these home decor styles, let's discuss some of the essential elements you'll need to complete your room, such as colors, accents, furniture, and accessories.

Modern

Clean, crisp lines characterize the modern home decor style, and typical materials include smooth leather, synthetic fibers, glass, and polished metal. In a word (or two), modern style can be described as "sleek" and "simplistic" because of how every element (including furniture) embodies that very nature. Modern style doesn't allow for clutter or accessories, and typically, the color palette is much simpler. Occasionally overlapping with contemporary style, the modern style takes on geometric shapes as well as materials like plywood, acrylic, and white plastic.

Traditional

When thinking about the traditional style, think old money. Traditional design exhibits characteristics similar to 17th or 18th century Europe and exudes Old World luxury. The traditional style features deep colors and varied patterns and furnishings with curved edges and ornately carved wood. With traditional home decor, you get rich color palettes, finished wood, and furnishings with elaborate details, as well as fabrics like silk, velvet, and brocade in an assortment of textures and patterns. Many traditional design themes take on layering, depth, and dimensionality, adding a splash of sophistication.

Transitional

Transitional style is a popular style characterized by a combination of traditional and contemporary styles. The pallet leans more toward neutral tones like gray, beige, and cream. The patterns and curves are more restrained than traditional, and a transitional design might incorporate modern materials like glass and steel combined with plush furnishings for just the right amount of contrast. The transitional style features plentiful wood and natural accents and has a relatively neutral color palette, which helps create a more comfortable, relaxing space perfect for any family gathering.

Rustic

The rustic design is inspired by life on the farm, and it usually features deliberately unrefined characteristics and draws a lot of inspiration from nature. With a rustic style, you'll find lots of reclaimed wood, repurposed furnishings, and accents created from found objects that exude warmth. The rustic style evolved from the log cabins and western homes it was once closely associated with because designers have toned it down a bit to create something resembling a comfy barn. So if you're a farm guy or gal at heart, the rustic look might just be your cup of tea.

Coastal

With roots based in the U.S. Hamptons community, the coastal style draws inspiration from beachside living. Nautical elements define this style, such as seashell or blue-and-white-striped pillows, rowboat oars, jars of seashells, and vintage bottles in a variety of shapes and colors. As can be expected from coastal style decor, a palette of blues, greens, whites, and other light tones dominate, with touches of light-hued wood used as accents. Coastal style has drifted away from the traditional wicker and rattan furniture and leans more toward incorporating microfiber couches, plush, and accent chairs. A coastal style helps create a calming, cozy environment that makes you feel like the beach and the ocean are only a few yards away.

Find the Style That Fits Your Home

Now that you're familiar with the essential elements of the five most popular home decor styles, you can design with confidence and choose furniture that complements your specific taste. Whether you're more of a modernist, a traditionalist, or you prefer the coastal-living scene, you'll be sure to find exactly what you're looking for by shopping Jerome's Furniture either in-store or online. Come browse our selection of furniture and accessories to completely transform your home decor style.