Original Colors of Colonial Style

The progenitor of the colonial style was the medieval England. In those days, the old Europe tried to rule the whole world, so the territories under its control were scattered across all continents. Those who came to them learned to bring their customs, language and systems of government to new lands and, naturally, did not agree to live in huts and bungalows.

Their home colonizers have always seen only the capital and sought to equip with a characteristic European comfort. However, very soon the “imported” design began to be supplemented by exotic features inherent in local decorations. The result of this confusion was the emergence of a special incredibly colorful direction in the art of decorating rooms. Since then, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge. In place of classicism, rococo, empire in our houses came high-tech, art-decor, minimalism. It is undeniable that each of these decors is unusual and attractive in its own way. However, even on their own, far from ordinary, the designers consider the colonial style in the interior the most interesting and original.

In fact, the colonial style is a synthesis of Eastern and European cultures. He absorbed their best features and managed to reunite the eastern color with European practicality. In this interior are combined such items, which, it would seem, are simply unrealistic to arrange, and the received atmosphere is admired even by those for whom luxury and exotica are common.

Colonial style in the interior and architecture of modern housing

Colonial style is one of the few directions that “lives” not only in the interior decoration of houses, but also in their architecture. Such buildings always attract attention by the unusual exterior. Delight is caused by huge windows that traditionally go out into the garden or open the view of another breathtaking natural landscape. The owners of such houses receive a unique opportunity to feel unity with nature, that is, to admire its beauty and to enjoy the purity of the air. And yet these giant windows let in an unlimited amount of light, so when you go into even an unfinished house, you will feel how spacious it is and understand that the atmosphere of joy already “lives” in it.

Architectural nuances

Nowadays houses in colonial style are more often built in two floors. Monumental construction is made of natural stone, and window frames, latticed shutters to them and all doors necessarily made of wood. And the latter should be heavy, massive, with forged hinges and the same handles. When looking at them, one should remember old Indian legends or oriental tales. You will certainly get the feeling that if you open this door, you will see pitchers with lurking robbers or untold treasures in chests.

Rooms in the house with a colonial style in the interior are always through, interpenetrating, as if flowing one into another, so designers use screens, unusual columns, various curtains, light carved wood partitions to differentiate space. Simple furniture here adjoins with an incredible luxury of small details of the decor, which are most often made by hand.

Interior finenesses

“A prerequisite for a colonial style in the interior is the presence of a central chandelier”

The interior decoration of the house and its surroundings should be discussed in more detail. In the decor only materials that are found in nature are used:

1. clay;
2. a rock;
3. copper;
4. tree;
5. wool;
6. linen;
7. silks.

With this approach, one can not doubt that the atmosphere of the colonial style in the interior will be not just natural and cozy, but also quite rich and expensive, because such materials are expensive today.

The walls of the rooms are painted mainly in pastel colors, among which brown, cream and muted yellow color predominate. Calm common background allows you to use without any restrictions mottled textiles, bright fabrics and small exotic details in the decor. He without problems will be able to keep the riot of colors in a single interior space. Just do not think that the surfaces of the walls will have to be empty. By no means! They will need to be decorated with paintings in old frames with gold leaf, huge mirrors and various pieces brought from unknown and very distant countries.

The ceiling can be covered with wooden beams, as, for example, in Indian houses, or it can be decorated in the spirit of Dutch interiors, that is, wrapped with a sail canvas. Sometimes in the colonial style, the ceiling surface of the interior is tightened into natural leather and fixed with noticeable copper rivets. In this case, the room becomes similar to the sighted ship’s chest. How to know, maybe this design is really borrowed from the chests, in which once and brought exotic elements of a unique decor to Europe.

We pass to the finishing of the sexes. This will require an expensive tree (something like oak, mahogany, exotic lapacho) or natural stone. The use of their synthetic substitutes, represented today by laminate and ceramic tiles, is in principle possible, but extremely undesirable. Colonial style – the interior is not cheap and requires appropriate design.

Lighting also has its own characteristics. An indispensable condition for the colonial style in the interior is the presence of a central chandelier. It can be made in the traditional English style, with rounded or pyramidal shades and wrought decorations, and can turn into some kind of Arabic fairy lamp or an African lamp. Agree, it’s hard not to notice the lampshade made of needles of an exotic porcupine or crocodile skin. Luminaries should be a lot, because even in the evening, such a house should be lit no worse than in the daytime.

Specificity of decor

The houses of the colonialists have always been filled with interesting trifles, bought in the markets of exotic countries. Here you can find anything:

1. Masks.
2. The weapon.
3. Unusual dishes.
4. Elegant vases.
5. Elegant figurines.
6. Handmade carpets.
7. Mats.
8. Religious subjects.

All this variety is exposed on wide shelves of massive cabinets.

The breadth of the assortment and the chic in the colonial style should be different and the textiles used in the interior. In rich decoration there should be windows. Armchairs and sofas should be covered with bright rugs and blankets. Above the bed it is appropriate to hang a luxurious canopy. You can not leave the situation without an abundance of decorative pads. If oriental motifs are to be observed in the environment, then golden fabrics with lurex and shine are used. For African, the more suitable red, white and black colors. A bright geometry on the fabrics brings thoughts of safari, endless deserts and the unfading sun.

The difficulty is that in this style the interior only forms details, so you have to think about how to bring atmosphere of unusualness into the atmosphere.

Eight tips to help recreate the colonial spirit in the modern interior

“The finishing touch of the colonial style in your interior will be a floral note”

1. With all the color abundance of modern decoration materials, do not use bright palettes to create a colonial style in your home interior. Light and neutral background tones settled in colonists’ dwellings because they helped physically and psychologically adapt to the crazy tropical heat. Light blue, tender green, creamy, white … Thanks to them, entering the house, people felt, let seem, but such a welcome coolness. It is noteworthy that any of these shades elegantly contrasted with dark furniture, which was brought from Europe or bought from local masters.
2. At the time of colonization people had to constantly move from place to place, so the colonial style in the interior needed a special light and multifunctional furniture that would be able to provide not only a comfortable life in a new place, but could be used in the way. Folding beds, chairs, transforming tables, demountable cabinets with seeming simplicity of designs have always been made of expensive mahogany. Naturally, they were appreciated for their quality and material, but much more than travelers were impressed by their versatility and portability.

Now more often used stylized furniture, which is devoid of the former functionality of its predecessors. Yes, in our time this, perhaps, and to nothing. It is enough to put in the room an elegant table with crisscrossed legs, a large, reliable and roomy cabinet with a carved facade and gilded handles, vintage chests, old suitcases.

3. Colonial style and in the current interpretation of the interior is also well perceived tropical motives in the setting. Therefore, you can safely purchase furniture with wicker and ornate details, carved floral decoration, leather accents. It can very well be made of rattan, bamboo and dark wood. The smooth lines of classic cane chairs, a wicker sofa and a florid coffee table, present in the home atmosphere, easily equip modern interior with the spirit of travel.
4. Colonial direction in design is the best way to transform your home without global repair work. The space of a modern room is easy to fill with tropical colors. And the queen in this matter will be the texture of the materials. Add woven curtains to the existing situation, cover one of the walls with the same wallpaper or decorate one of the corners of the room with mats and other elements made of jute, rattan, sisal, and the colonial style will take a worthy place in your interior.
5. Conquering the countries of Asia, Africa, Hindustan, the Caribbean, travelers began to import into the Old World original fabrics. They impressed the imagination of the prim and not rich in the emotions of the British with their brightness and floral designs. Textiles with animal prints and silk in the spirit of Ikat was a real boom. They actively filled the interiors. Nowadays, in order to bring into the situation the characteristic theme of colonialism, it is enough to hang linen curtains on the window and use colorful coverlets on upholstered furniture.
6. Actively use in the decor eclectic trinkets and accessories. They incredibly decorate and diversify the surrounding space. In the colonial style, they are exposed to the most prominent places in the interior, trying to evoke the delight and envy of guests sometimes with unique pieces. What will attract attention? Yes, almost everything! Leather frames and magnifying glasses, maps and globes, crafts made of colored glass and exquisite crystal, silver or porcelain. The main thing is that the exhibited items have a material and, if possible, historical value and tell about the hobbies of the owners and about the places where they had to go. In search of the necessary it is useful to go about flea markets, antique shops or commissions. There you can always find atlases, telescopes, carved figurines with ethnic coloring and much more that will quickly fill the home atmosphere with the spirit of the experienced adventures and the romance of the forthcoming journeys.
7. In the design of the window space, along with curtains, shutters and blinds should be used. These elements and today are indispensable attributes of the colonial style in the interior. At one time they helped to escape from gusty storm winds and scorching heat, so they were made of solid wood and sometimes painted in light colors. Today, there is no need to strictly observe the functional protective properties of the blinds, so they can be replaced with lighter structures made of bamboo, vinyl and other materials. The main task is to stylize them in the right context, which means that the design of the elements will have to be developed individually. As for bringing coziness into the situation, with this task modern versions of shutters and blinds will cope no worse than their prototypes.
8. The final touch of the colonial style in your interior will be a floral note. To fill the atmosphere with the charm of the tropics, you can decorate the sills with a fern and settle in your house palms and exotic animals. Suitable iguanas, boas, monkeys, lemurs. The main thing is that you are ready to take care of them. The easiest way is to solve the problem of reproducing the tropical fauna by setting up a parrot. Birds are unpretentious in their care, perfectly adapt to our climate and fill the home atmosphere with joyful colors.

“Animal” theme – this is generally a highlight of the colonial interior. Only here you can find furniture, whose legs look like lions’ paws. And the appearance of such products can mimic the outlines of animals. The craftsmen of that time had an unlimited imagination, so in the house there could well appear a massive closet, which is in the clutches of the monkey-thugs, dressed in tailcoats. Whether it was a parody and a hint of an undesirable presence of foreigners or it was made of good intentions remains a mystery, but such items have undeniable value, since they are unique and very accurately convey the coloration of the colonial style in the interior.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that the colonial interiors are considered rich and luxurious, the main emphasis in them is still made for practicality. In them, ultramodern technologies and a simple atmosphere coexist harmoniously. All this is generously seasoned with exotic, for the production of which tulip and rubber tree, ivory, Asian walnut, rattan palm and other equally valuable materials were used. It turns out that the colonial style in the interior is not just a way of decorating a house, it’s an art to embody something unimaginable into interior objects, that’s why it’s comfortable and pleasant for everyone to live in, but to recreate it in all its original beauty can only be done by really creative gifted natures with a subtle taste.

Photogallery – colonial style in the interior:

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Author: Daria Degtyareva

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