Popular Furniture Styles Explained

Design styles come and go, but some have stood the test of time. These styles have been reinvented so that while they still reflect their original inspiration, they also look right at home in today’s dwellings. If you’re wondering what style furniture you have, or are looking to find the right one for your home read on. Find the one you like the best, and remember that mixing styles is a style all its own.

Traditional Style

Based on the indulgences of classic European d?cor, Traditional Style furniture looks to the past to bring ideas into the future. The approach taken can be true to the source or a refresh of classical ideas, with time-tested design elements and motifs in proportions that fit a modern lifestyle.

For example, the Foster Stationary Sofa from Bernhardt features classic brown leather upholstery, rolled arms with pleat details, turned bun feet, and nailhead trim, giving it a traditional and cozy look and feel. Yet the size is more modern, making the perfect spot for relaxing and watching TV.

Other traditional pieces include winged-back chairs, claw-foot tables, and elaborately fringed pieces. These pieces have their origins in French Country, 18th Century English, and Colonial styles. The style features pale and simple backdrops, such as classic neutral walls, spindle legs, rich colors, and curved lines.

Tropical Style

These days, Tropical Style is trending, and it’s easy to see why. A mix of refined Caribbean and British Colonial styles, modern Tropical Style is a fresher and breezy coastal look. If open plan living, open windows that catch the breeze, and fresh, clean white with a playful dose of exotic island fun is your thing, this may well be your style.

The Island Estate Queen-Size West Indies Canopy Bed from Tommy Bahama Home is a prime example of fresh and playful Tropical Style. You can transform your bedroom into an island retreat with its leather-wrapped headboard and footboard and carved bamboo posts. It’s light and airy with just the right amount of color. However, if you prefer a little more color in your tropical d?cor, you can always add throw pillows and tropical print bedlinens to the mix.

This style also features natural materials such as rattan, wicker, and raffia, as well as citrusy and beachy colors. There’s so much to choose from, you’re sure to find the right type of tropical for your home.

Transitional Style

A fusion of classical and contemporary modern, Transitional Style is just that. While these two styles may seem far apart, they have merged quite nicely together. This style features solid furniture pieces of robust structure and size, with curvy lines and a focus on comfort, characteristics you find in traditional pieces. However, transitional pieces tend to have less ornamentation as a nod to Contemporary Style.

You can see these traits in the stunning, lavish sophistication mixed with modest simplicity in the Calista Transitional Queen Upholstered Bed from Bernhardt. The upholstered headboard makes a show-stopping focal point with its classic arching shape and nailhead trim in a flowery pattern. The low-profile design gives it the modern touch that keeps creates a gorgeous transitional look.

The colorway of Transitional Style is mainly neutral and monochromatic, with colors ranging from taupe to warm tan or vanilla. This cozy, balanced neutral background gives you plenty of options for introducing color in smaller elements.

Contemporary Style

Contemporary Style can be hard to pin down since, by its very definition, it means what is going on in furniture now. It often shifts and changes to reflect current trends in color and style. For example, with mid-century modern so popular these days, contemporary interiors are influenced by the style. However, the clean lines and monochromatic color palette of mid-century style is used in a way that leaves room for a more liberal interpretation.

The Decorage Contemporary 5 Piece Round Table and Chair Set from Bernhardt is a great example of this style. The table features a pedestal base with a hand-painted marble finish and a beautiful wood tabletop with an inlaid-steel border. The upholstered chairs reflect mid-century style while bringing it solidly into the now.

Neither too formal nor too cold, Contemporary Style creates warm and cozy spaces. It is more of an approach to interior design than a specific style that can be categorized.

Whatever style you are looking for, you’ll find the perfect pieces at Baer’s Furniture. Not sure which style is you? Make an appointment with one of our in-house designers. They’ll answer all your questions and help you achieve your vision.