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Traditional Living Room Accessories for a Refined Style

Showing the objects of your affection has never been more refined. See how photographs and more can bring an elegant personality to rooms

Julia Pockett September 14, 2012

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The living room is arguably one of the most versatile rooms in the house. It serves as the place where the family comes together, where you entertain friends, read a book, watch a movie, chat and relax. In old British country houses, there was often a sitting room, which acted as a more formal place in which to entertain guests. There was also a living room for the family to relax in.

These days, we would consider having two separate rooms a luxury, so the living room has become the place for both. Because it is probably the most public room in the house, make sure your living room reflects your personality and is a place where you feel really comfortable. Use it for displaying your favorite objects and accessories that say something about you.

J. Stephens Interiors

Reflection. Most traditional living rooms have a fireplace as a focal point, which works well with a mirror or painting hung over it. My preference is a mirror, as I love to see candlesticks on the mantel, and a mirror reflects that lovely candlelight beautifully.

Pick up cheap secondhand candlesticks and use gold or silver spray paint for a great antique effect.

Mustard Seed Interiors

Mirrors don't have to be saved for mantel pieces. The one in this living room is so clever. The position allows it to reflect the light from the windows at right angles, making the room appear brighter and larger. The mirror's design blends with the curtains, almost making it look like another window.

Jute Interior Design

Photo gallery. Photographs say more about us than anything else. Try to stick with a theme when displaying yours — maybe travel, family, landscapes or objects. It doesn't really matter, as long as the pictures make you happy.

If you have a more formal room, a symmetrical display of photos sized and framed identically would work well. However, the Victorians loved to create tight displays of nonmatching frames, so feel free to get creative.

Kristie Barnett, The Decorologist

Framed art. Artwork is key to a traditional living room design. Look for landscapes, animals and plant prints.

However, we can't all afford fine watercolors and oil paintings. You can pick up up lovely old frames for next to nothing at junk stores. Don't worry if you don't like the picture or the frame is tatty. Simply order an unframed print you like on the Internet, spray paint the frame and create your own "Old Master" piece.

Rachel Oliver Design, LLC

Room for display. Shelving in a recess beside the fire gives you the opportunity to display your favorite things. Vases are a great way to incorporate an accent color, but if you want to use one for flowers too, take careful measurements so you can fit the vase and blooms on the shelf.

Tiffany Eastman Interiors, LLC

A classic theme. Traditional living rooms are ideal for displaying a group of themed items. The colors in this room are very coastal, and this group of ornaments reinforces the style perfectly. When grouping themed items, stick with odd numbers (three works really well) and different heights, shapes or textures to ensure that the look isn't too uniform.

Allison Jaffe Interior Design LLC

Here is another room that has kept with a lovely theme in aqua tones, picked up in the cushions, the vase and the pictures. Consider the room without the coral shade on the table lamp — it would fall a bit flat.

Lola Watson Interior Design

Soft lighting. Because the living room serves so many purposes, lighting becomes extra important. You need well-placed task lighting for reading, but you also need it to provide a soft ambience for relaxing. Table lamps are a traditional choice; check out the huge array of antique replicas on the market. I like the black lamp shades used here — the splash of black really grounds the scheme.

Home & Harmony

Touches of comfort. These days we all have central heating, and if you're lucky you may have an open fire too. But I love using throws in the living room. Not only can you use them to accessorize the design, but they also can add a comfortable edge to a more formal scheme. For me, there is nothing better than to snuggle under a good throw for a cozy night in. If you have pale upholstery and pets, throws also provide a practical way to protect your furniture.