Unless you know a lot about interior design, you probably don’t know the difference between modern, contemporary, and traditional design styles.  But when it comes time to buy a sectional sofa, you will likely be asked what kind of design you want – especially if you are designing your own custom sectional sofa.

How prevalent are traditional sectional sofas?

The traditional design style is one of the most popular design schemes in American homes.  That’s why you see so many traditional sectional sofas for sale!

But how do you know if you like traditional sectional sofas?  How can you decide if you should put one in your house? 

Before you start sofa-hunting, there are 8 things you need to know about traditional sectional sofas:

1.  The traditional design style focuses on the trends of the 18^th and 19^th centuries, as they were portrayed in several different European countries.  Today, the most popular traditional influences are British Colonial, 18^th Century English, 19^th Century Neo-Classical, and French country. 

2.   Traditional sectional sofas usually incorporate peach, green, brown, or cream hues.  Most of the time, those colors are enhanced with warm wood tones and accent pieces that are bronze, gold, or silver.  No matter which of these combinations your traditional sectional sofa incorporates, the entire thing is designed to be warm and inviting.

3.  Patterns are big in traditional sectional sofas.  Most of the time, they have some sort of floral or plaid pattern.

4.  Traditional sectional sofas come with lots of “extras” – like tasseled cords and fringed skirts.

5.  Unlike their modern counterparts, traditional sectional sofas have lots of curved lines and ornate embellishments.  They are designed to be very plush and comfortable, while also looking very elegant.

6.  There is no “set” fabric when it comes to traditional sectional sofas.  They can come in a variety of fabrics, including leather and even microfiber.

7.  Even brand new traditional sectional sofas give off a “handed down” vibe.  Most of them look like they could have been passed down from generation to generation before they would up in your living room.

8.  Traditional sectional sofas work well with antique touches – like wood floors, elaborate moldings, arches, and columns.  Those design pieces can really bring out the elegance of a traditional sectional sofa, while a new sofa can provide a way to tie all of those pieces together.

Related:

• F.A.Q.’s About Sectional Sofas
• Discount Sectional Sofas