Striding The Fine Line Between Class & Pretentiousness

If anything is refined, it runs the risk of seeming a little too much. For instance, let’s consider personal style. Wearing a waistcoat, a bow-tie, a gentlemanly hat, and even some gloves could be seen as neat, polished and formal, but add a walking cane, a monocle, and a handlebar moustache to your general style? Well, to many, that will be a little much.

This funny example hopefully illustrates that class and pretentiousness are separated by a fine line, and this will often be determined by the eye of the beholder. In order to avoid the likelihood of people viewing you as a the latter, it’s good to moderate how ornately you decorate, how overbearing your aesthetic embellishments are.

This applies, perhaps most of all, to the principles involved in good interior design. With that in mind, we hope to discuss how to stride the fine line between class and pretentiousness, and how you would even begin to determine that line in the first place. Hopefully, this enables you to add more class to your property without worrying about ruining the natural character within.

Statement Pieces, Selectively Placed

A statement piece is just that, a statement, and as such should be placed sparingly, and with care. This isn’t a difficult task of course, in fact having less to worry about can be freeing. For instance, implementing fantastic four poster beds in your property can help each bedroom sing; while also allowing you to keep that as the most ornate piece of furniture, with careful curtains or netting to provide some comforting shade when laying down. This is a wow-piece, and so you won’t need to implement overly baroque wardrobes to match. This can help you save, but also to gain more of a purposeful direction to your decorative effort.

Consider The Utility Of Trimmings

It’s good to consider how certain trimmings will provide utility to your property also. An ornate lighting fixture that resembles a chandelier might seem quite intensive, but it if helps refract beautiful light around the room in a soft glow, while also providing some much-needed decoration to the room without  taking up too much space well, you can see how going a little overboard, if done for the right reasons, can also be a fantastic idea. Think of this as a little indulgence, like a little powdered sugar on top of your baked treat – sure, it might be a little more than you need, but if well placed it won’t seem too much.

Less Is More

When talking about Class & Pretentiousness, remember that less is more. So it’s fine to go for that amazing, ornate decoration, even if it’s a little much like an oil painting of your family hanging in the hall. But then it’s good to format the rest of the decorations using this as a focal point, and not overdo it with the art. Consider a point system in your mind, where larger, more decorative elements demand more spaced, minimal surroundings. This provides balance, calm, and a sense of equilibrium to the space. It’s hard to think of a tastefully restraint space, even with quite bold design decisions, to be overtly pretentious. But remember – don’t be afraid to let the space feel lived in.

With this advice, you’re sure to stride that titular line in all your interior design efforts.