About 250 years ago, the genius of Canova captured the overwhelming passion of Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss in a world-renowned sculpture group, impressing the definition of Neoclassicism in the minds and hearts of art lovers.
Harmonious lines, sinuous elegance, balance and sophistication: even today, this is what any artwork inspired by the Neoclassical style embodies.
And what better way to furnish a master bedroom than using furniture inspired by this timeless style?
Neoclassical style furniture features elements arranged in the room in a classy and balanced way. Its soft and tasteful shapes and colours confirm its polished and sumptuous look.
When entering a Neoclassical-style room, we have to feel the perfect balance between decorative symmetry and intimate elegance.
Neoclassical décor is never rambunctious, rowdy or excessive. Its spirit is understated, yet determined.
The neoclassical style goes along with the very characteristics of the bedroom, giving the room a relaxed and rarefied atmosphere in which every piece of furniture, every decoration, every complement, is positioned to create a clean, orderly and balanced overall vision so as to conciliate relaxation and good rest.
As in the arts, neoclassicism in interior design also revisits the classical style by adding grafts and personal nuances that draw on the contemporary.
The very definition of neoclassicism makes us think of something double, ambivalent. Ambivalence, however, does not equate to confusion, but, on the contrary, to enrichment and actualisation.
On the one hand, the duty to pay homage to classic furnishings, timeless in their ability to become iconic and free from fads, and on the other hand, the desire to introduce new elements and make them dialogue spontaneously with the great furniture tradition.
Two drives that seem to go in opposite directions, but end up meeting halfway and blending.
Almost a meeting by destiny: this is how the neoclassical style was born.
How to transpose such beauty into the home environment? How to create a neoclassical bedroom while managing to keep a balance between these two stylistic drives?
Actually, the rules to follow are few but fundamental and are based on the following concepts:
The first rule of the neoclassical style can be summed up in one word: balance.
That's right. When entering a neo-classical bedroom, we should perceive a perfect balance between intimacy and elegance, between cosiness and opulence, between decoration and compositional symmetry.
No one stylistic element should dominate over another, they should all converge in the same direction: to create a light and sophisticated atmosphere, dominated by a discreet, never ostentatious, but clearly recognisable luxury.
In this respect, we need to keep in mind that, in order to create a neoclassical style master bedroom, we must avoid putting too many pieces of furniture in it.
Choose the essential furnishing for your bedroom. Here is a list of the main pieces of furniture that cannot be missing from a Neoclassical style bedroom:
All the elements of the Leonardo bedroom, inspired by the princely atmosphere of the great houses of the 19th century, are designed to respect the neoclassical canons of harmony and balance: the delicate nuances of ivory, the silk-screen prints in shades of warm beige, the clean geometries, the rich but considered decorations.
A dream bedroom, balancing simplicity and luxury.
In Neoclassical style bedrooms, the bed must be the focal point, attracting the gaze of anyone who walks in. A good idea would be to place it against the main wall, i.e. the one you see first when entering the room.
The centrality of the bed is important to build the focal point, on which, as mentioned, the harmonious balance between the various areas of the bedroom depends, and around which we will build the rest of the furniture design.
To create a room in perfect neo-classical style, it is therefore necessary to choose carefully both the bed and the position it will occupy in the room.
Neoclassical style means precious shapes and placid spirit at the same time: don’t forget this essential rule when choosing each decorative element.
This does not mean you should give up luxury: it can emerge in all its might in shapes and materials.
The beds in the neoclassical Liberty collection, for example, perfectly represent the union between formal simplicity and opulence of materials and finishes, between luxurious style and decorative harmony.
What is striking about this model is the sculptural layout and the contrast between the extraordinary geometry of the design and the richness of the decoration.
A silver-coloured band runs along the headboard, which stands out in contrast to the golden edges that characterise the entire collection, while the two side columns, which enhance the symmetry of the composition, are embellished with 24-carat gold leaf silk-screen prints.
More than a bed, Liberty looks like a work of art inspired by Greco-Roman neoclassicism.
Art Nouveau is the ideal choice to infuse the bedroom with a chic atmosphere of yesteryear, steeped in history and tradition, in the wake of a stylistic sophistication of great charm and incredible compositional harmony.
To create a Neoclassical style bedroom, we will also use curtains, cushions, bedspreads, quilts and lamps of any kind.
Curtains must be big and they must frame the windows with plenty of heavy fabric. Choose curtains with intense colours (but not too bright). The same goes for the cushions and the bedspread. The curtains' decorative frame should not lessen the bedroom composure.
In general, curtains should be made of natural fabric. The same goes for the other decorating fabrics.
Fabrics such as velvet or cotton are ideal to cover soft cushions placed harmoniously against the bed frame. As mentioned above, the bed frame too can be made of a soft upholstered material. For both these elements, choose solid colours.
If you want to use a patterned fabric, make sure it’s not too excessive or messy.
Lighting is another essential element when creating a Neoclassical style bedroom.
2022 trends for a luxury bedroom travel in the direction of stylistic blends, all the more so when we want to recreate the elegance and harmony of neoclassical atmospheres in the room. What better way to do this than through lighting, a 'contour' element that can discreetly convey a few contemporary touches.
Green light then to the minimalist design of metal and glass wall lamps, square-shaped floor lamps or led strips to backlight the headboard. Nothing prevents you from diversifying the style by adding warmer elements, such as linen lampshades, or more striking ones, such as lamps with gold or brass frames.
Lamps can be used in abundance, making sure they are placed in an intelligent and balanced way.
You can place table lamps, floor lamps, wall lights and ceiling lights strategically around the room.
When choosing the areas to illuminate, always follow common aesthetics: place your lamps to highlight central furnishing elements and unique décors.
Try to balance out the proportions even when you place the lamps in your room, and make sure that the lamp style chosen is a good match for the Neoclassical style.
For more on this year's bedroom lighting trends, take a look at our up-to-date "Bedroom lighting design guide".
The bedroom furniture visual impact is essential.
Colours in particular dictate the atmosphere and perception of space. For the formal balance, refinement and restraint required of a neo-classical style room, light colours are the most important.
The light palette is precisely one of the reasons to love the classic and neoclassical style, all the more so for an intimate and relaxing environment like the bedroom, where too dark and bright shades would be dysfunctional to good rest.
Try to choose intense colours (but not too bright), such as:
The strength of the neoclassical style also lies in the possibility of creating a mood somewhere between the opulent character of classical Italian style and the essentiality of a contemporary interior. We can call it contemporary-classic, or avoid labels altogether.
The important thing is to maintain a compositional balance between the two trends and to enhance the strengths of both, also through the use of colour.
After all, the neoclassical style is just that: a synthesis of elegance and understatement, a universe in which rigorous, geometric design (with a clear contemporary feel) meets the luxury of classical furnishings, fine materials, refined details and precious finishes.
In this sense, Adora contemporary collections with colours ranging from white to ivory, from neutral shades of beige to cream and light woods, are the ultimate expression of the marriage of the two stylistic orientations.
The lines are those simple and clean ones of contemporary style, but the quality of the materials, luxury and elegance of the bedroom furniture by Adora, as well as the other rooms in the house are classic and neoclassical in style.
While it’s true that a Neoclassical style bedroom is a luxury bedroom, it must not be excessively decorated. You can have a sober room, while still being classy and refined.
Once you have furnished your neoclassical style bedroom let yourself be carried away by the atmosphere you created in this magical environment, where you’ll enjoy a luxurious privacy and relax with golden dreams.