Things You'll Need:
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Step 1
Choose a sofa for comfort. Modern pieces can hint at Old World styling through the use of tapestry-type upholstery; antique settees might have cane seats plus carved frames and cushions, or rush seats and a simple, rustic frame.
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Step 2
Go with end tables that are elaborately carved or simple, with turned legs and round or square feet. Because Old World styling is an eclectic look, these tables need not match.
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Step 3
Mate the tables with lamps that have a stone look or possibly combine with bronze-finish metal. The lamps should remind you of something rescued from an archaeological dig or perhaps purchased in a museum gift shop; parchment shades - possibly lined or edged with gold - complement Old World styling.
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Step 4
Use a low chest, such as an Italian-style chest with a touch of gold or silver leafing, as a coffee table.
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Step 5
Select a flooring that imitates stone. For an area rug, go with a tapestry look (perhaps in needlepoint) for a formal, ornate room or perhaps sisal in a more primitive room.
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Step 6
Place a couple of Gothic-style chairs (the backs of the chairs will be pointed) in the room for extra seating.
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Step 7
Give the walls a rough plaster or stucco look, or paint them red, a favorite color during the Renaissance. Deck the walls with a tapestry, stained glass (religious themes are excellent) and/or pictures that suggest Renaissance-era art (Raphael, da Vinci, Michelangelo).
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Step 8
Cover windows with a heavy tapestry-like fabric, possibly with bullion fringe in an ornate, formal living room. Or use simple tab tops made of a homespun, nubby fabric on basic iron or metallic gold rods.
