Casual + Historic

Cool, you know your style is casual with historic flair!

This is an umbrella that includes many specific styles, including Rustic, Farmhouse, Cottagecore, Shabby Chic, French Country, and even Bohemian or Scandinavian.

Now, how to create that feel in your home?

By using the appropriate kinds of colors and shapes. Scroll to see examples and get advice about the kinds of things to incorporate for a relaxed and charming vintage style.

Elements to Create a Casual Historic Style

While each individual style has some different elements, in general Casual Historic styles will use items with patina, as well as more-natural or handmade-feeling materials and textures, such as:

• Limestone, tumbled marble, or river rock. Terracotta can work depending on style
• Unfinished or medium-to-dark wood, especially if rough or aged
• Wide-plank floors
• Duller metals: Pewter, iron, bronze. Aged brass and silver are acceptable as accents
• Light or muted colors
• Simple-lined furniture
• Painted furniture and decor
• Low-sheen fabrics such as linen or cotton, especially in historic patterns such as ticking stripes or ditsy florals
• Simple curtains or fabric shades (a Roman or Relaxed Roman style is especially suited)
• Vintage items

Elements to Avoid

• Shiny metallics
• Sharp, machine-made corners and perfect straight lines
• Anything ornate
• “Sleek” or shiny shapes or finishes
• Overly bold patterns - no tropical prints here

Colors

Pale color schemes are more familiar, but as you can see in the grid above, dark and moody ones can work, too.

It’s even possible to go colorful – the trick is to choose colors with a little bit of dullness, rather than ones that are brightly saturated. (For instance, robin’s egg blue rather than aqua, or maroon rather than fuchsia).

Patterns

Almost any pattern that has a hand-drawn feel can be suitable, and subtle patterns created by weaving (such as ticking stripes or herringbone) are always great for a casual historic style.

Patterns that are too geometric have a more machine-made (and therefore modern) feel. That said, you can certainly use them if you want to mix things up! The point of the Quadrants is not to box you in, but to show you what elements create certain effects.

Ticking stripes come in a variety of configurations, but all hearken back to the humble traditional wrapping for mattresses from the 1600s through the early 1900s

Floral prints give an instant vintage feel to any room - just be sure to pick one that isn't too bright. This almost hand-drawn pattern on a natural background is a quintessential example

It's possible to use more colorful patterns as well, just make sure the colors have a slight dullness to them. Smaller-scale prints also feel more vintage than large, bold ones

Block prints are having a moment. Created by inking successive plates and stamping them on top of each other, they always have a traditional hand-made look.

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