Creating Classic home interiors

Classic looks are what we will continue to go back to. 

Interior designer Angelique Armstrong gives advice on creating an interior with lasting qualities

If you have  with a home with Classic style, you need to bring out its features and highlight its special qualities. Play to the architectural style, its strong features, and consider the year it was built. 

Given our quality of light source and our seasonal weather patterns, we tend to enhance old and new with a range of whites, creams and neutral wall colours from companies like Resene and Dulux. 

Add natural fibres – linens, wools – and timber and stone. These are materials that will stand the test of time and look good year after year. 

Classic looks are what we will continue to go back to. 

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Adding colour

Grey is a timeless option – if it's used in the right quantity and tone. 

Andrew Martin is big on achieving this balance well. 

Meanwhile Mark Alexander Fabrics specialises in herringbones, wools and linens, with two or three tones of colour in one weave. 

Navy Blue strips are timeless and can be added to a room to give a nautical or stately feel that will never lose its appeal.

And when looking you're looking at overall design elements, timbers – either rough sawn or smooth – work well. 

The trick is matching materials that complement each other, presenting a seamless blend 

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Material matters

Textures – opt for layers of diverse materials that give you a hard shiny finish or rough warm natural materials.

Whether you're adding stone or steel to timber, to velvet or to linen, the most important thing is  establishing a well balanced mix. 

With the right balance right you can create many different feels – so, consider whether you want your home to have an air of sophistication or be your place of escape and relaxation.

Make sure you select the right materials for the right surface. This gives you maximum peace of mind that the finish is not only durable and will wear well over time. but also gives you the best functional and aesthetic result.

For example, a chair made with the right materials is going to be soft and inviting, regardless of whether it's brand new or you've re-covered your grandmother's old, chair.

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Angelique Armstrong is an award-winning interior designer and is a member of the Trends Design Council.

See more from Trends Design Council members

Story by: Angelique Armstrong

Photography by: Mick Stephenson