Bringing a nostalgic mood to your home is all about awakening the senses. Just as a familiar smell can immediately remind you of a distant memory, so can a particular room color. The traditional elements are often touches from our childhood home that one day will be used in our own children's homes. This is why classic wall colors repeat throughout the decades, but with a new twist or combination for each era.
Blues are probably the most familiar to us and have been a favorite decorative color in most cultures and throughout the different design periods. Blue and white is a timeless combination. There is no fresher-looking room than one with soft blue walls and clean white woodwork and trim. Marine blue reminds us of all things nautical, making up part of the familiar red, white, and the blue trio that evokes historic and familial memories.
There is an enorumous spectrum of greens , many of which have strong connections to traditional rooms. The deep hunter green once so popular in country homes now appears tired and dated. It has been replaced with warmer sage and fresher mossy greens.
Traditional yellow walls are golden, wrapping us in elegant warmth. Soothing yellow ocher is as vivid as it is luxurious-a good choice for sophisticated interiors. Offset with white ceilings and trim, these rich yellows combine effectively with dark wood antiques as well as with ornate fixtures and fittings.
If you've never lived in a red room, I heartily suggest you try it. Red is dramatic but it is also a classic color. Ivory-white trim combined with deep-red walls and gold accents has been a favorite for centuries. How you furnish a red room will decide how traditional or classic it will be, but a red room will always be warm and consoling.
White is a true classic and will always be imperative in some part of your home, fulfilling a nostalgic mood. Delicate white sheers and fresh white cotton lace curtains are as familiar as a summer's breeze. Creamy whites, taupe, and beige have been mainstays for the traditional home for the past thirty years.
Topics covered by this article include: Painting...