Time After Time: Using Traditional Clocks in Modern Home Décor
Yes, most people use their phones to check the time these days, but traditional clocks can still serve a purpose in both contemporary form and function.
By Kelly O’Roark
In this digital age, having traditional clocks the home décor seems a bit archaic considering the numerous gadgets that give us the time. While iPads, laptops, and smartphones are certainly the usual way to find out how much time you have left to sleep in before your meeting, we still rely on traditional clocks whether we realize it or not.
Not only do they provide the time of day for those who aren’t attached to their digital devices 24/7, but wall clocks, nightstand clocks, and grandfather clocks can play a vital role in enriching your house design style by complementing your other home décor pieces.
Here are six examples of how these three types of traditional clocks can bring old-school charm to your modern world.
Wall Clocks
While a wall clock may seem like an antique in 2017, I can’t tell you how many times I use them to check the time. Even though I have clocks on my microwave and oven in the kitchen, I still refer to the wall clock in the breakfast nook to let me know if I’m running on schedule in the morning. Outside of the kitchen design, wall clocks can also be used in other rooms, such as the laundry room, bedroom, and home office.
In this laundry room, this wall clock not only serves as a way to check how much of my life is spent washing clothes (it’s too much, by the way), but it also serves as a beautiful decorative element for the part of the room that’s reserved for crafts and projects. Silk flowers, paintings, and smaller decorative items were placed in this corner of the room to make it more welcoming, while the wall clock serves as a bold statement piece of the interior design.
In this bedroom, the wall clock is mounted above a tall armoire. Again, this beautiful timepiece perfectly complements the wooden and metallic tones of the decorative items on either side of it. Believe it or not, after my alarm on my iPhone goes off in the morning, I solely rely on this wall clock to keep me on track as I’m getting ready.
Fun fact: Wall clocks don’t have to be hung onto walls. They can serve as a creative statement piece, such as the desk clock seen in this home office. It’s a unique way to display the time and also decorate your desk so that it feels less like a boring workstation and more like a comfortable home creativity space!
Mantel and Nightstand Clocks
Smaller clocks that can sit on mantels, shelves, and nightstands are a great way to subtly add clocks to your home décor, as they blend seamlessly into the rest of the surrounding items. This intricate wrought iron clock sits in the living room on built-in shelves above the fireplace. It’s diverse in that it’s placed in center stage, but also doesn’t necessarily stand out as the main focal point.
Not only is it a beautiful timepiece, but it’s also a great reference point to check the time as you’re reading on the couch to make sure that you don’t miss the newest episode of your favorite show! (See, having traditional clocks in the home is necessary!)
This nightstand clock serves as an alarm clock, but also adds a bit of old-school charm to the home décor. It’s form and colors blend in harmoniously with the photo and its frame, the table lamp, and the decorative tissue box to inconspicuously implement a traditional timekeeper in this contemporary space.
Grandfather Clocks
Grandfather clocks have been around for over three centuries, but their look is actually quite timeless. There’s something regal about these tall, handsome clocks, as they can act as a stand-alone statement piece in a grand foyer or formal living room, while confidently delivering the time without you having to turn your head.
This grandfather clock fits perfectly into the space between the wall and the main staircase in this foyer and is a charming and nostalgic way to hear the time hour-by-hour from wherever you are in the house. The beautiful wood tones are a striking contrast to the neutral wall behind it and complement the wooden stairs next to it.
Implementing traditional clocks in the home — whether your style is classic, modern, or a little bit of both — is a wonderful way to enhance your home décor while keeping a healthy balance of looking at your phone and just enjoying moments throughout the day where modern technology can take a backseat. It’s truly the best of both worlds.
Images used with permission, courtesy of Kelly O'Roark