Embracing Ornate Home Decor

Ornate home decor can breathe life into rooms in need of a decorative spark. Whether you want to bring a burst of visual interest into a neutral bedroom or elevate an eclectic vintage-inspired bathroom, adding intricately detailed elements can instantly transform a space. From curved velvet sofas to gilded mirrors or toile wallpaper, the options for adding a touch of drama and opulence to your home are seemingly endless. Read on as we reveal some of our favorite ways of embracing ornate home decor. 

Statement Chandeliers

The “Modern Victorian” aesthetic is grabbing the attention of designers across the globe. One of the easiest ways to embrace the trend is by incorporating ornate home decor into an otherwise contemporary space. Better Homes & Gardens explains the brilliance of the juxtaposition: “The modern influence tones down Victorian exuberance, and the ornate, romantic period style breathes life and character into the subtleties of the modern-day aesthetic.” The Magazine recommends achieving this juxtaposition by using a showstopper piece, like a dazzling crystal chandelier. One of their favorite remodels features an opulent hallway chandelier used as a focal point and visual reference for the decor in the surrounding rooms. In this case, Better Homes & Gardens reveals that “the chandelier is backed by an ornate gilded mirror flanked by white statuettes, all of which are perched on a modern studded side table and serve as a backdrop to an abstract sculpture.”  

Martha Stewart Living also loves adding statement chandeliers, particularly in unusual spaces with an eclectic vibe. An example of a recent bathroom redesign they adore can be found in a stunning historic home. The Magazine raves: “An ornate French chandelier both matches and mocks the space’s serious design; its black-and-white color scheme is true to the period of the house. Hot-pink accents further jazz up the bathroom’s look.” The result is an effortless elegance with the perfect hint of glamor. 

Ornate Mirrors

Hanging an ornate mirror is a quick way to use home decor to bring an opulent air to any room. This is true whether your interiors have an eclectic maximalist aesthetic or if you have a modern, neutral space. Among My Domaine’s favorite mirrors is an Arhaus Amelie Dresser Mirror in Gold. It brings to mind elegant French style; “The intertwined detailing of florals and vines elevates the arched iron frame, which channels a vintage feel that can cater to a wide variety of decorative aesthetics.” The editors adore hanging the horizontal version of this piece above a fireplace mantel and pairing it with a “neutral ceramic vase and a pair of candle holders for good measure.” 

Do you have gold accents elsewhere in the room you are remodeling? Choosing an antique gilded Baroque or Victorian mirror will amplify those details beautifully. Do you have an oddly shaped blank space on your wall that has defied your best attempts at decoration? Commission a bespoke mirror with ornately detailed edges for a unique piece that will instantly elevate your room. 

Bold Plush Furniture

Opulence continues to thrive at Gucci, and nowhere is that more evident than in their luxury home decor. Their made-to-order armchair features a curved frame with moire fabric on the front of the chair and a geometric design against velvet upholstery on the back. Black braiding and fringe encircle the base. Dramatic color options include Bordeaux, green, and pink. Everything about this design is eye-catching, bold, and modern while still honoring its vintage silhouette. And while the wait time for this custom piece is approximately three months, you will likely not mind waiting for this conversation starter.

Curved sofas are continuing to gain interest from designers and homeowners. Why? Expert Chris Sotz explains to Martha Stewart Living that “‘curved-line furniture feels a little sexier, a little more sophisticated. It definitely has that European look.’” Gucci agrees. Their exquisite $35,000 Capitonnè camelback sofa was inspired by 18th-century design and is the epitome of the vintage-inspired movement toward arched sofas done in rich shades with ornate detailing. Finished in red, black, or teal velvet, this sumptuous piece of home decor creates an undeniably luxe feeling in any room. 

Metallic Coffee Tables

Metallic tables will brilliantly offset a room warmed by furnishings done in rich, dramatic colors. One of My Domaine’s favorite pieces of ornate home decor, a gorgeous gold, hammered metal drum coffee table, can do just this. The Magazine applauds a recent design by Alvin Wayne that incorporates this impressive coffee table as a contrast to a plush teal velvet sofa and black and white patterned wallpaper, and as a complement to the room’s round, gold-accented mirror. The living room feels thoroughly contemporary yet perfectly vintage at the same time.

Speaking of vintage, if your tastes run toward ornate antique furniture, consider gilded pieces as part of your remodel. Luxury tables like an exquisite Victorian giltwood console table, French 19th century ormolu and malachite pedestal side tables, or a gold Italian Rococo console table with a Bianca Rosa marble top may be the statement piece your space needs to feel complete. 

Carved Screens

When considering how to incorporate ornate home decor into a room, don’t forget about the possibilities offered by elegant room dividers. Folding screens or panel dividers can artfully infuse a space with pops of color, intricate patterns, or metallic accents that can elevate and magnify your overall design.

Antique styles like a giltwood Rococo folding screen or Renaissance revival piece can be thrilling additions to eclectic, classic, or contemporary homes. If you want something more bohemian, you’ll be delighted by a piece like the Amber Carved Wood Room Divider Screen – a favorite of the editors at The Spruce. The Magazine adores adding this decorative screen to eclectic rooms; “This wooden divider is truly a piece of art thanks to an ornate carved design that’s sure to make it a centerpiece in your home.” 

Intricately Patterned Wallpaper

An intricately patterned wallpaper often associated with the 18th century is once again the darling of the luxury design world. My Domaine reports that “toile is a highly detailed decorative print, featuring repeating, monochromatic illustrations of pastoral scenes.” Today, toile is “used in fashion, industrial design, and interiors to bring grand, old-fashioned luxury to the modern age.” And it is no wonder. The impact of this wallpaper on a room is immediate, and it works exceedingly well against the curved lines of boldly colored furniture and metallic accessories.  

Better Homes & Gardens also favors the resurgence of intricate designs on wallpaper, particularly when incorporating it into a Modern Victorian-styled room. “Modern trends have revived botanical and classic prints—such as fleur-de-lys, medallions, toile, and damask—refreshed by contemporary color palettes.” Whether you use it in a bedroom as a contrast to crisp white linens and modern furniture, or you embellish your bathroom walls with it to create a background for a dazzling clawfoot tub, the addition of such ornate home decor will impress. 

Visit Distinctive Collection by Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate when you begin your journey to buy or sell your unique home.

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