The living room in the English style has not gone out of fashion for several centuries, because it creates a feeling of comfort and tranquility in the house and at the same time does not accept the licentiousness and excesses characteristic of palace interiors.This is the style of gentlemen who are characterized by aristocracy, therefore, in accordance with its canons, they usually arrange elite housing. Thus, it is not suitable for small-sized apartments, but for modern large halls and country houses it will be just ideal.
The English style in the interior of the living room began to show its features at the junction of two eras - the Gregorian and Victorian, in the 17th-18th centuries. At the same time, he took restraint, majesty and symmetry from the Gregorian era. The Victorian era added to it aristocratic pomp and a penchant for the use of technical innovations.
The living room in the English style has not gone out of fashion for several centuries, because it creates a feeling of comfort and tranquility in the house and at the same time does not accept the licentiousness and excesses characteristic of palace interiors
If you study the modern interior of the living room in the English style in the photo, then it can be noted that this is a rather expensive type of design. Along with the classic, the English style is intended to emphasize the consistency and high social status of the owner of the premises. So, for example, usually such a person likes an English-style living room with a fireplace, which already significantly increases the cost of such an interior.
The living room in the English style in the photo looks simply luxurious due to the presence of carved decor, marble, mirrors in gilded frames, aged for a particular historical era. The floor here is usually covered with carpets, the windows are large and wide, and artificial lighting is performed using a chandelier and sconces with horns.
The flooring for such a room is parquet, and the central object in the room is the dining table - round or oval.
Advice! As for furniture, it must be solid, made of solid wood. At the same time, it will be perfectly complemented by portraits of the ancestors of the owner of the house or any famous persons.
When decorating a living room, it is necessary to have a sense of proportion, otherwise a feeling of satiety with various decorative elements may be created. A properly designed room should unobtrusively demonstrate the high cost of its renovation and the status of the owner. At the same time, the ideal option would be when the living room in the English style will be decorated in a new building, where there are large apartments, or in a private mansion.
Living room design in English style
The English living room has an original interior and a memorable design. It is based on the centuries-old traditions of the inhabitants of Great Britain, who carefully, generation after generation, selected those features and decor elements that met the requirements of a subtle and refined taste. It should be noted that the interiors of English houses usually combine beauty, comfort and practicality.
In order for an English-style living room with a fireplace in the photo and in life to look perfect, you must adhere to some principles. If you do not use some well-established design elements, it will be almost impossible to decorate a room in the English style. These fundamental design principles include:
In order to comply with all the listed conditions and arrange the room in a truly English style, you must purchase a photo of your future room interior in advance. In this case, you can most competently fit even a complex design into a room of any layout and architecture.
Important! Separately, it is worth talking about the fireplace. For an English living room, it is considered a mandatory attribute, so it is worth considering the option of creating it indoors. If this is not possible for technical reasons, it makes sense to simulate it on the basis of an electric fireplace.
English living room with fireplace
Any English living room in the photo looks like the heart of the whole house, so the fireplace usually becomes the gathering center for all family members and their guests. Therefore, usually in such a room they create the most comfortable and calm atmosphere for the best organization of rest. The light in the fireplace area, as a rule, is dimmed, and a shelf is placed above it, where various decorative elements and accessories are placed, for example, figurines or a tea set.
An English living room with a fireplace should be furnished appropriately. So, for example, a coffee or coffee table, armchairs or a sofa are placed directly in front of the fireplace. Next to them, you can install a small cabinet for storing fireplace accessories and dinner service. A small bar made of solid wood would also be appropriate.
As for the hearth itself, a living room with a fireplace, made in the English style, usually requires the arrangement of a natural hearth. At the same time, there are a huge number of types and varieties of fireplaces that can be installed in such a room.
Attention! The preferred option will be when the fireplace is made of wild stone, because these are the ones that are usually laid out in England.
An English living room with a fireplace in the photo is usually wall-mounted. It is undesirable to install the hearth against an external wall in order to prevent heat leakage to the outside. Also, for fire safety reasons, you should not place a fireplace with an open firebox next to wooden stairs. Sometimes it is allowed to install a built-in fireplace in a wall niche in the case when the living room has a small usable area.
Although the English style in the living room interior is imbued with the spirit of good old England, it welcomes the use of technical innovations in the room. So, for example, a TV will be very appropriate here, but you cannot hang it over the fireplace. In this case, it is worth placing it on a wall perpendicular to the hearth, so that you can visually separate the fireplace and television zones.
It is worth noting that in a small-sized living room, you can make an imitation of a fireplace. It can be metal or made of stone. Thus, you will preserve the English spirit in the room, without taking up unnecessary usable space.
Vintage English living rooms made of wood
Living room design can be done in any wooden house. The presence of such houses is typical for the countryside of England; elements of country style can be used in their design. At the same time, buildings made of wood are distinguished by excellent sound and heat insulation properties, which is very important in the harsh climatic conditions of the Russian winter.
Wooden houses may not be entirely made of wood, but have only some architectural elements made from it. This could be, for example, the second floor. Thus, the residents of the UK saved money when building houses, reducing the percentage of stone elements in their structures.
If you look at what the old English living room looks like in the photo, decorated with wood, you will notice that it is characterized by a combination of severity, restraint and luxury. At the same time, it will be just ideal if the tree itself is old or artificially aged. However, it is worth noting that significant financial investments will be required here to recreate the English style.
If we talk directly about the design of interiors, then the walls can be left natural, wooden, or hidden behind a plasterboard, pasted over with wallpaper in a floral style. You can decorate the walls with painting or ornaments, but not too zealous, because the English style is, first of all, the style of aristocracy. Wild stone can also be used sparingly along with beech, oak, walnut wall finishes. Usually it is mounted in the fireplace area and in the locations of certain functional areas.
As for the floor, it is mandatory that it is performed with parquet. Solid wood furniture and oversized soft sofas are installed on it. The ceiling is usually decorated with beams or stucco. You can place weapons, portraits and paintings on the walls of the living room.
But what is undesirable to do is to place various elements of industrial styles in an old English wooden living room. There is no place for chrome, metal and glass.
Attention! Therefore, if you buy Art Nouveau furniture with chrome handles, it is better not to exhibit it in this room. This applies to the furnishings and other rooms, which should be in harmony with the English style of the living room.
Indoor furniture and lighting
If we consider the interior of the living room in the photo, then in England it is characterized by the use of powerful, massive furniture made of solid wood. So, for example, it can be a bookcase that will look great in combination with a fireplace. The doors of such a cabinet should be glass so that guests can appreciate the literary taste of the owner. Similar cabinets may contain dishes and various accessories for receiving guests, for example, tablecloths, napkins and similar textiles.
Other obligatory attributes of the described room include a large dining table. It must be massive and have carved curly legs. The ensemble will include chairs with fabric upholstery and a carved high back.
As for lighting, the English living room interior has one that completely depends on the fireplace. It is he who is the main source of light in the room. At the same time, small lamps can perfectly complement it. So, it can be candelabra, or sources of diffused light, or floor lamps.
Along with the fireplace, the center of the living room is a chandelier, massive and expensive. It should illuminate the entire living room and can have several tiers. Suspended on a chain, so the room where it will be located must have the technical ability to install it.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the use of curtains in the design of the living room in the English style. They are usually tapestries and are heavy. In general, this fabric is a characteristic element of the design of British premises. Such curtains are used in tandem with composite ones, which makes it possible to bring to life the English principle "My home is my fortress".
It is worth noting that English living rooms usually occupy a large area, so in an ordinary standard apartment you are unlikely to be able to arrange such a room. In extreme cases, you will have to deal with redevelopment and combining several rooms. So, for example, there is an option of combining a living room with a corridor or a bathroom, but in this case you will have to demolish the inner walls and partitions in the apartment.
Decorating living rooms in the English style
The final touch in decorating a room in the described style is the placement of various decorative elements in it.
These elements include the following things:
Some of these accessories are hung on the walls, and some are placed on a shelf above the fireplace. This shelf at Christmas serves as a place to display gifts and Christmas paraphernalia.
Idea! A large mirror can be hung over the fireplace. For decorative purposes, a large plate of fruit or a vase of fresh flowers is usually placed on the table in the living room.
In any case, do not overload the room with decorative elements, since the English style tends to be strict. In this case, it is better to place a small amount of expensive and high-quality items in the living room than to force the whole room with them. Thus, you will show that the owner of the house is not only rich, but also has a delicate and refined taste.
Another design element of the decoration of the described room is a carpet. It is made entirely from natural materials, such as wool, carpets should be large in size and dense in structure, and the pattern on them is done in a floral style. This decor element will look great in combination with a fireplace and a warm blanket on a rocking chair. Best if handcrafted from natural material. The use of synthetics is inappropriate, as this would be a sign of cheapness.
