Neoclassical Decoration Ideas

Historical Inspirations

• Neoclassicism, in fact, specifically refers to an 18th-century art and design movement. A reaction against the ornate Baroque style, Neoclassical artists upheld ancient Roman art and culture, claiming ancient cultures as particularly learned and moral. Famous examples include Jacques-Louis David's painting The Oath of the Horatii, notable for its balanced composition and restrained use of color. Josiah Wedgwood popularized the style for the middle classes by echoing the subject matter and format of ancient Greek vases, updating them in then-contemporary colors, and mass producing them.
  
  

Balance and Proportion

• Any classicizing -- a word that describes classically inspired styles -- relies on mathematical proportion and balance. In neoclassical decor, the arrangements of architectural elements should be symmetrical; for example, a table on a sofa's left should match a copy of that table to the sofa's right. Designers interested in capturing a neoclassical ambiance should take care to evenly space furniture, art and other objects -- think back to the Parthenon in Athens, whose architects carefully calculated the proportional relationships between every one of the building's architectural elements.
  
  

Color Schemes

• Neoclassical colors include pale blues, grays and subdued terra cottas, colors that set off large and light-filled rooms. Though neoclassical decor is understated, the occasional bold color is fine. Bright objects and wall art can add a touch of flair to an otherwise simple interior. Another option involves installing a waist-high molding with a slightly darker paint or simple wallpaper below the molding, and a white or pale cream above.
  
  

Architectural Details

• Arched doorways are common in Neoclassical decorationJupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images
  
  Curved arches over doorways or windows often help an interior hearken back to antiquity. The ancient Romans popularized the use of arches, which have shown up in other classicizing periods like the High Renaissance and 18th-century neoclassicism.
  
  

Art and Objects

• Neoclassicist designers frequently use marble in walls, floors and decorative objects.Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  Select objects with ancient Greek or Roman motifs to emphasize the neoclassicism of an interior. Look through books with images of ancient art and architecture for inspiration. When shopping for decorative objects, look for those made in marble or terra cotta, both materials frequently used by classical cultures.
  
  Neoclassical art is frequently "figurative;" that is, it contains images of human figures. The ancient Romans, for example, made marble portrait busts for centuries, and you can find similar busts today.
  
  

Modern and Contemporary Interpretations

• Though not laden with explicitly Greek or Roman motifs, many modern interiors drew inspiration from classical and neoclassical aesthetics with spare and light-colored walls, little to no ornamentation and large light-filled rooms (like Roman or Greek atria). Among others, Le Corbusier looked back to neoclassical and classicizing architects like Palladio in order to find architectural "perfection" in balance and proportion; the evenly-spaced columns in his Villa Savoye are a great example of modernist adaptations of classical aesthetics.
  
  It's thus perfectly allowable to avoid specifically imitating the styles of antiquity; the fundamentals of neoclassical decoration are in symmetrical arrangements and balanced proportions.