NEW TRADITIONAL INTERIORS

THE NEW, NEW TRADITIONAL LOOK

Aren't you tired of that badly ripped-off mid-century shit yet?

Enough already with low, uncomfortable sofas, shaggy white fur on lucite chairs and Andy Warhol silkscreens …feh! I'll quote my mother when seeing her first piece of mid-century furniture in a vintage shop:

"I've thrown that out once already"

The first fifteen years of the 21st century have shone light on the brilliant designers of the mid-century including furniture, lighting, textile and architecture.

There are extraordinary pieces from that era, but like any era, when a space is done from top to bottom it gets boring fast, no different than George III or Venetian furniture, too much is too much.

The new design wave spreading across the insiders design world is a softer, well-edited, less plastic'y look. Warmth is handled with an occasional antique, the walls are frequently white and very, very few tsotchke's.

Gen-X is very grounded and concerned, they're not sentimental, they don't put value on representational objects, e.g.: souvenirs, status items, heirlooms.

The word 'traditional' conjures colonial or old-fashioned, but in the context of New Traditional it's about objects that feel grounded and easy to live with, comfortable, familiar, etc.

NEW TRADITIONAL

Take it all in, bitches….

At first glance it seems modern, but in reality all the the furniture is quite traditional, old English in fact. The palate, architecture and editing make it look fresher and relevant for today.

This dining room balances several periods: The built-ins are contemporary versions of traditional English style; a Regency mantle; French-deco dining chairs and an English Regency table sitting on a contemporary sisal carpet.

go figure...

Granny dies, house gets sold, Gen-X'ers buy it, you know the rest of the story...

Bright backgrounds; French moderne sofa's mixed with Chippendale chairs and 1980's coffee tables… and no sign of granny anywhere…

LOVE this room!

Happy, bright textiles liven up these 20th century English upholstered pieces. Then, mix that with an antique carpet and consoles, two 60's chrome lamps and boom, there it is…

Simply perfect and perfectly simple...

All of the elements are antiques except that (p.o.s.) chandelier and the modern crystal lamps on the sideboard.

What makes it work so well is: No art, no carpet, and no pushy silver epergne overflowing with chazerai.

This is one of the best rooms in a long time in this blog!

Wolf used a busy antique carpet, Victorian gilded chairs, some great modern art and a schmaltzy crystal chandelier!

How does it work you ask? White walls, white upholstery and white curtains with no details, and no clutter!

I.FREEKIN.LOVE.THIS.

Edited to perfection!

Two colors, no decorative carpet, a contemporary chandelier and it's elegant without all the truffles.

A modern bed with an ethnic canopy floats on an antique carpet all mashed up with French, Venetian and Asian antiques - throw in some bubble chairs and we us got a party goin' on.

This is as much about the eclectic pieces as it is the simplistic palate.

K.I.S.S.

At first glance you think this is an old-world bathroom,

but it's actually contemporary with traditional bones.

(I'm scared to ask what this cost..)

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An older Georgian-style home gets its ass yanked UP!

Simple, edited, minimalistic, light and cozy!

This is what an 18th century manor home should look like today!

Elegant, sophisticated and youthful, not a Williamsburg wanna-be.

Antique Klismos and Swedish chairs mixed with a 70's Paul Evans coffee table and a 20's Sultanabad carpet = New Traditional.

Country homes often O.D. on cutesy.

Well, my country friends, cutesy is DEAD, forever!

Here a masculine, earthy, worn feel is lightened by linen, sisal and a lack of old 1960's countrified shit like farm signs and butter churns...

Urban Country

What do you notice here?

I'll tell you, no crap around…

The elegance of the architecture and the few antiques is just enough.

The palate is simple; no floral fabrics, no reds or hunter greens or any of that tired-ass stuff…

Let the room breathe!

I love country furniture, primitives, etc...

But period-style rooms are passé, so juxtapose different genres for a fresher look.

Here, the gate-leg table, cupboard and wing chair are elegantly elevated by the French prints, modern art and French chair.

So much fun, riiiight?!?!?

Recycled 90's Niermann-Weeks dining chairs around a recycled 70's table under a goofy 60's Venetian chandelier with American Indian art, now THAT'S what new traditional is about!

You Can Do It, I'm Here to Help!