The Empire style originated in interior design under Emperor Napoleon I Bonaparte. This original and solemn French style replaced classicism.
FEATURES OF THE EMPIRE STYLE IN THE INTERIOR
The characteristic features of the Empire style in cottage design are:
- Solemnity and splendor.
- Form clarity
- High ceilings
- An abundance of stucco.
- The presence of a large amount of decor in antique style.
- A large number of paintings on the walls in carved frames.
- Expensive materials are used to create the style: wood, gilding, bronze, marble, silk.
- Saturated bright interior colors reminiscent of gemstone tones.
DESIGN ELEMENTS IN EMPIRE STYLE
The interiors of Empire-style cottages are distinguished by their clarity of form, structuring and symmetry. A characteristic feature of this style are high ceilings and wall-to-wall windows. For the design of cottages in this style, bright, slightly “theatrical” colors are used. Most often you can find bright red, deep blue, emerald green. In addition, gold color prevails in any interior in the Empire style. It can be found in large quantities both in finishing elements and in decor. Often the walls are decorated with silk fabric or its imitation. You can just paint the walls with bright paint. The Empire style is characterized by antique forms: consoles, columns, cornices. The floor in such interiors is usually parquet. It is best if it is not a monophonic parquet, but artistic, from different types of wood. In addition, in such interiors there is often a marble floor or its imitation. The Empire style ceiling is usually white or cream, but with more stucco. To create an interior in the Empire style, you should choose luxurious and expensive furniture with carved elements. Usually it is made of expensive wood species. This direction is distinguished by a large number of different furniture in the interior: cabinets, racks, whatnots, sofas, armchairs, chairs, dressing tables. Armchairs and sofas can be finished with the same fabric as the walls. A large number of decorative elements is a feature of the Empire style. Most often, these are things in the antique style: sculptures, paintings in luxurious frames, bulky clocks, porcelain vases and tea sets. In addition, chandeliers are most often hung on the walls, and a large chandelier is hung on the ceiling. Windows are decorated with heavy curtains. This direction is very suitable for cottages, because it was born during the palaces and luxurious large houses. For an ordinary apartment, the interior in this style will be too overloaded.