| If you've decided to decorate your living room in a | | | | vases in blue and white or green provide good |
| classic or traditional style, this second part of our two | | | | lampbases; wood stained to a mahogany or ebony |
| part series will provide you with some wonderful tips | | | | finish on brass bases are also ideal. Fit them with a |
| and ideas... | | | | simple parchment or pleated silk shade. |
| Furnishings | | | | Large, gilt-framed landscapes or portraits look suitably |
| Elegance and comfort are essential elements of the | | | | imposing, together with a large framed mirror over the |
| classic style living room. Choose a boxy-shaped sofa | | | | fireplace. Architectural engravings or botanical prints in |
| with comfortable, soft cushions covered in a | | | | narrow black frames add a sophisticated touch. Hang |
| longwearing woven stripe or damask. Team it with a | | | | them in groups, perhaps linked with a picture bow or |
| selection of different seating styles, covered in toning | | | | stick-on, printed classical swags and borders. |
| but different fabrics. This looks more natural than a | | | | Choose ornaments carefully, avoiding a cluttered look; |
| matching suite, and you can pick up bargains to | | | | a single big plaster bust - some museums sell copies |
| revamp. A chesterfield or chaise longue adds an | | | | of original antiquities - placed on a side table or in the |
| authentic touch. | | | | hearth, has real impact. Symmetry is an important |
| Glass-fronted cupboards are perfect for displaying | | | | element - matching stylized china dogs or cats either |
| favorite china or old books. Chests and trunks with | | | | side of the hearth is a typical classic look; or place |
| upholstered tops - or draped with a shawl or throw - | | | | matching china figurines on the mantelpiece. |
| provide a useful surface, and hidden storage space, | | | | Details |
| too. Modern items such as the TV and stereo are | | | | Small touches can create the impression of graceful |
| best tucked away in built-in storage systems. | | | | living that typifies classic style. Flowers are always |
| Look for small decorative tables to hold lamps and | | | | important; create a big, splashy formal display of |
| collections of silver-framed photos; or buy inexpensive | | | | greenery and twigs, and supplement it with fresh |
| particleboard tables and disguise them with matching | | | | flowers in season. Place bowls of scented dried |
| floor-length circular cloths trimmed with deep fringing. | | | | flower heads or potpourri on tables for a drift of |
| Create a soft, atmospheric glow with careful lighting. If | | | | perfumed air. |
| you have a central chandelier, fit a dimmer switch so | | | | Handworked items, such as tapestry cushions, old |
| you can create a candle-like glimmer. Wall lights, table | | | | silver, and leather-bound books, create a sense of the |
| lamps, and floor lamps, or candles set around the | | | | past. Group objects together carefully to complement |
| room, create pools of warm light. Large Chinese-style | | | | each other. |