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COLONIAL STYLE: ORIGINS AND CURIOSITIES

colonial-style

COLONIAL STYLE: INTRODUCTION

The Colonial Style was born from the union between that brought by the colonizers from the motherland and the native one of the occupied areas. In contemporary furniture, the American and Oriental are the best known and most loved. In fact, there are many environments for which the reproductions of furniture typical of the colonial era are privileged, capable of recreating elegant and exotic atmospheres.

Interior design, together with architecture, has the merit of telling different eras, styles, cultures, uses and customs, handing down, in fact, the history of civilization.

The colonial style furniture is a direct emanation of colonialism and imperialism which, starting from the seventeenth century, has characterized the world’s geopolitical scenarios. The colonial style is declined in numerous furnishing trends, depending on the colonized country and the colonizer.

Let’s try to explore the subject together.

COLONIALISM AND INTERIOR DESIGN

Colonialism has seen numerous countries involved, which have imposed their own culture and lifestyle in the conquered territories.

The most common examples of colonialism that we can remember, and which then had a great influence in interior design, are undoubtedly the following:

  • English, particularly in North America and in the countries that make up the Commonwealth today, such as Canada, Australia, South Africa, India, and many others;
  • French, which has significantly influenced the style of furniture in French-speaking countries, ie those in which French is the mother tongue;
  • Hispanic-Portuguese, particularly present in the countries of Latin America and Central America.
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COLONIAL STYLE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

In countries where colonialism has taken over, a movement antagonistic to colonial-style culture and furniture has developed. However, since the tradition is so deeply rooted in the territory, in the end, it has always kept a prominent place in the choices of consumers.

The American colonial style of the 18th century, as opposed to the so-called Early American, characterized North American interior design throughout the twentieth century.

Blending various elements from different cultures with modern processing techniques, the colonial-style houses have precise characteristics.

Let’s see which ones.

CHARACTERISTICS

Colonial furniture has peculiar characteristics, both from a stylistic and structural point of view.

Colonial American homes feature wood trim and paneling on the walls, ceiling, and floor. In addition, they feature furniture made by specialized carpenters and artisans, using hard woods such as walnut, cherry and mahogany.

The dominant colors are white, brown, red, yellow and gray.

The predominance of wood is associated with enormous importance given to upholstery, fabrics, curtains and sofa coverings, but also to artificial lighting.

Speaking of metal, the most used in the colonial style was pewter, an alloy made of tin, to which other metals are added. Pewter was much loved in the past because it does not oxidize and tends to remain unchanged over time without the need for special care.

The American colonial style is heavily influenced by the English-style furniture, especially that of the country houses.

Here the rustic and casual style blends with the quality of the materials used and with the presence of furnishing accessories and hand-made objects.

COLONIAL STYLE FURNITURE

Furnishing a house according to the dictates of the colonial style is still possible today, using furniture with a colonial finish.

This furniture is characterized by classic lines and an evident rustic taste, which is returned thanks to the use of suitable materials, such as solid toulipier wood.

With its light, off-white color, toulipier wood is perfect for making colonial-style furniture. Furthermore, being quite economical and versatile, it allows you to make products of excellent quality at a reasonable price.

Furniture with a colonial finish has a worn look, particularly on the edges, and for this reason pickled furniture with a shabby chic finish is reminiscent.

CONCLUSIONS

Each style of furniture has its own history, always fascinating and full of interesting ideas, and the colonial style makes no difference.

Thanks to the contamination of different uses, customs and cultures, colonial furniture always manages to amaze, even today, after centuries of diffusion and evolution.

And what do you think? Do you like colonial-style furniture?

colonial-style
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Finally, if you need personalized advice to add colonial style to your furniture, send an email to valeriadesign@casaomnia.it! What are you waiting for? Go to our online portal CasaOmnia.it now and discover the furniture items that are right for you!

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