Creative owners of houses and apartments quite often look for housing design options in which they can show their imagination and create an extraordinary design. Such unusual and unique solutions include creating an interior in London style. Its main advantage is the absence of a general scheme according to which registration must be carried out. Each variation of the direction has its own character and creates its own special atmosphere. The main rule for creating the chosen style is the use of thematic elements (or materials, textiles with thematic prints), which at first glance will show you modern London. Therefore, when stylizing interiors in this way, you need to be guided by the basic recommendations of designers and not be afraid to introduce your personal ideas into the created design.
Style Features
The main feature of the London style is its non-standard presentation. By changing the main colors of the range, choosing different decor or textiles, you can make it both simpler and quite eye-catching. Therefore, before implementing the style in an apartment, it is recommended to pay attention to the following qualities of the direction:
- Ease of styling.
Even in a room decorated in subdued colors, you can create a London style using themed textiles and decor.
- Versatility.
In the hallway, this style creates a restrained design, in the bedroom it emphasizes the harmony of the atmosphere and comfort, in the living room it highlights the London elegance of the spacious hall.
- Possibility of implementing “easy” and “rough” directions.
Light colors, cute decor and textiles will create a light interior that will help household members spend every day in the world of amazing London. By using dark finishing tones (including gray brick on one of the walls) and a small number of accents, you can create a restrained design that promotes calm and prudence of the owners.
Furniture and indoor lighting
If we look at 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 could be a bookcase that would 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 can contain dishes and various accessories for entertaining guests, for example, tablecloths, napkins and similar textiles.
If we look at 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
Other mandatory attributes of the room being described include a large dining table. It should be massive and have carved figured 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 the main source of light in the room. At the same time, it can be perfectly complemented by small lamps. So, these could 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. It is 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 a living room in the English style. They are usually tapestries and have a lot of weight. In general, this fabric is a characteristic element of the design of British premises. Such curtains are used in conjunction with composite curtains, which makes it possible to bring to life the English principle “My home is my castle.”
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 decorate such a room
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 decorate such a room. In extreme cases, you will have to deal with redevelopment and combining several rooms. So, for example, there is the option of combining a living room with a corridor or a bathroom, but in this case you will have to demolish the internal walls and partitions in the apartment.
Colors used
The rather unusual London style can include both neutral and bright colors. Thanks to this combination, it stands out, includes catchy accents and at the same time creates neat transitions between different parts of the room. The colors used for this direction include:
- red: it is impossible to imagine the views of London without bright buses and telephone booths, so it is the red color that will become the accent color in the range of the style in question;
- gray (or a combination of black and white for wall decoration): cloudy weather in London is transferred into the interior through the use of such colors;
- white: helps to dilute dark and bright colors, allows you to visually make the created design “lighter”;
- blue: is one of the colors of the British flag, so it can be used as inclusions (decor, textiles), it additionally sets off the red color;
- light brown: an acceptable color that allows you to “soften” the harsh red-gray range.
London in the interior
London is not only a popular tourist destination, but also an inexhaustible source of inspiration for artists, designers and decorators who successfully transfer the atmosphere of the free, cosmopolitan capital of Great Britain into the interior of offices, apartments and houses.
Red telephone booths, along with double-decker buses, are the hallmark of the capital of Foggy Albion. Posters with their images and photo wallpapers create the illusion of presence on the streets of a noisy metropolis.
The inscription “Keep calm and carry on”, topped with the English crown, from a propaganda poster issued on the eve of the Second World War urged the British to keep calm and carry on. Nowadays in the UK this inscription is widely replicated on souvenirs and remains incredibly relevant.
Furniture Features
You can choose furniture for the London style according to two main criteria: restraint or theme. The first option involves installing light furniture in a bright themed interior. This combination allows you not to overload the overall look, but to achieve its simple stylization. If desired, light furniture can be supplemented with bright bedspreads and sofa cushions. As for light shelves, cabinets and tables, they can be decorated with various thematic figurines. The second method of choosing furniture is based on the search for extraordinary models that will help stylize a room with a monochromatic, discreet finish. For example, in the living room or bedroom you can install a bookcase designed to look like a telephone booth. In a child’s room, it is permissible to install a bed stylized as a red bus. But there should be no more than two such bright unusual products in any room: otherwise the interior will be overloaded with stylized objects.
London style in the interior. Red telephone booth in the interior
London style in the interior is based on typical associative rows associated with the main city of England. What evokes indispensable associations with London? Red telephone box, British flag, London policeman, Big Ben, London double-decker (double-decker bus), Tower Bridge. Proper use of these symbols of London will definitely help you create a memorable and vibrant interior in London style. I’ll say right away that the traditional English style in the interior is a much more conservative direction, which practically does not overlap with what is commonly called the London style.
Interior design depends on many little things, and only a few manage to make it the way they intended it without the help of professionals. Most people should still turn to those for whom creating unique residential interiors is not just a hobby. If you are a fan of England, then the legendary red telephone booth in the interior will certainly tell your guests about it. There are a variety of home decorations designed to look like phone booths, such as bookends, clocks and mugs, but there are many other ways, including examples using stylized doors, sofas, and wall decals.
Examples of London style vinyl wall decals
We can say that the legendary double-decker bus is a win-win option for interior design in London style. A wall sticker with his image will enliven and diversify the design of a living or office room. A huge selection of sticker colors will allow you to choose it to suit any interior. Price: 620 rubles for a sticker of size 492 X 600 mm. You can buy it here.
Kitchen interier
You can decorate any room in the house in London style. It’s quite easy to implement this style in the kitchen using one of the following schemes:
- white finishing of three walls and floor + photo wallpaper with views of London streets (with buses) + light burgundy set + modern appliances with black glossy surfaces (the refrigerator can be black or white);
- gray painting of walls + apron with views of London (with or without buses) + red set + gray or white flooring + red doors (stylized as a telephone booth);
- white or gray wall decoration + red and white set + kitchen apron with views of London (with red telephone booths and buses) + glass or white table + burgundy or red chairs;
- gray wall decoration + black and red set + kitchen apron with red splashes + light gray floor + black and red or gray and red dining group.
Installing lamps with soft, warm light (as in most pubs in London) will help complement the thematic design.
Features of London style in the interior of an apartment
London style in apartment interior design is coming back into fashion.
It is based on a combination of classical elements of English culture, both modern and dating mainly from the fifties and seventies. The classics of London are red telephone booths, the famous double-decker buses, Big Ben and other calling cards of the British capital. Of course, an interior with such a style cannot exist without the Jack Union - the British flag. Its colors are red, blue and white. They are the main ones in the design of rooms. Depending on the purpose of the room, different design methods can be used.
Living room design
In spacious living rooms, it would be appropriate to use dark finishes. So, the main colors of the walls can be coffee brown or blue. One wall can be made of brick (in a dark gray or red-brown color scheme). A dark floor covering will also help complement this finish. The furniture itself should be chosen in neutral colors. White and light gray sofas, ottomans or armchairs will look good in a dark living room. It is recommended to choose a coffee table for the sitting area in a dark brown color. For a small room, it is better to choose a light blue finish with stylization of one wall: photo wallpaper with views of old city streets in a light gray color scheme. Installing a white sofa (with themed cushions) and a small light shelving unit with themed figurines will help to properly arrange such a room. If the room is decorated in a light manner, the seating area can be located along a stylized wall or in the center of the room. In dark rooms, it is better to place the sofa opposite a stylized wall.
Living room in English style: little light, a lot of accessories
What we see in front of us is not a family mansion - this is an apartment, the area of which is slightly larger than a standard Soviet Khrushchev building. In the Victorian era, typical representatives of the middle class lived in such apartments. Any respectable Englishman is thrifty and rational - the weather outside is not great, and heating a large area with a fireplace is not the easiest task. Let's take a look inside and take a closer look at the classic English interior.
The diffused light of the sconce illuminates the hallway walls, decorated with stained walnut panels, and oak parquet on the floor. In the English interior you will not find mongrels from the world of trees; only noble breeds live here.
In the living room, classic British wallpaper with green stripes visually elongates the walls. The room has intimate lighting. Here and there are various light sources: sconces, table lamps and floor lamps in luxurious textile lampshades, providing soft directional light. Ideal lighting for reading in an easy chair.
Modern interior design in the English style follows the same lighting scheme. There is no place for halogen lamps, ceiling spots and LED lighting.
If you gravitate toward minimalism and ironically call accessories dust collectors, English-style design is not for you. A British interior is unthinkable without an abundance of decor.
Let's look around. The view of a foggy London street is hidden from view by thick multi-piece curtains decorated with cords and tassels. Indian figurines of elephants and other souvenirs from travels perched on the mantelpiece, here and there decorative pillows, vases and figurines, landscapes and still lifes.
The paintings on the wall are framed in simple wooden frames. This is one of the important rules of English design: the frame should not distract from the work of art - the more expensive it is, the simpler the frame. On the contrary, for a simple drawing, photo or poster, it would be appropriate to choose an intricate design.
London style bedroom
When decorating an adult bedroom in London style, it is recommended to use gray as the main colors. To style the room, you can paste a photo wallpaper with a view of the entrance to the London Underground and a telephone booth on one of the walls. Bed linen and bedspreads of a similar design or curtains with photo printing will help complement this finish. The rest of the textiles should have a light red or blue color. For a teenage bedroom, you should choose a light gray or light coffee color as the base. An original design solution would be to decorate one wall as a brick. In a teenage guy's room, you can install a small bed with a British flag-shaped bedspread. And also hang up several posters with views of London. For a girl’s bedroom, it is recommended to choose lighter and more discreet bed textiles – with light gray views of London and red buses. If desired, a light red or light blue sofa can be placed separately in the youth room to organize a relaxation area.
Living room in the style of the British capital
The distinctive features of such a living room are massive and expensive furniture. The sofa should preferably be leather with a lot of cushions, red, blue and with the image of the national flag. The interior is kept in dark shades, emphasizing solidity and nobility.
You can use photographic posters and images of main attractions. If you want to add a touch of British style to your room without making it too pronounced, individual elements such as the London blind will help you achieve this.
Nursery decor ideas
The use of a simplified color scheme will help to eliminate the excessive harshness of the created design in a children's room. So, the main color can be light gray, white, light coffee or light blue (for a girl’s bedroom – very light red). Curtains in such rooms should be as simple as possible: flat, floor-length canvases with a pale blue or pale red color are suitable. Installed furniture can be bright. A red bunk bed, stylized as a bus, would look good in such a room. But in the study area it is recommended to install a light coffee or light gray desk and a bookcase (or shelves). The play area can be complemented by a rug matched to the color of the curtains or a rug with the British flag and similar (or plain) decorative pillows.
When creating a discreet design, you can install a small wardrobe with a themed photo print in the child’s room.
Photos of magnificent children's interiors in the English style
Readers of the Interior of Rooms portal will be interested to learn about the English style of decorating a children's room. This fashion trend comes from the UK.
However, when decorating, you should definitely take into account the age of the child, on which the aesthetics depend. What is intended for children is not always suitable for adults and vice versa
In an English room intended for a younger child, you should not use overly bright, flashy or strong contrasts. However, for older people this is acceptable.
For a teenager, you can even use aggressive combinations, various extraordinary solutions and contradictions in design. Such accents will be fully consistent with adolescence.
Classic London style requires appropriate furniture. Restored pieces of furniture will come in handy.
Wall decoration that imitates brick, a similar pattern on curtains or sofa cushions are integral components of classic design in the English style.
It is these combinations that can give the appearance of a room eclecticism. You can enhance the feeling by using elements of pop art, contrasting combinations of colors or textures.
So, for wall decoration, whitewashed plaster or imitation of ancient brickwork is suitable.
Modern style can be achieved by using fabric with an English photo print, as well as combining traditional wooden material with plastic, glass or metal elements.
The main element in such a room should be the image of the country's national flag. It should be everywhere: on textiles, wallpaper or wall posters.
The colors used in the British flag not only work well together, but match each other perfectly, allowing them to be used to decorate a room.
Decorative little things will help you create a little London in your children's room, which will easily transform even a boring space into an unusual art object.
Typical British elements would be red telephone boxes, teddy bears, royal guards.
Any of these elements can be used in different style solutions. For example, a cabinet for things or books can be made in the form of a payphone booth.
Unique accessories will be a night light with a body in the shape of a red telephone booth, boxes decorated with the English flag or authentic soft toys.
Great Britain has a fairly cold climate, with frequent fog and rain.
The weather is so changeable that a day from sunny can turn rainy and slushy in a matter of minutes.
Hence the genetic craving for warm things. That's why an English children's room must have them!
Textile products will be priority style details
Here you need to pay special attention to the use of large-sized “British” prints
The national flag, symbols of the royal family, images of the symbols of London - Big Ben and the Tower - are ideal.
A photographic print on fabric can be made using England's landmarks as images.
This will give the interior uniqueness and help show the individual characteristics of the child. Provides freedom of creativity and the opportunity to live comfortably.
The role of textiles in the design of rooms
Since textiles in a room decorated in London style can become a key element, special attention should be paid to its choice. If a restrained color scheme is used in the room, then curtains and bedspreads with photo printing will help to carry out competent styling. For example, these could be long curtains printed with the streets of London, Big Ben, or bright red buses. A flag blanket on a bed or sofa will also be an appropriate accent to the overall interior. If desired, you can choose a neutral blanket for the sleeping bed and put several themed sofa cushions (with British flags, Big Ben, buses). If the room has colorful pictures on the wallpaper, then the optimal solution would be to choose plain textiles in light gray, light red or light blue tones.
Various options for assembling curtains
There are different design options for such curtains. Among them you can choose the most convenient option for your apartment:
- The first option is the simplest. This curtain is a regular flat fabric that gathers into semicircular festoons when raised. It is made of dense, heavy fabric. Regardless of whether the fabric has a pattern or is plain, the item will be embossed and voluminous. It can be stitched with decorative lace, decorated with tassels or fringe. However, you should know when to use decorations in moderation - lush folds in themselves already attract enough attention.
- If you want a fuller version , pseudo-cuts can be used in the pattern. The inside of each of them is hemmed with the same fabric that was used for the base. In this case, the puffs will turn out to be very lush and at the same time natural. You can also use contrasting material, creating an interesting three-dimensional effect.
- If the width and height of the windows allow, more complex curtain options - with two folds or four, with folds-slits, etc.
Related article: Apartment in Moroccan style - an oriental fairy tale in the house
The deeper the folds you use, the fluffier the product will be. This is worth remembering if the room is not large in size. The edges can be draped like a fan of folds or fixed in a special mount on the wall. One common option is a hook attached to the wall, neat and secure.
English style in the interior and features of London chic (2 videos)
Ideas for decorating an apartment in London style (35 photos)
Accessories and decor
In order for not only the design, but also the furnishings themselves to be appropriate in a catchy style, it is recommended to use a minimum number of elements as decor. The following items will complement the interior well:
- map of London;
- retro posters (with Big Ben, English buses, telephone booths);
- wall clock with the British flag (they should be placed on a plain light wall);
- figurines (thematic products are suitable: miniature Big Ben, bus).
Bright posters, maps or clocks are recommended to be used to stylize rooms in which subdued tones predominate. For an interior with bright decoration, you should choose small thematic figurines. Also appropriate in any of the described design options would be live plants in light gray or light brown pots.
Curtains are the central element of the interior
The London format is also classic and respectable. Graceful and elegant interior elements help to emphasize it. You can make London curtains with your own hands; they were used to decorate British palaces back in the 18th century.
Such curtains can be bought, but if you cannot find the ideal option for your interior, there is always the opportunity to sew them from existing materials. The design is not that complicated, and if you have any difficulties, you can always watch lessons on how to make such a product.
A curtain is a single piece of fabric or several pieces sewn exactly according to the pattern. When lifted, it folds into lush folds, creating a unique impression of elegance and luxury. When unraveled, the curtains look quite restrained, but when assembled, as they are most often used, they add that truly British touch to the interior.
The canvas should be perfectly smooth and solid, and on its front side, when assembled, lush, overlapping folds will form. To do this, a series of rings with a cord passing through them are made on the back side of the product. All cords are connected into a common cord attached at the bottom. When you pull it, the curtain rises, forming a cascade of semicircular folds.
we'll tell you how to do it and what you need for it
We consider and tell you where to buy interesting symbols of the capital of England, how to create London style in the interior.
Continuing a series of posts about how to travel without leaving home, “Kvartblog” decided to consider English symbols, which smoothly migrated from the category of tourist inspiration to the category of home decor. There are several iconic fashion capitals around the world that never fail to inspire interior designers to create furniture and home accessories featuring local landmarks or simply recognizable color combinations. London is one such capital. The most commonly used symbols in decor are: a telephone booth, Big Ben, a double-decker red bus, the English flag and the scarlet uniform of the guards.
London style in the interior
Let's start with the famous booth. I had a chance to visit a house in Khimki, in which the kitchen was made in the English style, and the refrigerator was disguised as a booth. Very unusual, and most importantly - easy to execute. For the owner of this house, the idea was realized by artists (we also saw craftsmen ready to take on this).
There are also simple door stickers with the desired image. And once we talked about a craftsman who makes booths for sale by hand.
A lampshade, a key holder and a charming lamp, for some reason reminiscent of our cartoon “Cheburashka” (maybe because inside it is furnished like a house?).
As we like to repeat, textiles are the easiest way to transform your interior. It’s worth changing the pillowcases on the pillows carelessly thrown on the sofa, and now fresh accents have appeared in the room. A whole set of English pillows combined both a telephone booth and the famous tourist bus.
A few more fun sets with pillows: with a princess and with a bridge.
If you leave the recognizable outlines of the flag, but change the color scheme, you will get a real stylish challenge to the generally accepted perception. This is what the designers did, creating turquoise, red and green Union Jack pillows.
It would seem that what could be easier than changing the pillows? But there is a way. Your favorite mug can transport you to the city of rain and good music every morning. One, two, three, and you're there.
You can rarely find screens in Moscow apartments, but they can be truly stylish and functional. If he wanted, he demarcated the space, if he wanted, he made it unified again. A godsend for a small space. With a double-sided screen, you don't have to choose which side of the room to make the most spectacular.
A heavy figurine of a London bus can be turned into a book holder by placing a couple of English textbooks across the toy vehicle.
A charming night light that will delight both adults and children.
Stylish watches: vintage, as if they have been around for a hundred years, vinyl with images of the main attractions and leather, ideal for a loft style or a study.
An important thing is a rug at the entrance to a house or apartment. This is an assistant for the housewife, capable of preventing the spread of street dirt indoors
A chic handmade rug from designer Paul Smith.
We looked at decorative items, and in the next publication we will pay attention to furniture for which designers were inspired by British landmarks
