What are the Different Types of Furniture Styles

If you’ve just begun decorating your home or you’re embarking on a renovation, this is an exciting time! Now is when you get to find out which styles interest you most. To help you along, the team at Victor’s Choice have put together a comprehensive furniture style guide.

Today, we’ll guide you through what the different types of furniture styles are, covering everything from traditional styles to the more recent industrial aesthetic. Whether you’re seeking a focal dining table, a luxurious bed frame, or NZ’s finest coffee table, you’re in the right place! Let’s dive in.

Traditional Furniture

First, we have to pay homage to the traditional aesthetic. Known for classical details, luxurious silhouettes, and an undeniable aura of elegance, this is the kind of furniture you might expect to find in a royal’s home. Traditional furniture is generally inspired by 18th and 19th-century design sensibilities, often featuring:

• Ornate Woodwork: Carved, intricate details and carefully wrought handmade pieces like dining tables and bed frames.
• Rich Fabrics: Velvet, silk, and brocade are common choices.
• Classic, Architectural Shapes: Wingback chairs, arched cabinets, and ornate desks are all hallmarks of the traditional style.

Modern Furniture

Let’s look past the 19th century to the early 20th when ornate traditional styles gave way to a more ‘modern’ furniture design. Modern furniture is all about clean lines, simplicity, and functionality in contrast to the richer styles of the preceding age. With modern furniture, you might expect:

• Clean Lines: Straight edges and smooth surfaces, giving the eye a place to rest in the home.
• Minimalism: Losing the ornamentation for simple form and function.
• Sleeker Materials: Metal, glass, and plywood became popular options for this aesthetic.

Aside from the standard ‘modern’ aesthetic, there are a couple of offshoots known as mid-century modern and post-modern aesthetics. These carry the through-line of clean lines and minimal ornamentation but evolved away from sleek materials to blend in the richer natural materials that were more celebrated at the time. Think wood, leather, and metal rather than glass and moulded plywood. Mid-century modern furniture also embraces bolder colours, offering a certain retro charm that could easily find its home indoors or outdoors.

Industrial Furniture

Next up, industrial furniture experienced a major revival in the early 2010s that remains to this day. Per its name, industrial furniture is inspired by factories and warehouses, highlighting raw materials and unfinished elements in an almost brutalist way. Industrial pieces are often used to contrast more natural elements in a home, such as plant life or natural textures, to create some visual interest. If you love the industrial look, you love:

• Exposed structures: Think visible beams, exposed woodwork, and visible joins or rivets.
• Rough textures: No more smoothness here; industrialism is all about concrete, brick, and rough metal.
• A neutral palette. Greys, blacks, and browns are the most popular colours.

Rustic Furniture

The word ‘rustic’ is fairly broad, but rustic furniture generally embraces the beauty of natural materials and rougher craftsmanship. This is a sharp difference from industrial furniture, which means the two are sometimes paired to add some personality to a space. Rustic furniture finds its home in shabby chic, cottagecore, and farmhouse-style décor schemes. It often features:

• Reclaimed wood: Embrace sustainability with weathered and repurposed materials that add rustic charm.
• Handcrafted details: Unique touches add personality to the home while giving the appearance of a one-of-a-kind piece.
• Earthy colours: Browns, greens, and warm neutrals are most at home in this style.

Scandinavian Furniture

Furniture originating from Nordic countries has its own unique design aesthetic, one that’s firmly made its way into the worldwide zeitgeist. While it’s similar to minimalism with its clean lines and emphasis on functionality, Scandinavian furniture has an almost coastal feel. Popular elements of this style include:

• Light woods: Think pine, beech, and ash wood instead of heavier mahogany or cherry. These woods are common in many bed frames in NZ.
• Soft hues: Whites, greys, and pastels lend some softness to functional corners.
• Functional design: Who said practicality and beauty can’t co-exist?

Art Deco Furniture

Finally, no furniture style guide is complete without mentioning the world of Art Deco. The Art Deco style emerged in the late 1920s and 1930s in direct response to the restrained, functional styles of the ages before it. This furniture is all about glamour and opulence, leaning into maximalism with plenty of glittering gold to lead the way. The most prominent Art Deco elements include:

• Geometric shapes: Bold, symmetrical patterns captured the interested of homeowners in the 1920s thanks to their renewed optimism.
• Luxurious materials. Lacquer, chrome, gold, glass, and exotic woods all make an appearance.
• Vibrant colours. Rich hues and contrasting tones are iconic aspects of this style.

Access the Perfect Furniture Style for Your Home at an Affordable Price with Victor’s Choice Furniture

Complete your home with our stunning furniture styles. We offer everything, from delightful dining tables to sturdy bed frames, for NZ customers. Browse our range to find the perfect piece for your home today!