A Creative Spirit: On to today's "Traditional"....

So how do this years fall forecast colors work with today's traditional home??

According to about.com.....

•Traditional decorating is calm, orderly, and predictable. There is nothing wild or chaotic in a traditional room.
•Furnishings are classic and might feel outdated. Nothing is a surprise. Pieces match and are consistent.
•Furniture and accessories are place in pairs and centered in the room. There is nothing out of place or of a different style. Everything has the look that it goes together.
•Traditional rooms are not ostentations but rather somewhat casual. Furniture pieces are often reproductions. Modern, eclectic pieces have no room in a traditional space.
•Traditional style homes feel comfortable for any age group. It's a familiar look that you'd see in magazines or furniture show rooms. A traditional room is not a place to showcase a piece of modern art or stainless steel furniture.

So, that means my current love of Cottage Decorating and all things mis-matched doesn't quite fit into the traditional style of decorating in ANY way. BUT the good news is, I don't have a piece of stainless steel furniture anywhere....

Here is a perfect photo of a traditional dining room with the table and chairs that match and notice the furniture is stained a nice dark color.

This room is a perfect showcase for the gold wallpaper, playing up one of this years hottest new (or it is recycled) colors. Gold frames for pictures or mirrors is a safe choice in accessories.

The chandelier is very traditional but OH SOOOOO popular again. I love the crystals, but keep in mind they are a BEAR to clean.

Isn't this a beautiful piece? The fretwork on this secretary desk makes a frequent appearance in traditional homes.

A few words I found used for traditional decorating are opulent, luxurious, and rich. That doesn't mean you have to spend a FORTUNE to make your home look like that though. Search resale shops for gently used dining room or living room sets... YEP, sets, the matchy matchy look is easy to accomplish when you buy all the funiture items from the same line from the same manufacturer.

This doesn't mean that EVERYTHING has to be from a matching set. A beautiful antique secretary, a set of chippendale chairs from your parents home, that antique four poster bed you fell in love with at a wonderful local flea market. Those treasured items can be included in today's traditional.

As mentioned above, traditional decorating may use matching furniture, matching lamps, matching candlesticks, but that doesn't mean boring..... Look at the BEAUTIFUL room. The matching lamps on the mantle are not boring, they are fun, cool, and a wonderful way to do an updated traditional look. And do you notice the mixing of metals in this room? Feel free to mix golds and silvers and coppers. This used to be a big NO NO for traditional design, but if you look closely, there is a mixing in this room that creates interest without being overdone.