Features of interior decoration in antique style

The harmonious beauty of the antique style is so versatile that it is still a source of inspiration for professional creators today. And this has been the case for the past two thousand years. And in the Renaissance, and at the court of the French king, and in Soviet times, architects, artists, designers again and again turned to antique standards.

Antique interior is most often chosen by people who gravitate towards classics and sophistication.

What gives the antique style

There are several things that you will get if you decide to give preference to this particular style:

Saturation with details

The ancient Greeks and Romans used sculpture to decorate their homes and cities. And they were very successful in this, having formed a whole system of volumetric, sculpted from stone, clay or wood, details. This includes columns, porticoes, cornices, pilasters, wall moldings, and more. Thanks to the use of all these things in the interior of antique style, it is interesting to be, looking at the decor of the room.

There can be a lot of decorative details, even a lot.

Pithiness

All these numerous details, sculptural elements mean something. They are based on Greek mythology, plant motives, and complex symbolism. With all this, you can encrypt a whole message in the room..

In the classic version, the style is ostentatious.

Scale

In the era of antiquity, people preferred high ceilings and spacious halls. Therefore, their style is also well suited for large rooms. In small rooms, it is perceived as too bulky, heavy.

It will be possible to realize all the possibilities of the style only in a fairly spacious room with high ceilings.

Solemnity

It was not in vain that the ancient figurative system was used in the design of temples and palaces. She sets a certain mood. Partly because of its grandeur, thoughtfulness down to the smallest detail, complexity and severity. Partly due to the incredible harmony of proportions.

Antique is characterized by proportionality and harmony

Emotional warmth

Despite its solemnity, classical architecture and art are not in vain opposed to the cold modern trends using glass, steel and concrete. The antique style was created for a person, in accordance with the proportions of his body. And it feels very good, it is pleasant to be in such a room..

Antique style loves an abundance of stucco on the ceiling and walls

In a word, there are situations when the antique style in the interior is perceived as appropriate and beneficial. In the right hands, it turns into a whole range of possibilities.

The considered style direction is best suited for decorating a spacious country house

The rules by which the antique style in the interior is formed

As in most other cases, interior design is painstakingly formed from the study of various aspects:

Finishing. In the antique style, thinking through the interior decoration implies not only the choice of materials with which it is supposed to tiling the floor, walls and ceiling. Along with this, it is necessary to think over the location of the decorative details. For example, walls in this style are almost always decorated with moldings, cornices, pilasters, and so on..
Lighting. In this case, the basis for lighting the space almost always becomes a large pendant lamp in the center. In addition to it, there are smaller light sources: sconces, table lamps, sometimes floor lamps. All this must be carefully selected so as not to leave the figurative system of the ancient world..
Furniture. Not every piece of furniture will successfully fit into the antique style. Furniture appropriate for such an environment should be made of natural or imitating natural materials, contain decor components similar in style, and harmonize in color.
Textile. Textiles are invariably part of the modern interior: pillows, curtains, carpets, tablecloths, bedspreads and furniture upholstery, etc. All these elements are appropriately perceived in the antique interior..
Accessories. This style is self-sufficient and does not require a lot of decorations. However, in a small amount, decorative elements in the interior can be used. Crockery, earthenware jugs, or potted plants will work.

Walls can be decorated with paintings on natural, historical or mythological themes

Having consistently thought over all the listed things, you will get a high-quality and spectacular interior in antique style as a result..

The choice of finishing materials for an antique-style room

The dwelling of the ancient Greeks and Romans was characterized by the use of natural stone in combination with monochromatic calm surfaces. Modern technology has spawned many easier to use and cheaper materials that can reliably mimic different types of minerals. Therefore, the list of what can be used as decoration of the actual imitation of the interior of antiquity turns out to be quite long..

Ceramic or marble asks for the floor of the hallway or living room

Parquet or laminate is appropriate in living rooms

For finishing the bathroom, marble is the ideal material.

The table shows a comparison of the main options:

Material	pros	Minuses
Floor
porcelain stoneware tiles	strength wide range of	price cold surface
linoleum	pleasant to the touch wide range of price	instability to damage
PVC tiles	pleasant to the touch wide range of price	instability to damage
Ceiling
GKL + painting	the ability to simulate a complex surface shape the ability to easily combine different colors	relative complexity of installation
membrane tensioner	the ability to simulate a complex surface shape the ability to easily combine different colors	relative complexity of installation
dye	simplicity of technical implementation price	inability to model a complex surface shape
Walls
dye	simplicity of technical implementation variety of possible shades	the need to pre-carefully level the surface of the walls
plaster	the ability to simulate stone surfaces wide range of	relative complexity of technical implementation price
wallpaper	simplicity of technical implementation price wide range of	instability to damage

For the ceremonial room, it is worth ordering a coffered ceiling with an abundance of stucco decoration

However, the ceiling can be simply painted and decorated with ceiling plinths and polyurethane or gypsum rosettes.

As you can see from the table, a person choosing a finish for an antique interior has many options. And if we take into account the possibility of combining different facing materials with each other, forming a complex and multi-component interior, then the situation begins to look even more interesting..

Choosing a color palette

Researchers of ancient culture in past centuries considered monochrome as the hallmark of the architecture of the Greeks and Romans. And when reproducing ancient harmonious forms, the creators often followed this very rule, using only one color to decorate walls and other surfaces. Usually white or gray.

Antique interiors can be pure white

The actual combination of white and blue colors

However, modern scholars have established that the representatives of antiquity were not at all so restrained in their coloristic decisions. On the contrary, they boldly added bright colors to the interior: purple, yellow, blue, green. This helps to accurately establish the analysis of the surfaces of ancient buildings at the micro level. There are remnants of the dyes used by the ancient Greeks and Romans..

Usually the room is decorated in a single color without unnecessary color spots.

Thus, you have two paths:

The first is to select a nuanced color palette, which was chosen by the masters of the past centuries, imitating the antique style. Many world architectural masterpieces were created on this principle..
The second involves the use of bright and even contrasting combinations, as the ancient creators did. In this case, it is more difficult to build a harmonious composition, but with the right approach, the interior turns out to be very expressive..

Columns of white or beige color – a visiting card of the interior in antique style

Decorating with architectural details

Sculptural decorations are part of the decoration in the antique interior. This could be:

columns and semi-columns;
pilasters;
multilevel cornices;
capitals;
sockets;
arches;
etc.

In the traditional version, all these elements, of course, were carved from stone or wood. There are simpler ways now. There is a whole market for polyurethane foam stucco molding. It is a lightweight and technological material from which sculptural pieces in the antique style of any configuration are made..

The stucco decor is not painted brightly – as a rule, they use white, beige or ivory. Decorating with gold leaf with an antique effect is allowed

So you can simply select all the items that interest you from the catalog. Draw a sketch of how all this will be combined with the wall decoration, calculate how many and what details will be needed. And you can buy what you need.

It is difficult to imagine an antique interior without a stylish decor in the spirit of the ancient world, at least one, but worthy

It is important not to overdo it and not to take too many large parts for a small room. For example, full-fledged columns are only allowed in large halls. And multilevel cornices – with high ceilings.

Antique light device

Of course, the lighting of modern interiors, as well as the selection of furniture, must be carried out with modern means in mind. However, you can do this, following the spirit of antiquity..

The room should be well lit at any time of the day

It is better to choose lamps of a simple shape – a hemisphere, a ball, a cylinder, a candlestick or a torch

Large luxurious chandeliers, round monochromatic lampshades to match the finish, a lot of light – all this corresponds to the style. An interesting idea is to emphasize the sculptural components with directional lighting. One that allows you to visually read the plastic of complex surfaces in the interior. LED lighting in the upper part of the room, around the perimeter, is also well perceived.

Selection of suitable furniture

The furniture, which is well in keeping with the spirit of the antique style, has several characteristic features:

it is made from natural ingredients or materials that imitate them;
decorated with ornaments and patterns typical of Greek or Roman culture;
fits into the color scheme of the room.

Furniture should look expensive, but it can also be a high-quality imitation of high cost.

Furniture items are decorated with carvings, as well as inlaid with gold or wood

You will probably be able to pick up all the pieces of furniture you need in one of the specialized stores..

Famous Greek chairs – klismos are perfect for decorating a dining group.

The finishing touch to an antique-style room: textiles

The antique style is known for its severity and stinginess in decorations, in addition to those that are inscribed in the decoration of the room or in the decor of furniture. However, it is permissible to make an exception for textiles. It is recommended to use dense plain fabrics. Straight pleated draperies are encouraged, but never lace or bows.