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The colonial style in architecture and interior was born in the 16th century, in the era of the conquest of new lands by Europeans — in Asia, Africa and America. Spanish, English and French ships set off in search of new territories and sources of resources. Very often the conquerors settled in the colonies with their families. This is how the colonial style appeared, which is based on the synthesis of cultures — the colonialists brought with them the comfort and elegance of Europe, and borrowed exotic traditions and original motifs from the locals.

Depending on the nationality of the colonists and the location of the colonies, the colonial style in architecture and design had several types: laconic and elegant English, luxurious French, cozy Spanish, slightly rough Dutch and restrained American colonial style.

Today, the colonial style in the interior is chosen by strong-willed people with high aesthetic demands. Also, the colonial interior is suitable for people who travel a lot and bring a large number of souvenirs from each trip. In a colonial-style house, all these souvenirs will not only find their place, but will also organically emphasize the exoticism of the interior.

General characteristics of the colonial interior

Despite the fundamental difference between Asian, South American and African cultures, all colonial-style houses have a number of common characteristics. The first of them is a lot of free space in the house — spacious rooms, large windows. And for zoning rooms, screens and partitions are used. When creating a colonial interior, only natural materials are used — wood, leather, stone, textiles, clay, bronze. Corresponds to natural shades and colors of the interior. The colonial style of the interior is characterized by shades of gold, olive color, terracotta, the color of aged wood and others.

An obligatory attribute of the colonial style in the interior are exotic accessories — African masks, bronze and ceramic figurines, animal horns on the walls, decorative plates, wall panels, screens, bright carpets and paths. To create a specific colonial atmosphere in the house, exotic plants and palm trees are perfect.

An integral part of the colonial interior is the so-called «animal» theme. Everyone knows how close and trusting the relationship of a person with an oriental worldview to animals is. Therefore, images of animals should appear not only in the form of accessories, but also in the decoration of furniture. The legs of chairs and tables are made in the form of lion paws, and a bronze lion’s head will be a wonderful decoration, for example, for a fireplace.

Living room in colonial style

The main advantage of the colonial style in the interior is the absence of strict restrictions and rules — you can combine different directions and objects from different styles. The only condition is the naturalness of the materials and the color range corresponding to the colors and shades of wildlife. For a living room in a colonial style, light, durable furniture of strict forms is best suited. A beautiful attribute of the colonial style is wicker chairs and armchairs decorated with pillows. Such furniture can be placed both in the living room and on the veranda. Wicker furniture creates a cozy and calm atmosphere in the house.

Bedroom in colonial style

For a colonial-style bedroom, you will need a large high bed made of wood. A colonial-style bedroom furniture set will be complemented by an elegant three-leaf wardrobe, a dressing table, a bedside table, a dressing table and armchairs with wooden armrests. Wooden or wicker chests, which embody the lifestyle of the colonists of the 16th-17th centuries, are well suited for storing things. The highlight of the colonial-style bedroom will be the animal skin on the floor.