Ethnic style in the interior of a modern apartment

Among the inhabitants of modern megalopolises there are many lovers of exotic culture. Someone is fond of oriental dances, others read Japanese poetry with enthusiasm or cook Mexican cuisine. It is not necessary to live in a distant country in order to settle down according to the canons of local culture. It is easy to transform your apartment using ethnic style in the interior, even without expensive overhaul. Just a few characteristic elements, furniture, lamps and textiles with folk patterns – and the house turns into a unique abode. Designers suggest using the same techniques to emphasize their ethnicity or tell about the roots of distant ancestors..

Ethno style room design

Dark room in ethno style

How to explain the growing popularity of ethno in interior design?

The lifestyle of exotic countries is a kind of romance that distracts from everyday life. Passion for the culture of other continents often goes beyond all boundaries and becomes a new way of life. Someone changes their religion to Islam, learns Indian dances or leads an ascetic lifestyle, like the Japanese samurai. But even without such extremes, the life of other peoples seems more attractive than their national environment. And ethnic design often becomes a way to escape boring reality. People tend to think that somewhere “there” is better than “here”.

Sometimes travel to a distant country becomes an obsession, and with each return to the home, it is filled with souvenirs characteristic of a particular culture. Relics or souvenirs collected on the Black Continent from distant Southeast Asia can be competently “attached” to the house by choosing an ethno-style in interior design.

Bright room design in ethno style

Unusual design of a room in ethno style

It is not necessary to draw ideas for arrangement in the cultures of distant regions. Europe also has a multinational flavor. English conservatism is not like the French Provence style or the Swiss chalet in the Alps. Even the style of the Russian hut from Siberia differs markedly from the Ukrainian steppe hut and the Belarusian forest house..

Perhaps ethnicity is the most diverse style of interiors, thanks to the variety of cultures that can be taken as a basis. Feng Shui adherents often equip houses in the Chinese style, with characteristic red dragons and open fans, as in the photo.

Light room in ethno style

Ethno style in the interior

Ethno style living room design

Any culture with characteristic household items can inspire not only designers, but also ordinary citizens to choose ethnic style in the interior of a small room or a large house. Characteristic ethnic traits are widely used in other styles as well:

colonial;
eclecticism;
Art Deco;
vintage;
country;
eco-style.

The use of natural materials, natural dyes and vibrant textiles typical of the ethno attracts designers and their discerning clientele. Natural wood and stone, bamboo and cork came to the decoration of city apartments precisely from the natural habitat of ancient peoples who preserved their way of life. Today, the characteristic features of ethno in the interior on a new wave of popularity.

Ethno style kitchen design

Beautiful bedroom in ethno style

Characteristic of ethnic style

Ethno in the interior is a mixed concept that includes different styles that came from peoples who have retained their identity. Each style is recognizable, and even for an uninitiated person it is clear where is typical Japanese or Scandinavian minimalism, where is French Provence or African style. But there are common features in the design of ethno interiors:

traditional furniture, dishes and textiles;
natural materials;
imitation of the typification of the dwelling;
recognizable archaic nationalities and unique flavor;
reflection of the mentality of an ethnos, its religion and culture;
typical colors and decor;
use of patterns and ornaments characteristic of a certain region.

Modern variations of traditional styles are reflected in the homes of millionaires, yearning for their happy childhood times, and in the apartments of intelligent townspeople. The stylistics is considered quite democratic, since it copies the archaic way of life of entire peoples that have existed for thousands of years on the brink of survival..

Living room design in ethno style

Ethno style in the interior of the room

This design can be done on a small budget or build a luxury bungalow on your own tropical island. It all depends on the scale with which the ethnic style will be created in the interior. For a budget makeover of one living room or bedroom, it is enough to paint the walls in a characteristic color and fill the room with typical decor. Sometimes it all starts with one hookah, your favorite movie and hobby for oriental dances, but gradually the house turns into a kind of Sultan’s harem with all the surroundings.

Most often, ethnics are chosen by:

creative personalities and “bohemians”;
representatives of a certain culture who do not want to assimilate in the urban environment;
long-distance travel lovers;
people whose profession is associated with frequent business trips to remote regions;
ethnographers (researchers of ancient cultures);
individuals gravitating towards the exotic;
lovers of warmth, comfort and inviolability of family traditions.

Ethnic style is back in vogue, and it is widely used not only for their homes. There are many delightful examples of the design of restaurants and cafes, nightclubs and shops, beauty salons and hookah lounges..

Luxurious ethno-style bedroom

Ethno style in the interior

Basic design solutions

Authentic ethnicity

Exact imitation of the culture of a particular people, as far as is available by modern means. Thematic design has long been used abroad for “Russian” restaurants and Arabic dance studios. Adherents of ethnicity are not recommended to take liberties, but to follow folk traditions in their home. It is worthwhile to first study what should be:

decoration of walls, floors and ceilings;
type of hearth and lamps;
color of textiles and carpets;
characteristic kitchen utensils and dishes.

Ethno style room design

Bright room in ethno style

Ethno-mix

A kind of eclecticism, where decorative items from different cultures or without a pronounced belonging are used. Folk motifs such as embroidery or hand-painted pottery were used by different peoples. The mix of different cultures has been widely used in the hippie culture and bohemian boudoir of the creative bohemian shabby chic style. Kitsch and eclecticism today also use such techniques, and earlier European colonists designed their hacienda this way..

Ethnic decor in the interior

Emphasis on folk motives. It is much easier to use individual elements, partially furniture and textiles than completely imitate the old arrangement of housing according to all the canons of a certain people. With such a design, liberties are permissible, and only certain objects will emphasize the attraction to ethnicity. This is a budget option in which, for example, a low table, curtains with a pattern of bamboo and characters on the walls – the choice in favor of the Japanese style.

Beautiful design of a room in ethno style

Ethno style in the interior

Typical varieties of ethnic style in the interior

The African style is the most exotic in terms of decor, but the most natural in terms of colors. These are black and white, terracotta and greenery, the color of desert sand and tropical flowers. For decoration, they use imitation of zebra skins, painted batik, African masks, stuffed crocodiles, large jugs as floor vases under a peacock feather.

Japanese minimalism is a mix of modern urbanism and Asian ethnicity. These people cultivate restraint in the design of their homes, because there at any moment everything can be washed away by a tsunami. Low furniture and lack of beds are typical, instead of which you can build a podium with lighting and a large modern mattress. Geisha in pictures and panels, a table for a tea ceremony, bonsai, sakura on the facade of a wardrobe, ikebana, tatami, hieroglyphs, bamboo wallpaper – typical Japanese design.

Unusual design of a room in ethno style

Light room in ethno style

Chinese culture is best known to us for the rules of feng shui, fans, dragons, exquisite porcelain, shaking statuettes of sages, paper lanterns and bright Chinese silks. All these attributes of ancient culture are appropriate in ethnic design..

Arabian or oriental ethno style – luxury and brilliance, achieved mainly through textiles, a multitude of satin pillows on a low sofa, a hookah and stained-glass windows with a characteristic pattern. Closely related to him is the Moroccan style, which has absorbed the culture of the Moors and nomadic tribes. Persian carpets, fabric canopies, silver dishes and jugs with graceful handles on expensive trays are appropriate.

Indian style – the same bright colors, expensive textiles, many bright colors in vases. Imitation of this culture – figurines of elephants and many-armed gods, peacock feathers and tiger skins, portraits of Indian movie stars, a collection of tea jars. Anything that resembles a unique country can be used in decor.

Ethno style room design

Ethno style in the interior

English conservatism is a typical European style that will never go out of style. An established classic with its Chesterfield leather sofas and natural wood cabinetry, layered curtains and knitted napkins, delicate candlesticks and framed family portraits.

Among European styles, the most popular are French Provence, Swiss chalets and German Biedermeier – ethnic varieties of country. Rough handcrafted furniture, simple textiles with small flowers, lots of wildflowers and pictures typical of the countryside. Scandinavian minimalism is a restrained embodiment of the northern mentality inherited from the culture of the Varangians, where everything is simple, light and comfortable.

Beautiful bright room in ethno style

Ethno style in the interior of the room

Beautiful design of a room in ethno style

From the American ethno, we got accustomed to the country style of the Wild West with its attributes of cowboy ranches, as well as drawings from wigwams from Mexicans and Indians.

Modern New York style has absorbed good old ethnicity, new urbanism and loft, giving rise to eclectic fusion and contemporary. For even more interesting ideas for the original decor of your apartment, see our photo gallery.