Empire style in the interior – luxury worthy of an emperor

The Empire style in the interior is often called palace or imperial. The main distinguishing feature of this trend is pomp, luxury and the triumphant triumph of the monarchy. Empire style is designed to emphasize the status of the owner and amaze guests with grandeur. The halls of French and Russian palaces are decorated in this style. However, the Empire dates back to ancient Rome..

Empire style in the interior of the room

Empire style room design

Modern apartment design in the Empire style

The origins of the style

It was in the Roman passion for monumentality, the perpetuation of the triumph of the great empire that the creators of the French Empire drew their inspiration. By order of Napoleon Bonaparte, they had to make a kind of revolution in the interior. The strict features of classicism receded into the background. Now every detail in the decoration of the halls had to emphasize the importance of the supreme power and power of the emperor.

Outstanding painters of that time and architects also worked on the creation of the rooms in the Empire style. Even the furniture in the Château Tuileries and the Louvre itself during the reign of Bonaparte was made according to special sketches developed in the Empire style..

Certain changes appeared in the Empire style after the campaign in Egypt. From this hot country, the French Empire inherited a craving for lion heads and paws, which were skillfully combined with classical Roman columns. Furniture has experienced this feature most of all. But despite foreign borrowing of new symbols of power (and, in some cases, thanks to them), the Empire style in the interior has special distinctive features.

Empire style in the interior

Empire style design idea

Main features

Neoclassicism, with its craving for its monumentality and massiveness of objects, became the supporting platform for creating lush interiors in the Empire style. But unlike the classical rectilinear forms, the Empire style looks more impressive thanks to the sphinxes, bas-reliefs and ornaments of a triumphant military theme.

Among the distinctive features of the Empire style:

all design elements should be ideally combined with the general direction and emphasize the majesty of the style;
the Empire style in the interior presupposes the presence of exquisite elements that meet the rules of symmetry;
the revitalization of the space with the help of a large number of decorative elements made in the style of the ancient Egyptian kingdom, the era of the Roman heyday and the period of the Greek rise of culture is welcomed;
rooms decorated in the Empire style must necessarily be decorated with coats of arms and symbols of military triumph;
a distinctive feature is the presence of consoles, pilasters and columns;
high canopies and heavy curtains made of expensive fabrics;
furniture deserves special attention since the time of Bonaparte (in the Empire style, massive headsets with exquisite carvings and a unique shape, made of expensive wood species).

But, the main requirement that must be met when giving preference to the Empire style is space, which is the main distinguishing feature of the Empire style in the interior. The premises should be visually voluminous, high ceilings, large windows. And, of course, you should pay special attention to the color..

Empire style in the interior of the room

Empire style room design

Modern apartment design in the Empire style

It’s all about color

Empire style is, first of all, luxury. Therefore, colors in this style need rich, bright, but, at the same time, calm and proud. The classic of the genre is gold. This is a symbol of power and wealth, so you can feel free to use gold trims as a decor..

As the base colors in the Empire style, it is best to choose noble, rich colors: blood red, deep blue, sky blue or white. However, it is worth using color combinations carefully. In order not to get the avant-garde instead of the Empire style, you need to maintain the premises in a certain color scheme, not allowing tricolors. Walls, floor and ceiling must be in harmony with each other.

Features of the Empire style in the interior

In the Empire style, walls play an important role. They occupy the lion’s share of the space of the room and catch the eye even at the entrance. Therefore, silk or brocade fabrics are most often used as wall decoration..

Empire style in the interior

Empire style design idea

Walls

Given the progress made in modern interiors, expensive fabrics can be replaced with textured coatings that imitate woven materials. Wallpaper decorated with African motifs or military symbols will look best. If a more austere atmosphere is desired, textured wall coverings with simple, monosyllabic patterns can be used..

Also, the walls, decorating rooms in the Empire style, are usually decorated with blank arcades, Roman columns, medallions, frescoes and bas-reliefs. Artistic décor elements that adorn the walls must certainly intersect with the military theme. Large mirrors are a must.

Empire style in the interior of the room

Empire style room design

Modern apartment design in the Empire style

Ceiling

The ceiling is equally important. For its design, you also need to use only natural and expensive elements. Strictly in the center, you need to place a large crystal chandelier. Around the main detail, the ceiling is decorated with gilded stucco moldings. The color scheme, most often, is white, but it is possible to take liberties, use materials of a milky or light beige color for painting.

Floor

When it comes to the Empire style, the choice of flooring is not too large. Either mahogany parquet or marble mosaic, with motifs from Greek or Roman artwork, can be used.

Window

The windows, depending on the purpose of the room, can be decorated with silk curtains or multi-layered heavy fabrics with fringes. The color palette of the curtains should be in the style of the imperial palaces – purple, red base with gold embossing and bordering.

Empire style in the interior

Empire style design idea

Furniture

Empire style furniture is heavy objects made of mahogany wood, decorated with carvings and gilding. The surface of the furniture in the Empire style interior is always smoothly polished, the legs are most often made like lion’s paws, Egyptian sphinxes or Roman columns. When choosing furniture for a modern living room, it is best to give preference to antique samples..

Rooms decorated in an imperial style will perfectly complement old dressers, sideboards, round tables, graceful couches with soft shapes. By the way, the Empire style acquired smooth features after adaptation to the Russian public. The French, called to the nobility, decorated the estates of the nobles, softening the military triumphal forms of the French style.

Empire style in the interior of the room

Empire style room design

Modern apartment design in the Empire style

Russian Empire

For a long time, it was forbidden to import furniture purchased in France into Russia. But “catalogs” with sketches of French architects still end up in the country, which makes it possible to manufacture headsets in accordance with new fashion trends..

Furniture in Russian rooms is made not only from mahogany, but also from rosewood or Karelian birch wood. In the province, the use of ash, walnut or linden was allowed. Its forms come out softer, and the effect of “monumentality” disappears. At the same time, the furniture of the metropolitan salons most closely matches the French Empire standards, but as you move away from the center, the shapes of the headsets become soft and cozy at home, they lose formality and pomp – an obligatory attribute of the Empire style..

The furniture was decorated with gilded overlays, mosaics, upholstered in silk and velvet. Provincial headsets dispensed with carvings and chintz upholstery.

Empire style in the interior

Empire style design idea

Living room a la Versailles

Most often, design solutions in the “regal” style are used when decorating living rooms. Depending on the size of the room, you can use a full set of decorative tools or use the basic decor elements..

Houses with a spacious living room can be divided into zones using Roman columns. But apartments that do not differ in large areas, it is better not to load with decorative means, so as not to cause a feeling of clutter.

Furniture in an Empire style living room should be voluminous, heavy and comfortable. Cheap headsets and fabrics should be avoided. The imperial style obliges to maintain status and nobility in everything, including materials. However, today it is possible to use analogues that imitate expensive types of wood and fabrics, but you need to choose them with great care, because such products can quickly lose their representative appearance..

Empire style in the interior of the room

Empire style room design

Modern apartment design in the Empire style

You can complement the living room interior with ottomans. The color of the upholstery should be rich: red, emerald, chocolate. In some cases, the use of black is allowed..

A wooden bookcase, an elegant rounded coffee table will not be superfluous. Decorations on furniture should match the overall style. Embossed gold-plated overlays are welcome. Empire style, for all its splendor, will fit perfectly into a large country house, but it will also look no less impressive in an ordinary apartment. At the same time, a properly planned arrangement of individual elements will make the space of the rooms brighter, more airy..

Ideal design principles

The following tips will help you create royal chic within a city apartment..

The design of royal castles is characterized by order and harmony. All elements must be symmetrical.
Decor elements must necessarily belong to the past centuries and extol the greatness of the owner (for example, you can use stucco in the form of crossed swords or fragments of the family coat of arms).
Gilding will give a higher status to the owner.
Empire style can be used for the design of everyday spaces, choosing softer tones and using fewer decorative elements..
Classic color combinations in the imperial style are white-blue, brown-white, red-brown, blue-white.
Large mirrors are required.
For guest rooms, it is better to use more saturated and contrasting color combinations; in living rooms, on the contrary, you need to reduce the contrast.

And, of course, any interior will not look holistic without decorative elements..

Empire style in the interior

Empire style design idea

Focus on detail

As mentioned above, it is necessary to decorate rooms with expensive materials – crystal, marble, gold (less often silver), bronze, ebony or mahogany, silk, etc. But in order to withstand the style features, the details should not be clearly selected.

A good solution would be:

bronze figurines of a military theme (torches, swords, spears, etc.);
handmade carpets and tapestries;
paintings in massive gilded frames;
figurines and elements in the form of pyramids, sphinxes;
skins of various animals;
large antique grandfather clock;
crystal volumetric chandeliers, candelabra and other lamps;
painted vases;
light marble chests and boxes;
porcelain and silver cutlery.

Empire style is a style invented for the emperor and for a long time remained the prerogative of royal palaces. However, you can feel yourself persona non grata within the city apartment. The main thing is to choose the right details and plan in advance all the nuances in the interior.