Do your home décor preferences land somewhere between traditional and contemporary? Do you love clean lines but you’re also drawn to rustic elements like raw wood?
If this describes you, then you may want to explore the Belgian interior design style.
A bit cleaner and more orderly than a Shabby Chic style and a little less spare and regimented than a Swedish style, Belgian décor manages to be both modern and vintage at the same time. The result of this balanced room styling is an inviting blend of beauty and comfort.
Would you like to be able to create this kind of space? Check out these seven interior design ideas that can help you design your room in a warm and welcoming Belgian Style.
1. Choose a Neutral Palette
The Belgian color palette is neutral and understated. Bright and bold have no place in this style. Instead of relying on color to create depth and interest, the Belgian style looks to texture for its impact. Because of this, color is used to set the feel of the room instead of being used to grab attention. Grays, whites, browns, and taupe tones reign in Belgian-style rooms.
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2. Trees Au Natural
The Belgian style uses rough and unpolished materials. The wood used in furniture and architectural features in this style is left in as close to a natural state as possible.
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3. Unpolished Metal
Metal elements are similarly unrefined. Burnished metal is the metal of choice. Look for metal elements that have a matte finish and an Old-World character.
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4. Texture Rules
As I said, the Belgian style relies on texture for its design impact. In addition to the texture created by rough wood and metal, highly tactile objects have a place in Belgian style rooms. Basketry, logs piled next to a fireplace, or, during the winter, small touches of fur will add depth and a homespun flavor to your space. Year-round, cover your wood floors with natural fiber rugs, such as sisal, to add layers to your room’s personality.
5. Keep Furniture Simple
Belgian-style furniture is pure and tidy with straight lines. Decorative excess isn’t allowed here.
Just because it’s plain, however, doesn’t mean Belgian-style furniture is boring. The juxtaposition of graceful fabrics and sleek wood give this furniture an unmistakable allure.
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6. Easy Loose Fabrics
Upholstered furniture pieces in the Belgian style should look friendly and even somewhat rumpled. In the bedroom, artfully disheveled linens and comforters will pair well with country-casual curtains. Adding a casual throw and pillows to a slipcovered sofa develops the ultimate in Belgian-style coziness.
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7. Accessories Inspired by Nature
In Belgian interior design, the accessories play both small and large roles. Their role is small in that there should be few of them, yet their impact should be big. Whatever pieces you choose must be influenced by nature. Carved wood, wicker, and candles are good choices.
A Belgian style room should have a lot of open, empty space. Just a few quiet accessories can make a significant impact. In this style, leaving beautiful wood furniture bare is an accessory in itself.
Photo by alexandre zveiger on Shutterstock
As you can see from the above ideas, the Belgian style is a pleasing casual style that’s livable and charming. Because its elements are so, well, elementary, it’s also easy and inexpensive to put together.
