American Style Interior Design: The Ultimate Guide to Define American Interior Design

The flexibility and democracy of the American style make it relevant for a wide variety of population segments. Thanks to this, he can, with equal success, exist in the richest mansions and the city apartments of ordinary employees. In this direction, a synthesis of various styles can be traced – art deco, country, classics. To properly organize the space according to the American style principles, you need a spacious room. Such conditions allow filling the home with the air of freedom and emancipation – the main component of this trend.

American Style Interior: History and Features of Different Years

The emergence of the American style took place in the first half of the 17th century. At this time, the first settlers from Europe began to explore the unknown but so attractive and alluring overseas continent. The wealthy immigrants sought to equip their homes in the spirit of their native culture. Unfortunately, it was not so easy to recreate the environment on site. The lack of suitable fabrics and finishing materials did not thoroughly convey the features of a particular interior style. Therefore, when decorating the houses, elements of different foreign directions were used – literally – what was available. This was the reason for the departure from the stiffness inherent in the interiors of the “Old World.” The style gradually became more and more distinctive.

Initially, even expensive furniture was simple and functional – by fashionable British trends. By 1780, the former simplicity had been replaced by respectable carvings and curved cornices. At the same time, the first examples of truly American furniture appeared – wardrobes in the form of chests of drawers stacked one on top of another or secretaries with wavy outlines.

By the beginning of the 19th century, the formation of the American style was almost complete. Its main distinguishing features are restraint, laconic decor, intense natural color, and clear geometric shapes.

After the World Exhibition of Industrial Achievements was held in Paris at the beginning of the twentieth century, the whole world and America, among other things, became interested in the ideas of Art Deco. Confirmation of this is the luxurious, extravagant interiors in which the famous Hollywood films of that time were filmed.

For nearly half a century, the demand for art deco products has not declined. When the passions died down, the producers tried to create a new stir by popularizing the rural theme. But the calls to live in harmony with nature did not impress everyone, so the country style advertised at that time did not find sufficient support, although there was still a slight rollback in the direction of this direction.

American interiors today strive for sophisticated minimalism and careful selection of every detail. Modern furniture manufacturers in the United States emphasize comfort, functionality, and beauty rather than an arrogant luxury.

Varieties of American Interior Style

It reflected the influence of different parts of the world in the formation of the American style. The United States has always been attractive to foreign citizens. They migrated en masse from other continents in pursuit of the American dream, and at the same time, brought pieces of their culture with them. The motto in developing this direction was brought by immigrants from Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America. It combines the features of many cultures, which is reflected in the interiors. It can categorize the American style according to the style of the locality. Allocate classic, modern, neoclassical, country.

American Neoclassical Interior Style

The main feature of such interiors is refined simplicity and elegance, and well-known flexibility. Here, modern technology and innovative building materials coexist perfectly with the classical principles of space formation. In the design, the presence of plastic finishes, textiles made of mixed materials, and the imitation of a fireplace are quite acceptable.

Modern American Interior Style

A characteristic feature of the modern trend is the combination of functionality and comfort. Comfortable furniture in contemporary shapes is arranged following classical principles. Despite the prevalence of modern furniture, the interior may contain elements of classics and art deco. The inclusion of classic details in the setting and high-tech elements is very often used to create modern American interiors. In the decoration, a classic fireplace can coexist with an ultra-modern TV, futuristic lamps with exotic vases and figurines, mirror mosaics with a carriage coupler.

American Country Style Interior

The trend originated in wealthy country houses and not at all in the outback, as many believe. However, cheapness and asceticism are not the defining features of this style. The woodwork on the walls, floors, exposed beams on the ceiling, and rough, raw wood furnishings are typical country features. An integral part of the living room is a fireplace in front of the seating area with comfortable upholstered furniture, upholstered in leather or rough fabrics with a natural composition. The style is extremely close to nature, as it is based on sustainable materials and natural colors.

As you can see, American interiors have fundamental differences and can be presented both in a classic presentable form and in a modern functional or rustic one.

Characteristic of the American Interior Style

The multi-nationality of the United States has led to the complex collective nature of the American style. It is a typical combination of European, African, and Oriental approaches to selecting accessories, building an interior ensemble, and combining traditional and trendy trends. Premises decorated in this style, on the one hand, are neat and presentable. Yet, on the other hand, they are simple, functional, and they gravitate towards nature.

The American Design Style is Characterized by:

• Imitation of luxury, replacement of natural materials with plastic and MDF finishes.
• The predominance of the most economical localized lighting – the presence of sconces, floor lamps, table lamps. The central light is used in living rooms.
• Division of space into zones using mobile partitions, open shelving.
• Combining rooms with different functionality – the kitchen can be in the same room as the dining room, the sleeping place, or the hallway is often combined with the living room.
• Placing furniture in the center of the room and not along the walls.

The Traditional Color Scheme of the American Interior Style

The Dominant Colors in American Interiors are:

• White – can serve as a basis or highlight certain elements in the interior. More often, they use warm, eye-pleasing shades of white – milky, cream. They look incredibly colorful in combination with the colors of natural materials, set off and complement them;
• Beige – popular in alliances with white or as the main color. Fewer brands in comparison with the previous shade and do not require titanic efforts to maintain a decent appearance of the room;
• Sandy – a dull yellow shade, often acting as expressive accents. A fragment of a wall, carpet, upholstered furniture can be painted in this color;
• Chocolate – an additional shade that allows you to highlight individual details of the interior and give the decoration depth and relief. one can use this color for curtains, rug, armchair, rug, or ceiling beams.

The bedroom may have blue and crimson shades. Decor in the color of gold or metal is perfect. These colors blend perfectly with the basic style palette. Contrasting combinations are also welcome in the interior:

• White with red and dark brown
• White with blue and sand
• White with blue and red

The Choice of Materials for Finishing

One of the hallmarks of the American interior is the seemingly high cost. Consequently, imitations of natural materials are more often installed here than real stone, solid wood, ceramics. Popular trims include a variety of baguettes, moldings, and cornices. They can be of any color and should appear quite massive. They cover the places of any joints, the transition from one material to another, and they decorate the portals of doorways.

Walls

Quite simple materials are used for wall decoration. Surfaces are either painted in one color with paint or pasted over with plain wallpaper. Patterned materials are used to highlight an accent wall or section of it. Such a combination of canvases allows you to make the interior more expressive, to emphasize its strengths. False panel wall compositions are popular in America. As a rule, they are glued along the entire perimeter of the room, starting from the floor and ending at the height of 1.5 m. Another design method is to paste over one of the entire walls.

Floor

For flooring equipment, a light laminate is most often chosen. In rare cases, a parquet board is preferred. Porcelain stoneware and tiles are rarely used. Instead, these materials are occasionally tiled on the floor in the kitchen or bathroom. Carpets in American interiors are not very popular. But to create coziness and comfort, a small fleecy product is traditionally placed in the master and guest bedrooms. More often, preference is given to a one-color carpet. Sometimes a soft area in the living room is decorated with a carpet with geometric or floral patterns or a carpet with a long pile.

Ceiling

The ceiling is most often unpretentious, painted white. In other cases, a coffered structure is made of carved wood, MDF, plastic, or drywall, giving the room a luxurious appearance. When creating an interior in country style, the ceiling is decorated with massive beams made of natural wood or their imitation. Sometimes the ceiling surface or its fragments are pasted over with wallpaper.

Lighting

Spacious rooms require careful thought out the lighting scenarios for each zone.

The American Style is Characterized by the use of:

• Spotlights around the perimeter of a room or a dedicated living area in a large room with different functionality.
• A solid chandelier with many arms and suspensions in the central part of the living room, dining, or sleeping area.
• Adding local lighting devices – all kinds of table lamps, floor lamps, sconces, lamps.

Furniture: Selection and Placement

Characteristic features of the selection and arrangement of furniture

• Interior items are located in the central part of the room or a dedicated area with certain functionality. It is not installed along the walls. Spacious rooms are conducive to organizing comfortable compositions, grouping them in the middle. For example, a sofa and armchairs are placed around a coffee table. A dining table is placed so that there is a free passage from either side, and chairs surround it. In the bedroom, the central area is occupied by a bed, and in the kitchen, an “island” is often located in the center.
• Most often, massive large-sized comfortable furniture is selected, and for the kitchen, it is also functional.
• Even for a room divided into zones, furniture elements from one set are selected. one should combine them in the material of manufacture, design, decoration, color, and texture.

Fabrics

The classic American style is characterized by high-quality fabrics decorated in a stylish, uncomplicated composition. Curtains are most often made of natural or mixed one-color fabric. Sometimes small geometric patterns can be present on it. In this style, grandiose and lush flounces, ruffles, and lambrequins are inappropriate. Instead of ordinary curtains, Japanese panels, Roman blinds, or blinds can be used.

Accessories and Decor

Designers do not recommend overloading the interior with massive decorative elements. Comfort and coziness are valued here, so indoor plants, flower arrangements, paintings, panels, and photographs in beautiful frames, decorative pillows to match the curtains, and soft blankets are much more suitable. In addition, an overhead decorative fireplace will help create a cozy atmosphere.

Examples and Tips for Decorating Different Rooms in an American Apartment

When choosing an American style for decorating an apartment, you need to understand the following – it is tough to comply with the qualities inherent in this area in a limited space. But compliance with certain recommendations for the choice of materials and furniture location will help achieve this goal, even in a one-room apartment or studio.

Hallway/Corridor

Large free space, light palette, an almost complete absence of decor – an excellent solution for the hallway. The features of the American style allow you to get a spacious, uncluttered, and uncluttered room that will cheer up residents every time they return home.

For decoration, it is advisable to choose plain wallpaper or with a small pattern. They look great in combination with light wood or MDF panels. You can also choose coatings in bright colors. The main thing is that they are in harmony with each other and the apartment’s overall design.

It is advisable to use natural wooden furniture. In a small space, it is worth giving up unnecessary furniture. In a spacious room, on the contrary, you should not deprive yourself of comfort, and in addition to a wardrobe, you should place a chest of drawers, a small sofa, wicker chairs and a table here.

Living Room in American Style

It is necessary to equip the living room so that it remains comfortable, light, and spacious. The main role is given to massive upholstered furniture, which is better placed in the central part of the room near the fireplace or a large television panel. Chairs and a sofa are clustered around a miniature coffee table. A fairly serious distance is maintained between objects. Instead of soft chairs, one can use wicker counterparts from the headset. Technical devices, a library, decorative elements are placed in specially equipped niches. Horizontal surfaces are usually free of decor and gadgets. The use of large cabinets or shelving is unacceptable in the interior.

Kitchen in American Style

American style is a great choice for a spacious kitchen. In two-room apartments, the catering unit must be combined with the living room. Reception of zoning allows you to separate the cooking space from the dining area visually. You can use light low partitions, shelving with through shelves, sliding panels. If you wish, you can unfold the sofa with its back to the kitchen area. Another option is to fence it off with a chest of drawers to place the houseplants.

Each area should have its own local lighting. one can place a large chandelier above the dining table.

It is better to choose a furniture set from solid wood or a coating that imitates natural wood. Matt surfaces of facades should not have a lot of decors. In the American kitchen, a trendy element is the island element of the headset with a built-in hob, sink, or additional working area. Bar counters are also welcome. They can separate the kitchen from the living room. Most often, Americans choose the U-shaped headset model. Built-in appliances are preferred. Another must-have is a massive dome hood.

Bedroom in American Style

The bedrooms can combine classics and country. There are impressive overall furniture, light pastel colors, and cozy textiles. The berth is characterized by a high headboard and a banquet on the side of the legs. There are two bedside tables equipped with drawers and lamps – a table or sconces on both sides of the headboard. To accommodate bed linen and clothes, it is worthwhile to provide a chest of drawers, and if space allows, a spacious wardrobe or dressing room. Wicker armchairs and metal beds organically fit into modern interiors.

Bathroom in American Style

A bathroom in an American home is usually equipped with a window that lets in enough light. Most often, the house is equipped with several toilets – the master’s – right behind the bedroom and the guest’s – at the entrance. The third is placed next to the children’s room. The bathroom is usually combined with a toilet and contains a minimum of furniture. As a rule, they are limited to a cabinet under the sink and a hanging cabinet with a mirror in the door. There is always a bath in the bathroom. If there is free space, an additional shower cabin can be installed, but the bath is always a priority. It is often placed under a window or in the center of a room. A partition usually separates the toilet area. A moisture-resistant laminate or tile is used as a floor finish. For walls, choose paint, paneling. Finally, the window is decorated with a light curtain.

Features of Home Decoration in the American style

In the American house, the living room is intended for receiving guests. It is not customary to take off your shoes here, so the most practical and durable materials are chosen. Often, for an exclusively family pastime, another cozy living room is located in the attic room. Another option is to equip a room for a teenager here, equipping it with a modern audio system and other technical devices – here, loud music will not bother anyone.

A favorite place where the whole family gathers in the dining room. During the meal, important family problems are discussed, significant decisions are made. The furnishings should create a cozy, homely atmosphere.

Environmental friendliness is appreciated in the design of the kitchen. However, it matters much more than appearance. Most often, headsets and dining groups in such interiors are made of natural wood.

American homes usually have multiple sleeping quarters. The heads of the family live in the most spacious, the rest go to the children. If the layout allows, one will certainly allocate a room for a guest room. There is no overabundance of furniture and decor in the bedrooms. The decor uses light, fresh colors.

Most often, there are several bathrooms. Ideally, it should be separate for each bedroom. There is no equipment in the bathroom – boilers, washers, and dryers. There is a separate room for them in the house, or they are placed in the basement.

Conclusion

American style – combines elements of classics with modernity. The plasticity and liberality of this trend allow it to be embodied in any projects of houses with a sufficient area.