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Design Perspectives
Tradition!
Whether lavishly formal or casual, traditional interiors link clients
to our past and to the hope for a bright future.
by Karla Nielson, Allied Member, ASID; WCAA
Tevye’s impassioned
and pleading lyrics from Fiddler On the Roof, “Tradition!”
rings as true today as it did in the days when Jews were exiled
from Russia. Nothing is more stabilizing in our lives than the traditions
that we hold dear!
The United States has recently experienced an interesting metamorphosis
as we recall traditions that have made this country great from its
beginning. In times of distress and war, many turn to their own
traditions including faith in God, honor, duty, courage, family
bonds, loyal friendship, and the safety and security of home.
These traditional values reflect many customers’ furnishing
preferences, regardless of what cutting-edge design may try to persuade
us into believing. As a result, in real life, traditional interior
design is more popular than ever. We feel safe and secure living
with furnishings that have withstood a test of time and still endure
and endear today.
Traditional design reminds us that the great circle of life is as
sure as the sun rising in the east, giving us stability during times
of war, peace and stock market fluctuations.
How do we define and create good traditional design? The first step
is to recognize which historic periods make up a traditional interior.
There are two “levels” of traditional design: first, the
formal or elegant style; and second, the upscale casual or less-formal
style. Both are alive and well in today’s marketplace, and
each has a role to play in satisfying our customers’ needs
and wants.
FORMAL OR ELEGANT TRADITIONAL DESIGN
This is the single or combined use of the following European and
American periods: Italian and French Renaissance, Baroque, French
Rococo, Early and Late Georgian, Neoclassic, Federal, Greek Revival,
Empire and Victorian. When these styles are kept pure within their
respective periods, they reflect their individual “spirit of
the times” that was cohesive.
Architecture, furniture, wall coverings, rugs, textile applications
and even art and accessories all reflected the political, economic,
trade and literary mood of a given time frame. A single period or
traditional style has unity and strength. The downside to a pure
approach is that the result may become museum-like and, as a result,
may not be very livable.
Another approach to formal or elegant traditional design is to combine
elements into a unique yet sophisticated look. Given that freedom
today, we take selectively from these periods to create a contemporary
traditional look. Contemporary meaning “what is being done
today.” This approach is important because it gives us artistic
license to redefine traditional on a daily basis.
As we design for individual clients, we are continually reminded
that interior design can and should be unique for each person or
family. No two humans are identical in their attitudes or approaches
to life; everyone holds opinions and finds different textiles and
furnishings akin to their tastes.
Formal design is important in cases in which the client prefers
that the interior establishes a level of tasteful manners and good
behavior. It is appropriate where interior architecture is exquisite
and furnishings are precious and well-designed keepsakes, sometimes
of the caliber of a museum piece.
It also is possible to combine styles and, over time, designers
have realized that certain period styles seem to be more harmonious
together. Groups of furnishing styles, for example, that combine
well include:
1. Early Georgian (Queen Anne), Late Georgian (Chippendale) and
Neoclassic styles.
2. Neoclassic and Empire styles.
3. Victorian, leaning toward one of its components, which are:
a. English Renaissance, known as Renaissance Revival
b. Court French Rococo, known as Rococo Revival
c. Country Cottage styling, based on the Palladian English estates
where the fabric is the bond that holds together the look.
• Traditional Backgrounds—Common bonds of formal traditional
style include period moldings or raised paneling, hardwood floors
with fine area rugs, often Oriental, French Aubusson or Savonnerie,
or Portuguese/ Chinese needlepoint. Fine art—especially oil
painted landscapes in elaborate gilt frames—are always appropriate.
• Traditional Furniture—From the Georgian periods, Queen
Anne (the attached, gentle cabriole leg) and Chippendale styles
(claw-and-ball, ornate cabriole or straight Marlborough leg) are
elegant choices.
Rococo furniture is easy to identify because of the feminine and
well-proportioned curves on seat, legs, arms and backs.
Neoclassic furniture with its straight tapered legs and thimble
feet was primarily that of George Hepplewhite and Thomas Sheraton
of England.
Empire furniture included English designer Duncan Phyfe, sometimes
called Regency style with its cornucopia legs, and the heavy, profound
style of English Beidermeier and American Empire pieces where masculine
strength and straight legs predominated.
• Fabrics—Renaissance, Baroque (Late Renaissance)
and Rococo fabrics often focused on elaborate, large-scale floral
or leaf-based sprays (arrangements) set inside a scalloped leaf
or ribbon frame. Damask fabrics are one color and reversible, brocades
give the effect of embroidery, satin fabric is often used as a base
cloth with its very smooth and refined face into which brocade or
broché (cut brocade) is woven. Brocatelle is a textile that
is heavier than damask, where the similar designs have more depth
or seem to be in relief (puffed up).
Velvets were a strong element from the beginning of formal European
Renaissance styling. Plain cotton velvet or velveteen is a classic,
as is antique velvet with its streaked appearance. Cut velvets have
woven designs, moquette velvets have loops and cut pile in multi
colors with a plain weave (not velvet) background and panné
velvets are either pressed in one direction or pressed in a pattern
(contemporary).
Neoclassic fabric patterns became delicate in scale and motif. Close-set
stripes with climbing floral elements wrapped around it was a favorite.
The honeysuckle blossom, tiny interlacing laurel leaves were appropriate
for the delicate Sheraton/Hepplewhite furniture. Today this style
is very popular, but size has been increased to be appropriate for
very large-scale furnishings set in large scale interiors which
are prolific today.
Empire fabrics became plain satins and included brocaded isolated
motifs taken from Napoleon’s interpretation of Greco-Roman
designs: the Caesar’s laurel wreath, the honey bee (symbol
of his army), the Greek lyre and the snowflake are all classics.
Stripes made by contrasting the crammed repp and satin weaves were
wide and commanding. Today, large-scale stripes are joined by a
larger scale motif to meet the over scaled specifications. Everything
is bigger now.
Finishing touches are imperative in a formal traditional interior.
To include passementerie (trimmings) is the icing on the cake, and
unacceptable (from a purist’s point of view) without it. Some
periods used more trim than others, and scale is an obvious point
of sensitivity. In a smaller scale Neoclassic room the fringe will
be refined and delicate, in the Victorian interior with its combination
of all former styles of textiles fringe became heavy and the long
twisted boulle fringe seen on draperies and upholstery defined the
rigor of the period.
The overall effect of a traditional room is elegance, richness,
a bit of wondrous indulgence and an anchoring, tenacious feeling
that no matter what happens in the world, this still will be here.
It’s good, safe, secure design. Formal traditional design fills
up the senses and gives peace.
LAVISH TRADITIONAL DESIGN
This traditional interpretation is created by using a few nice pieces
of traditional furniture, listed above, and applying the Victorian
concept of “if a little is good, a lot must be better.”
This look lends itself to interiors where personal styling is the
guiding force. Lots of fabric, everywhere the client and design
professional can think to place it, gives an impression of “I’m
here to stay!” It is the stamp of personality using fabrics
from any of the historic periods in colors that are in style at
the time of selection. It is a look of indulgence and lavishness.
LESS FORMAL TRADITIONAL DESIGN
The other direction in traditional design is a newer interpretation
that has recently established itself. It is outside the formal definition
discussed above because it is barely 100 years old. It is the application
of Arts and Crafts, or the renewal of the English Elizabethan Medieval
period. Today it has much the same effect as formal traditional,
except that it feels more earthy, more suited for common life, more
suited for everyday activities. It succeeds because of the simple
lines of Gustav Stickley’s mission furniture combined with
the genius of William Morris’ complex textiles.
Morris designs are plant-based textile furnishing and wall covering
designs in colorations that range from subtle to strikingly fresh.
These richly overlaid textiles are the qualifying element that assure
acceptance into the realm of Less Formal Traditional.
Morris often began with a lightly colored overall pattern of, for
example, leaves. Over this background he fashioned more dramatic
plant elements, sometimes in surprisingly vivid colorations that
were rigorous and bold, often in the blue and yellow or red and
blue families, yet surprisingly natural and livable. A bit of fun
in motifs such as the wren stealing a raspberry (The Raspberry Thief)
made his works seem real and even humorous. His influence has been
far reaching and has itself become a new genre of accepted style:
less formal traditional.
From the Morris influence have sprung many textiles with a somewhat
similar feel but which are not restricted to plant and animal life.
Geometric forms, stylized elements from nature and overall complex
designs regardless of the inspiration, all work well with Stickley-like
furnishings and turn-of-the-20th-century architectural elements—the
look of the “big old house” with art glass, tall ceilings
and lots of woodwork.
Area rugs might be influenced by Morris; they may be of an ethnic
styling, or they may be natural fiber rugs with only a textural
element in their favor.
Overall, this updated style gives a sense of comfort, hominess,
and a low-tech background for our high-tech lives.
Tradition! Yes! Traditional design may link us not only to our past,
but to our inner values and to the future we all hope will be safe,
secure and peaceful. Living with this style can give us hope and
optimism that these desires will indeed be a reality.
 Karla
J. Nielson, Allied ASID, WCAA, is assistant professor of design at
Brigham Young University. She has authored several books including
Window Treatments, Understanding Fabrics and Interiors: An Introduction,
3rd Ed. Nielson is a regular correspondent for Draperies & Window
Coverings addressing the areas of fashion, education and merchandising. |
