Colonial style: what is it and how to integrate it?

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What is the colonial style ? This style, often called ethnic, does not have a particular design. It is quite often described as a mixture of styles from many cultures.

It refers to the colonial era, of course, the furniture and decoration created during this period. He was greatly idealized by literature and the seventh art – cinema.

Modernized colonial style in a trendy lounge

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This period of history allows the circulation of a large number of forms and styles of design. It should also be mentioned that the evocation of this subject remains always sensitive and questionable. In our article, we will focus on the aesthetic aspect of this style of design and how it can be recreated in one of the rooms of the house: living room, bedroom, office, entrance, kitchen.

Modern living room decorated with colonial style elements

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Open interior with furniture and decoration inspired by colonial style

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The colonial style is indeed the style of adaptation to a different climate and culture. Any European who settled in one of the colonized countries, went to meet a different way of life. The materials, the furniture, the decoration, all diversified, by its unique way, of what was already present in the West in interior design. It is from this encounter that the colonial style was born, a style described as “Simple and functional, which reconciles the beautiful and the useful”. One of the main works on this subject is Jérôme Coignard and Roland Beaufre, entitled “Colonial style“.

Living room with furniture and ethnic style decoration, design Jonathan Winslow

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That’s when the planter’s armchair appears for the first time and introduces itself to the interior design of the colonized countries, as well as the rocking chair, the draped mosquito net-style bed inspired by the style Georgian and the large cane seat Louis XV style. In return, the teak, the rattan, but also the bungalow, the veranda and the safari chair invade the old Europe.

An interior with authentic style objects, source: AD Magazine

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This style of design is taboo for decades by the bad conscience of the former colonizing countries: France, England, Spain. The colonial theme is a decorative style in its own right, from Mexico to Trinidad via the Maghreb and Indonesia. Let’s discover together how this theme is introduced and integrated into contemporary interiors through our gallery of 24 images.

An office interior in Spain designed in this style of design

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An entrance with a layout and decoration inspired by the colonial theme

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Solid wood is very present in the interiors of this style of design in the form of varied furniture: table, desk, chair, dresser and many others.

Very elegant style interior with a planter armchair

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In 1997, the group Roche Bobois, created the COLONIAL HOUSE, a series of furniture inspired by Indonesia and French Indochina of the nineteenth and early twentieth century. His main idea is to renew the exotic and inviting in contemporary interiors in the form of original furniture, where velvet, linen and wood (teak, sheesham, bamboo, acacia, mango) dominate.

The veranda invades the old Europe thanks to the colonial theme

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Colonial inspired decoration idea with authentic vases

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It is possible to design a whole room with furniture and decoration elements in this style of design. This will still require some investment, as these types of items are usually quite expensive.

Living room with an interior style inspired by the colonial era

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It is also possible to install only an object, furniture or decorative, with the colonial theme, and accentuate it. A large wooden dresser with finely crafted decorative details will never go unnoticed.

Rustic interior furnished and decorated with authentic objects

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Have you ever heard of Georgian style? This style of design is also called “colonial”. At the base, it was rustic and uncluttered, because it was the Georgian carpenters who introduced it to American territory in the 17th century. It is afterwards that he becomes more and more rich and worked. It is nowadays associated with interiors designed with materials and noble and luxurious materials.

A Georgian stylstyle interior, designed by Charles Faudree

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Dining room designed in Georgian style with pretty curtains

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Idea of ​​a rustic and colonial style kitchen with a central island

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We can see an interesting object, very present, in the interiors conceived with the colonial theme: the palm. This plant, which has become synonymous with exoticism because it did not grow in Europe at the time, represents an element of historical decoration.

Large terrace decorated with an authentic patterned floor rug

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Palm: an exotic plant that invites itself to Western interiors

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In the bedroom or in the living room, you can afford the installation of cushions and blankets with patterns that evoke the exotic: flowers, palms, bamboo and others.

Bedroom with ethnic-inspired decor and furnishings

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You do not have to spend a lot of money to recreate a touch of that style in your home. Look at this bedroom whose wall has been decorated with an African mask:

Bedroom decorated with African objects

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Candlesticks, often associated with Shabby chic style and vintage style, are also very present in the interiors designed to the colonial theme, as is the case of this bedroom:

Bedroom with a bed frame and a vintage candlestick

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Sails and curtains are also very present, especially in the design of bedrooms and lounges.

Modern style bedroom with carpet in ethnic style

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Finally, you have understood: this style of design has been a taboo theme for a long time for several reasons: historical, cultural and political. Nowadays, he invites himself to contemporary interiors in the form of a subtle and “global” mix of the past, which took the best of the design of the West and East …

Bedroom decorated with ethnic style objects

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Buy furniture and decorative items in colonial style:

THE COLONIAL HOUSE

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