“New” and “traditional” are two words that don’t seem to go together but, in home design, new traditional is a hot trend—and with good reason. With European influences and roots ranging from English country style to French classics, the traditional genre in known for its matching dark wood furniture sets, heavy use of patterns and weighty window treatments amongst other signature looks. Traditional furniture and home decor offer classic shapes and styling that will always have a place in home design. However, they bring a certain aesthetic—more formal, heavy and dark—that doesn’t fit in many of today’s casual and contemporary homes.

That’s where the new traditional style comes in to place. A mix of traditional and modern style, new traditional furniture and home décor can look both classic and current. By blending traditionally-inspired furniture with contemporary styling, you can bring home a piece that feels established, yet inspired; formal, yet comfortable; familiar, yet fresh; timeless, yet timely. It’s softer than strictly traditional styles, and there is more room for personal touches. This updated take on traditional makes the classic style more versatile than ever before, allowing it to work with a wide range of home styles, including more casual homes and even some modern styles.

However, new traditional style isn’t just about classically inspired furniture with modern styling. It’s also about mixing and matching traditional pieces with more current furniture and home décor items, creating a fresh feel that can also be very personalized, utilizing all of your favorite pieces. Read on to learn more about new traditional style, and how this twist on traditional can work in your home.

Classic silhouettes with modern styling

Traditional furniture is formal furniture that features time-honored lines and decorative elements. This curvaceous furniture is far from minimalist. These heavy pieces offer familiar silhouettes. (Think: wingback sofas and sleigh beds.) Traditional furniture is also known for its intricate details and styling. Take a look at a gallery of traditional furniture, and you’re sure to see claw-foot sofas and chairs, button-tufted upholstery and complexly carved wooden details. Traditional furniture is generally composed of dark woods, such as mahogany and cherry. For fabrics, you’ll find sumptuous choices like leather and velvet upholstery. And gold and silver details on furniture and home accessories add an air of sophistication and luxury to the traditional design style.

New traditional furniture such as sofas will pair the traditional silhouettes with cleaner, more modern styling. (Think simpler lines and details.) You’ll also find lighter colors and fabrics on drapes, rugs and more.

Complementing, not matching

Traditional style is big on symmetry, and the furniture is no exception. Living room furniture sets and traditional bedroom furniture sets include matching pieces, and you’ll typically find items in pairs. By pairing two sofas and a set of chairs in your seating area, or matching end tables or nightstands, traditional style achieves an easy and visually appealing sense of balance and harmony.

A traditional bedroom set will always be coveted by some for its classic appeal and timeless elements. However, with new traditional style you can achieve a classic look with a more current twist by choosing furniture that complements but does not completely match. For example, you can pair a classic sleigh bed or even a romantic and traditional four-post bed with a mid-century modern dresser and nightstands. By mixing and matching traditional pieces with furniture and décor from other design genres, you can give your bedroom a less formal, more contemporary feel that still carries a timeless appeal. The ability to mix and match favorite pieces from different eras can also result in a room that is more personalized to your unique tastes. Just use common elements like color and shape to make sure your furniture still fits together cohesively.

Once you have the hang of it, you can use the same strategy outside of your bedroom to blend traditional furniture with modern pieces. Pair a traditionally inspired sofa and loveseat with a casual media console or contemporary occasional tables. With the freedom to mix and match genres in the new traditional style, your living room has never looked so good!

Focus on comfort

The new traditional style focuses more on comfort. Think sofas that you can sink into, and chairs that are comfortable enough to lounge in while still formal enough to help fulfill your entertaining needs. To achieve this, new traditional furniture often combines classic silhouettes with larger scales that are popular today.

Don’t overdo it

While traditional style includes full furniture sets and ornate home décor, today’s take on traditional simplifies some things. Taking note from modern, minimalistic style as well as it’s classic roots, the new traditional style combines the best of both worlds. The new traditional design is generally more comfortable and inviting than modern style, yet it still reduces the visual impact of furniture and home décor over the classically traditional look. With furniture featuring familiar silhouettes but simpler lines and less detailing, it creates a clean and slightly more contemporary feel. Additionally, you can select pieces that play double duty, such as storage beds and ottomans, helping to reduce the number of pieces you need, as well as the clutter in your rooms. Remember, by keeping rooms clutter free, you can really enjoy the pieces that you have.

Simplify windows

Heavy drapes are common in traditional design. Often featuring florals, paisleys, stripes or plaids, these curtains are definitely statement pieces. New traditional design helps soften up this style by opting for simple and light window treatments over classic, heavy drapes. Sheer fabric curtains or blinds alone are often used, bringing an airy feel into your room and letting other signature pieces become the focal point of your space.

Area rugs

Traditional style is synonymous with Oriental rugs. To achieve new traditional style, you can pair more modern rugs, such as one featuring a monochromatic color palette or textured materials such as sisal, with your traditional furniture. Whether a modern rug is paired with a traditional bed in your master suite or a traditional sofa in your living room, the pairing of traditional and contemporary will feel current. You can alternatively enjoy a beautiful Oriental patterned rug with a more updated treatment. For instance, erased rugs feature traditional patterns with faded effects that makes them look more in-trend, yet still carry their classic style.

Traditional design will never go out of style. However, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. With new traditional furniture and home décor, you can bring classic appeal into the current century. Plus, you can create a personalized and comfortable space that you and guests are sure to enjoy.