We are so grateful for the number of you who responded to our EHD Reader Survey this year. So first off, THANK YOU! And as with each time we do this, we were a bit surprised by some of the responses. One being that the #1 most requested style was “traditional”. Don’t get us wrong, we also love traditional decor but we simply didn’t expect it to be SO popular. We also want to be responsive to the types of rooms and budgets that the majority of you would like us to focus on. So today we are trying to tackle those three things in one very fun (if I do say so myself) furniture comb post:) Old-school EHD is here!
Now, consider these “budget-conscious”. They aren’t the least expensive options on the market but you aren’t going to see a $700 coffee table on here either. We’re talking Target, Wayfair, Article, etc. I also wanted to cover the general spectrum of “modern traditional”. There are different styles, color palettes, and general vibes, but they are all traditional in a fresh way. I also did my best to make sure that the measurements made sense together in case you just wanted to add an entire look to cart. Ha. But of course, measure your space and consider the combo’s visual weight in your home. Then after all that have fun! Ok, let’s start…
Sectional | Rug | Coffee Table | Nesting Side Tables | Floor Lamp | Accent Chairs (Set of 2) | Wood Side Table
Dare I say, this may just be a perfect starting point for an incredible Nancy Meyers-esque living room. When I think of traditional style, with a hint of modern, this is the look that first pops into my head. Medium tones, carved wooden legs, soft curves, you get it. Then by adding small hits of black and modern accents, it makes the whole look feel fresh and that it belongs in 2024. This beautiful sectional is from Article. Look at that sloped arm! Very mindful. Very demure. Oh, and I chose that blue fabric because it feels a bit more “life-friendly” (but it’s a performance fabric so you’re double covered in that area). And while I haven’t had the pleasure of sitting on this particular sofa, I’ve sat on many other Article sofas and chairs and they have always been really comfortable. Plus, the reviews are good too:) Then to make the space feel warmer and cozier, I chose that awesome rug (under $500 for an 8×10). I love that the pattern is large scale but the softer colors don’t let it take over the room, it just adds to it. However, I would highly recommend a rug pad though for extra cushion. The coffee table is solid wood in the prettiest tone. Oh, and look at that rattan shelf! The carved legs aren’t overly ornate which was an intentional choice since I loved and wanted the Jenny Lind-inspired set of accent chairs (2 for under $500!) to be the star and not have them compete with each other. Since the chairs brought in that bold black tone, I wanted to balance it out with some thin, modern side nesting side tables. Then to balance the modernity of those black tables, I chose that modern wood side table which is meant to go in between the accent chairs. It’s all a delicate puzzle! But is a room ever complete without a little glam? Not over here at least:) That incredible gooseneck floor lamp (which is UNDER $100!) adds such a beautiful shape to the combo, the rattan shade talks to the rattan on the coffee table, and the gold adds the bling that was needed. Just add in your favorite pillows, art, throws, and decor pieces, and boy will you have a stunning living room!
Sofa | Rug | Coffee Table | Side Table | Floor Lamp | Accent Chair | Drink Table
Now, let’s get slightly moody and just a tad sexier, shall we? I mean a leather sofa is inherently sexy, right?! Well, ok, not all of them but this one is! You can’t go wrong with a tufted back in all cognac leather and this brand, Poly & Bark is a great one as well. Then to contrast not only the leather material but the exposed legs of the sofa, I chose this beautiful cream slipcovered accent chair. It also swivels! But this look is meant to be a bit moody which called for a dark rug and accent pieces. I adore this rug’s pattern and colors AND it’s washable (would also recommend a rug pad). Spills don’t have a chance with this combo! For the coffee table, I went a little more modern because I loved the shape of it so much. Plus, with the base being a dark metal but a little bronzey, it works with the sofa, rug, and gold accents. Also, with the top being white, it balances out the accent chair and lampshade and brings out the white in the rug. So ya, it’s pretty perfect. Speaking of the lamp and gold tones, I really liked how the lamp base and drink table added in that fun glam. The shapes are classic but definitely lean modern. That’s also why I chose a black side table for the sofa. It worked with the other modern shapes and spoke to the dark colors of the rug, coffee table, and stone piece on the drink table. I’m so happy with how this one turned out too!
Sofa | Rug | Coffee Table | Side Table | Floor Lamp | Accent Chair | Drink Table
Ready for a look that’s a little brighter and a lot more eclectic? Me too. A green sofa was A MUST for one of these looks and this one is a great affordable alternative to Emily’s in her farmhouse living room. Green is just one of those happy colors that can act as a neutral when used right. Ok, so yes, this green sofa has those traditional roll arms and beautifully turned feet with wheels. A perfect place to start. Then to add a fun but classic pattern, I knew our checked rug from our first Rugs USA line would be perfect. It’s so pretty in person and one of our bestsellers! I still would recommend a rug pad though for extra cushion:) Y’all we LOVE rug pads because we love maximum cushion under our feet. Then to keep it from feeling more modern than farmhouse, I chose that great coffee table (only $120!). The gold legs just warm the whole thing up, right? But then to ground everything (again, just a delicate puzzle) I really love that dark faux burl wood side table and brown velvet swivel accent chair. They add a beautiful visual texture and help to balance the olive green of the sofa. Then to finish it off, I chose two black metal accents in two different styles. The floor lamp is very modern traditional while the drink table is just modern:) There’s almost a perfect balance of traditional pieces and modern pieces which makes it a really fun and inviting combo. I loved playing with this one!
Sofa | Rug | Coffee Table | Side Table | Floor Lamp | Accent Chair | Drink Table
I hope you didn’t think I was looking down on a traditional style with a farmhouse lean in that last blurb. I wasn’t! The proof is in the pudding with this combo. A classic slipcovered sofa like this one is maybe the most inviting traditional sofa of them all. Doesn’t it look like you could just sink into it?? The reviews give it 4.7 stars with over 1,200 reviews and they LOVE how comfortable it is. Then to contrast but complement that plush sofa, I picked out this wonderful modern accent chair ($350!). Again, green is a perfect colorful neutral and the reviews are also really high with this one. But to bring in a little bit more of a rustic traditional feel, I added in this light wood coffee table with that great joinery and a natural-toned/lightly patterned rug. Adds in more softness just in time for me to add a grounding black turned wood pedestal side table, a black and gold floor lamp, and a modern “glam” drink table. But as you can see if you take a closer look, the side table and coffee table are both wooden and have a traditional style, the side table and the lamp both have black in them, and the lamp and drink table both have gold accents. Oh, and the drink’s table’s white base talks to the cream of the sofa. I hope that helped you see my thought process and didn’t just read as a long confusing sentence:) With some fun neutral ceramics, landscape paintings, and cute pillows, this combo would look great in so many different homes.
Sofa | Rug | Coffee Table | Side Table | Floor Lamp | Accent Chair | Drink Table
This last combo is a little specific:) It’s more MCM than true “traditional” but I think there are enough elements to satisfy both types of styles. Let’s start with that beautiful blue velvet sofa. The lines are clean and the wood base is simple but still a little fun. Then to contrast but complement the sofa, I chose that white boucle swivel chair. While the color is opposite the visual weight is much heavier than the sofa which is why it really works. Then to keep the warm wood theme going, I fell in love with that walnut coffee table and its woven shelf. It adds so much personality. I definitely wanted to make sure there was some kind of pattern so I chose that neutral checkered wool rug. It’s got A TON of thread variation so it’s not going to show life’s messes very easily which is always a plus! For the small accents, I loved how the floor lamp not only had a walnut wood accent to tie in with the sofa base and coffee table but the gold talks to the side table perfectly. Oh, and the side table has an adjustable height which is pretty cool. And finally, that drink table is just freaking cool and looks great with the other golds and white top tals to the accent chair and rug colors. If you love MCM but don’t want to go full Mad Men, this traditional twist could be just your answer:)
Ok! Was this helpful? Do you want more of these? Other rooms in traditional styles like bedrooms? Do you like the combos? Let’s chat!
Love you, mean it.
Opening Image Credits: Art Direction by Emily Henderson | Styling by Brady Tolbert and Emily Bowser | Photo by Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: How Target’s Fall Threshold Collection Nails the “Updated Classic” Trend
