Decorating Guides
Decorating Styles
So Your Style Is: Preppy
Tennis anyone? Even if you've never picked up a racquet, you can join the All-American prep club with these style secrets
What it is: Preppy decor is as much about a lifestyle and culture as it is about a specific set of decorating dos and don'ts. It speaks of country clubs and social graces, family traditions and a genteel approach to work and play. Although it's often the target of gentle ribbing, preppy decor is less about snobbery than about an optimistic mindset that radiates confidence.
Why it works: There's something classically, comfortably American about preppy style. It manages to evoke an unstudied air that belies the meticulous detail that goes into it. Its aspirational quality sparks in us a desire to enjoy the refined things in life — and who couldn't use a little more of that?
You'll love it if ... You've memorized The Official Preppy Handbook. You're on a first-name basis with the L.L. Bean folks. You'd never dream of vacationing anywhere but Cape Cod. You got your first tennis racquet as a toddler. You can tie a bow tie in your sleep.
More 'So Your Style Is':
Traditional | Arts & Crafts | Hollywood Regency | Rustic | Old World | Cottage
Eclectic | French Country | Coastal | Art Deco | Transitional | Contemporary
Midcentury Modern | Industrial
Why it works: There's something classically, comfortably American about preppy style. It manages to evoke an unstudied air that belies the meticulous detail that goes into it. Its aspirational quality sparks in us a desire to enjoy the refined things in life — and who couldn't use a little more of that?
You'll love it if ... You've memorized The Official Preppy Handbook. You're on a first-name basis with the L.L. Bean folks. You'd never dream of vacationing anywhere but Cape Cod. You got your first tennis racquet as a toddler. You can tie a bow tie in your sleep.
More 'So Your Style Is':
Traditional | Arts & Crafts | Hollywood Regency | Rustic | Old World | Cottage
Eclectic | French Country | Coastal | Art Deco | Transitional | Contemporary
Midcentury Modern | Industrial
Style Secret: Traditional Palettes
Preppy colors are strong and classic. The iconic color scheme is pink and green, à la Lilly Pulitzer apparel (a prep staple if ever there was one). But navy and red, pine green, mellow gold, and rich and leathery browns are equally appropriate.
Updated twist: You don't have to go overboard and drench a room in your chosen color scheme. The brilliant pink and soft green in the bedroom above are balanced by a healthy dose of white to make them feel more of the moment.
Preppy colors are strong and classic. The iconic color scheme is pink and green, à la Lilly Pulitzer apparel (a prep staple if ever there was one). But navy and red, pine green, mellow gold, and rich and leathery browns are equally appropriate.
Updated twist: You don't have to go overboard and drench a room in your chosen color scheme. The brilliant pink and soft green in the bedroom above are balanced by a healthy dose of white to make them feel more of the moment.
Style Secret: Classic Furnishings
Preppy furnishings hew to traditional profiles and time-honored materials. Think club chairs, Chesterfield sofas (especially in leather) and bamboo étagères. Authentic Oriental rugs and kilims dress the floors — when they're not left bare to showcase beautiful hardwoods.
Updated twist: Freshen old-school furniture with a few newer pieces that retain a hint of the preppy look. The coffee table above wouldn't be out of a place in an industrial setting, yet its mellow patina feels right at home in a room full of gently worn counterparts.
Preppy furnishings hew to traditional profiles and time-honored materials. Think club chairs, Chesterfield sofas (especially in leather) and bamboo étagères. Authentic Oriental rugs and kilims dress the floors — when they're not left bare to showcase beautiful hardwoods.
Updated twist: Freshen old-school furniture with a few newer pieces that retain a hint of the preppy look. The coffee table above wouldn't be out of a place in an industrial setting, yet its mellow patina feels right at home in a room full of gently worn counterparts.
Style Secret: Monograms
What's preppy style without monograms? They pop up on everything from bed and bath linens to barware and throw pillows — a discreet (or not so discreet) mark of pride in one's name and heritage.
Updated twist: Give monograms a fresh spin with mod-looking fonts and fun colors. Or consider monogramming unexpected objects, such as chair backs.
What's preppy style without monograms? They pop up on everything from bed and bath linens to barware and throw pillows — a discreet (or not so discreet) mark of pride in one's name and heritage.
Updated twist: Give monograms a fresh spin with mod-looking fonts and fun colors. Or consider monogramming unexpected objects, such as chair backs.
Style Secret: Nautical Accents
Boating goes hand in hand with the classic preppy lifestyle, so maritime touches are de rigueur. You can't go wrong with nautical stripes, maps or prints — just avoid overdoing it and ending up with a gaudy space. Preppy is never kitschy.
Updated twist: Keep these accents simple and graphic. For example, a display of framed nautical flags hung in a grid would lend an appealing graphic punch. Or focus on just a few simple, standout elements, such as the oar, rope knot and model sailboat above.
Boating goes hand in hand with the classic preppy lifestyle, so maritime touches are de rigueur. You can't go wrong with nautical stripes, maps or prints — just avoid overdoing it and ending up with a gaudy space. Preppy is never kitschy.
Updated twist: Keep these accents simple and graphic. For example, a display of framed nautical flags hung in a grid would lend an appealing graphic punch. Or focus on just a few simple, standout elements, such as the oar, rope knot and model sailboat above.
Style Secret: Trim and Rickrack
In preppy design, details matter. Trims, from grosgrain ribbon to piping to pom-poms, add a polished touch to upholstered furnishings, window treatments and lampshades. The most important rule of thumb: Keep it tasteful. Think plain and modest, not overblown and in-your-face.
Updated twist: To steer clear of fussiness, limit the number of trims you incorporate into a single space. The dainty lamp above, for example, is balanced by sleeker accents in the same color family for a streamlined look.
In preppy design, details matter. Trims, from grosgrain ribbon to piping to pom-poms, add a polished touch to upholstered furnishings, window treatments and lampshades. The most important rule of thumb: Keep it tasteful. Think plain and modest, not overblown and in-your-face.
Updated twist: To steer clear of fussiness, limit the number of trims you incorporate into a single space. The dainty lamp above, for example, is balanced by sleeker accents in the same color family for a streamlined look.
Style Secret: Vintage Accessories
Preppy homes celebrate their hand-me-downs and family heirlooms in an artful way. Old steamer trunks, vintage suitcases and more whisper of a worldly, well-traveled lifestyle. Items that hint at the sporting life, such as old tennis racquets or riding gear, feel pitch perfect as well.
Updated twist: Layer in these objects judiciously to avoid a mishmash or, worse, an overly themed space. In the bedroom shown here, suitcases are stacked casually to stand in for a night table, and the clean, crisp look that defines the rest of the space allows them to shine.
Preppy homes celebrate their hand-me-downs and family heirlooms in an artful way. Old steamer trunks, vintage suitcases and more whisper of a worldly, well-traveled lifestyle. Items that hint at the sporting life, such as old tennis racquets or riding gear, feel pitch perfect as well.
Updated twist: Layer in these objects judiciously to avoid a mishmash or, worse, an overly themed space. In the bedroom shown here, suitcases are stacked casually to stand in for a night table, and the clean, crisp look that defines the rest of the space allows them to shine.
Style Secret: Blue and White China
Blue and white china — ginger jars, plates, pitchers — is a preppy mainstay. Whether it's Delft or Blue Willow, it's timeless enough to blend with virtually any palette and mix of furnishings.
Updated twist: Instead of a traditional cluster of wall-hung plates or mass of jars on a mantel, arrange blue and white dishware in a more streamlined way. Display it in an orderly grid, as in this dining space, or group just a few pieces on a tabletop or shelf.
More:
Old-School Prep and Modern Prep
Getting Kate and Andy Spade's Preppy Look
Blue and white china — ginger jars, plates, pitchers — is a preppy mainstay. Whether it's Delft or Blue Willow, it's timeless enough to blend with virtually any palette and mix of furnishings.
Updated twist: Instead of a traditional cluster of wall-hung plates or mass of jars on a mantel, arrange blue and white dishware in a more streamlined way. Display it in an orderly grid, as in this dining space, or group just a few pieces on a tabletop or shelf.
More:
Old-School Prep and Modern Prep
Getting Kate and Andy Spade's Preppy Look
The preppy look is collected and curated, and a genteel mix of patterns lends itself to the aesthetic. Plaid is the iconic preppy print, but you also can't go wrong with stripes, houndstooth, gingham checks or herringbone, topped off with a tasteful needlepoint pillow or two. The key to mixing patterns is to pay attention to the scale and palette — too many large-scale prints will overwhelm each other; a bunch of small-scale ones can get lost. Colors don't have to match, but they should at least stay in the same family.
Updated twist: Offset patterned pieces with textural elements to enhance the visual depth. In this breakfast area, basket-weave chairs complement the plaid banquette beautifully.