Are You Making the Most of your French Armoire, Mirrors, and Lighting?
Are you admiring the Bridgerton décor but aren’t quite ready to part with your modern furniture? Thankfully, you can create a Royal Core inspired interior through accessories, such as carefully curated mirrors and lighting.
Royal core is a new and emerging trend inspired by popular TV shows and royal characters. The beautiful TV sets of The Crown, Bridgerton or The Great have influenced our tastes, encouraging us to bring traditional regency style into our contemporary homes. The style originates from the Arthurian times and encompasses multiple decades and cultures all the way through to the Belle Époque period.
By mixing lavish pieces from multiple eras, this aesthetic enables us to bring opulence into the home, creating a palace-like sanctuary without having to focus on all the pieces being from one period. Our interiors are an extension of us, so why not feel like the lord or lady of the manor in your home?
Royal Core aesthetic is easily mimicked in the modern home by making a few accessory tweaks, rather than the need for re-designing the entire living space. Regal accessory choices can revolutionise any room in any home.
The Palace of Versailles is a perfect reference point for this aesthetic, and if you want to be wowed, we recommend a quick google of ‘The Hall of Mirrors’ in Versailles. This breathtakingly beautiful room was built in 1678 and took eight years to be finalised. The look can be easily replicated (although on a much smaller scale!) in the contemporary home.
Mirrors
Finishing touches such as curved mirrors on window-less walls help the natural light bounce around the room, creating a soft and airy feel in the home. This also opens the room, giving the illusion of a bigger space. We love using mirrors with round, elegant curves to create a romantic, ornate feel, whilst still serving the purpose of brightening, and in turn opening the room.
You could also combine creating the illusion of space with function, using a mirrored French armoire. Using an armoire is the perfect way to give any room a period feel, and we love the idea of placing them in pairs - perhaps either side of a fireplace or mantelpiece.
Adding a statement chandelier would further heighten this elegant aesthetic; mix whites and golds with crystals, candelabra style holders and other delicate details to create a statement in your room – the light will also bounce of the mirrors at night to give the room a sense of grandeur.
Gold Accents
Gold accessories are another way to blend Royal Core with a contemporary home. Pairing gilded lamps or wall lights against muted pastel walls will add a touch of luxury whilst giving the room a romantic feel.
Alternatively, if you prefer a darker aesthetic, play with materials such as silk or velvet on lampshades with gold bases. Pair deep rich tones such as sapphire blues and emerald greens with dark wood and grand wall art – accompany this with careful gold detailing across accessories and create the perfect royal luxe look.
Bedside Accessories
Something as simple as popping a carefully selected lamp on your bedroom chests of drawers can change the entire feel of a room. Elevate the look further with simple finishing touches such as candelabras, which is another easy way to incorporate regency style into a modern home.
We love the idea of replacing the side lamps on your bedside tables with a pair of candelabras adorned with coloured dinner candles, or simply popping one on your dining table when hosting guests to provide a centre piece which will not go unspoken about!
By romanticising key visuals from royalty of times passed, we can allow their love of all things elegant into our homes. By choosing to adorn our homes with gilded furniture, romantic shapes, and crystal statement pieces, we can embody royalty, which makes us feel more empowered, more majestic, and overall, more fabulous.
In the wise words of Gianna Versace: “In the past, people were born royal. Nowadays, royalty comes from what you do.”