How to Decorate a Neoclassical Foyer
Classic interior styling dominated Europe long before Europeans started migrating to the U.S., yet the lines, textures, colors and shapes that glorified Greece, Rome and other early societies reappear as decorating themes with regularity in today’s contemporary home. Ask a designer or architect for a neoclassical design and you should get a balance of Old World sensibilities and new world features. Does this Spark an idea?
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Pick a Focal Point
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Choose one focal point that defines your vision of neoclassical art. The right painting, mirror, bas-relief wall art or tapestry sets the tone for your foyer once you’ve painted or papered entryway walls in shades of muted white, pale pink or blue, cream and gray. Choose a focal point that personifies Greek, Georgian or Classical Revival art styles and you’re on the right track. Mount the focal point at eye level and use it as your inspiration when choosing other touches.
Add an Area Rug
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Match the aforementioned focal point with a properly sized area rug featuring a pattern that typifies Neoclassicism -- an era that lasted only from 1750 to 1800. Adding a patterned floor element welcomes guests and family and can invite them to step inside and get a taste of what’s to come when they see the other rooms in your home.
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Hang a Chandelier
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Reinforce the elegance of your entryway by replacing a simple ceiling fixture with a 19th century neoclassical reproduction chandelier that’s lavished with crystals amid gold-toned branches. No need to go for a chandelier that’s as large as those hanging at Versailles; a small one will leave the impression you seek to make when decorating your neoclassical foyer.
Select a Neoclassical Cabinet
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Place a cabinet, chest or table against the wall and directly beneath your hanging focal point. A neoclassical-styled cabinet sporting bas-relief pillars or a table designed in the style of Louis XVI, Chippendale or Adam looks lovely on the outside and makes an efficient storage hub for gloves, scarves, keys, a spare garage door opener and other on-the-go necessities. Place a seasonal flower arrangement, holiday decor or sculptures recalling the era, such as cherubs, pillars and neoclassical objects d'art, atop the piece so it picks up wall and rug colors.
Add Plaster Columns
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Classic Greek and Roman interior design relied heavily on Corinthian-, Doric- and Ionic-style pillars to add graceful architectural elements to all rooms. Install half-pillars against the foyer wall or use full pillars as display stands leading into your home to connect the foyer to the rest of your house. Neoclassical pillars make coordinating elements if you choose to use them to decorate other rooms, too.
Go The Extra Mile
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Add one over-the-top touch element if you love drama: paint your foyer ceiling in the manner of the kings of France. A gold-leafed ceiling employing trompe l’oeil techniques such as cherubs and clouds can turn your home into a mini-Versailles and add the ultimate touch of neoclassical architectural styling. If your foyer is small, a decorated ceiling adds an optical illusion that can make your entryway look vaulted -- a touch that would delight Louis if he deigned to drop by.
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References
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