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There’s a reason that traditional decorating has thrived for so long. It promises warmth and welcome, and it delivers. Refined furnishings, mannerly textiles, dignified colors and a sense of order make this beloved style easy to live with. What’s more appealing than that?

Follow along as we break down the strengths of this stylish Southlake master bath remodel.

Style Secret: Symmetry

The traditional look is all about balance, from architecture to colors. Your pieces don’t all have to match, but this isn’t the style for you if you’re drawn to an offbeat, eclectic mix.

Make it fresh: Although you don’t want to stray too far from symmetrical placement, there are subtle ways to keep a room from feeling static. Prop a tall mirror against one wall or hang art in a grouping that creates a sense of motion.

In a traditional space, color doesn’t shout — it’s laid-back and mellow. Neutrals such as cream, beige, taupe and tan prevail, but deeper browns, reds, greens and blues (think about a paneled library) look fab in traditional interiors as well.

Make it fresh: Neutrals are always in good taste, but if you don’t want to play it too safe, think beyond the basics. Pale blue, lavender, spring green, chamois or even soft red can work in this way.

Keeping colors tone-on-tone is the key to making them sit down. Bright shades, such as lemon yellow, fuchsia or turquoise, feel newer, but to keep the style planted in traditional territory, balance them with more restrained hues — and stick with conventional positioning, architecture and accessories.

Walnut, cherry, mahogany, oak — darker wood tones rule traditional style (leave the bamboo and blond maple to another house).

Make it fresh: Let tile floors shine: don’t leave them completely bare, but don’t obscure them with a rug that’s too big. Layer in accents that are in the same color family for a collected, yet still pulled-together, look.

Style Secret: Statement Molding and Trim

Traditional rooms are known for their beautiful finishing touches. Often, millwork and plasterwork bears strong detailing, including venerable motifs such as egg-and-dart or Greek key, and is painted crisp white or ivory. Although traditional trim doesn’t have to be ornate, it does need to add visual weight; skimpy moldings won’t seem at home.

Style Secret: Exotic Rugs

Kilims, Persian carpets and Oriental rugs never go out of style (good thing, because after you spend the cash for a top-quality floor covering, you won’t want to hide it away). And they’re like fine jewelry: You can make them work with anything. They have a way of blending into the background, yet their presence always anchors the room.

Style Secret: Gentle Shine, Showy Sparkle

Skip the chrome — you want metals with soft, warm undertones. Think brass, bronze and copper for lighting and plumbing fixtures. Gilt-framed mirrors and artwork are always on point. Crystal chandeliers and sconces complement traditional elegance nicely.

Make it fresh: First: No ’80s-era shiny brass. Instead, choose metals with some tarnish, patina or texture. Oil-rubbed bronze looks updated but blends well with classic décor. Or try pewter — it worked for the Colonists.

Plaids, stripes, florals, toile and more — each has a place in traditional style (sometimes, all in the same room). Feel free to mix and match, but stay in the same tight palette, and don’t go too bold or splashy.

Make it fresh: No matter what, patterns in a traditional room should have that fundamental sense of symmetry. But you can update them by choosing an oversize scale and upbeat color.

Style Secret: Refined Window Treatments

Sweeping silhouettes, luxe fabrics and embellishments such as tassels draw attention to traditional draperies. Panels — either straight or pleated, and with or without finials or tiebacks — and valances are old standbys. Simple plantation shutters work well too.

Make it fresh: Don’t let draperies puddle, which feels tired. Layer simple curtain panels over a rattan or bamboo shade instead of sheers. If you’re a fan of streamlined styles, choose Roman shades. Just be careful about matching curtain fabric to furniture fabric; too much of the same print can feel cloying and overwrought.

Style Secret: Artful Accessories

Just as a good host blanches at the thought of seeing guests underfed, a traditionalist can’t stomach cold, blank walls or sparsely populated shelves, which defeat the all-important air of welcome. Collections are massed together or fanned out in a logical way: china, figurines, plants, books, boxes, globes.

If it’s not mounted over the mantel, art usually follows the hang-it-at-eye-level rule; a group of similar pieces often sport identical frames and are arranged in a tidy grid. Plates and platters look right at home on the walls. Mirrors tend to be grand and gracious (think sunburst, bull’s-eye or Venetian).

Make it fresh: Austere paintings and sculpture will strike an off note in a traditional space, but you don’t have to stick with Renoir reproductions and hunting scenes, either. Lots of modern art feels soft and graceful enough to fit in, and, of course, black-and-white photography is timeless and versatile. Leaving canvases frameless can make them feel less formal.

USI Design & Remodeling, is a “Best of the Best”  award winning design-remodeling company;  specializing in kitchen and bath remodeling. Beyond Southlake we provide residential remodeling services to the Dallas/Fort Worth and surrounding metroplex.

Get started now, Free consultations are available

972-206-0750 Dallas
817-319-1892 Fort Worth
email- chris@usiremodeling.com