What is My Style Type? A Guide to Home Furniture Styles
Understanding your style type is a great way to help you as you decorate your home. But how to choose a furniture style that fits your preferences and your space? In this home décor style guide, we’ll outline popular furniture types so you can discover which could be the best furniture style for home décor. By recognizing distinct features in each style, you’ll find it easier to decorate according to your tastes and create a cohesive look throughout your home.
We’re keeping this simple and straightforward by focusing on popular furniture styles. Let’s get started.
Traditional Style Furniture
Traditional is a style full of history. It takes its inspiration from the ornate details of the Victorian and Edwardian periods. Traditional furniture will showcase dark wood finishes, straightened lines, tapered legs, intricate patterns, and scallop or shell designs. If a piece is upholstered, the fabric is usually a luxe option with rich designs. The most iconic Traditional pieces are the claw-footed table and bathtub. This style feels formal and elegant and fits a wide range of homes, especially in older manors and townhouses built before the 1950s. Furniture in this style is still being manufactured today, but there are still many antiques and family heirlooms that have stood the test of time in appearance and durability.
- Ornate Design – Inspired by Victorian and Edwardian details (e.g., intricate patterns, scallop or shell motifs)
- Rich Materials – Commonly includes dark wood finishes, tapered legs, and luxurious upholstery
- Formal, Elegant Atmosphere – Best suited for older homes, with many antiques and heirlooms still in use today
Mission Style Furniture
Mission furniture was made in the late 1800s as a protest to the opulence of Traditional styles. This style contains a little more bulk, simple edges and lines, 90-degree angles, and exposed joints. While it doesn’t quite fit the model of minimalism, it’s probably the best furniture for someone who likes the in-between. This is a style that wants to be functional while still maintaining sturdy elegance. It’s a style that keeps returning in trends every couple of decades due to its charm and practicality.
- Simple Yet Robust Construction – Showcases bulkier pieces, straight edges, 90-degree angles, and exposed joints
- Functional Aesthetic – Created in response to ornate Traditional styles, striking a balance between minimalism and decoration
- Timeless Appeal – Its sturdy elegance and practicality make it a style that re-emerges in popularity every few decades
Shaker Style Furniture
If you like a more simple style with less bulk than the Mission style, you might want to consider Shaker furniture. This style is meant to draw attention to the wood used to make each piece. Shaker pieces will sport wooden knobs, there is very little ornamentation, gentle sweeping curves, and tapered legs. Usually, Shaker furniture is made in lighter, warm-toned stains to brighten a room. This furniture is great for those who like to have simple wooden textures as the main component in their home.
- Minimalist Aesthetic – Little ornamentation, gentle curves, tapered legs, and wooden knobs
- Focus on Wood’s Natural Beauty – Designs emphasize the grain and texture of the wood used
- Lighter, Warm-Toned Finishes – Commonly stained to brighten a room and maintain a simple, welcoming look
Industrial Style Furniture
Industrial style furniture highlights a raw and unfinished look. When taken to its full potential, homes that utilize this style often exude a luxury warehouse ambiance. Rooms tend to feature brick, metals, and woods and are often paired with exposed conduit or ductwork. This style is well-suited for those who have an open-concept home and love the repurposed aesthetic.
- Raw, Unfinished Aesthetic – Embraces exposed elements for a luxury industrial feel
- Industrial Materials – Relies on bricks, metals, and woods, often accented by hanging greenery
- Open-Concept Friendly – Ideal for those who love the repurposed aesthetic
Rustic Style Furniture
Rustic furniture was popular for most of the 2010s, and has seen different resurgences throughout history. The rustic style is often associated with cabins, farmhouses, and countryside getaways. It is a style that highlights textures like rough-sawn wood and stone. These pieces look great paired with earthy colors, distressed finishes, leathers, furs, and metals. One trend coming from this style is Reclaimed Barnwood furniture. The rustic style tends not to reflect the word “elegant” but it is beautiful in its reflection of the natural world and blocky shapes.
- Emphasis on Natural Textures – Showcases rough-sawn wood, stone, and earthy finishes
- Cozy, Homespun Aesthetic – Often paired with distressed surfaces, leathers, furs, and metals
- Timeless Country Appeal – Closely tied to cabins, farmhouses, and countryside getaways, with popular variations like Reclaimed Barnwood furniture
Modern Style Furniture
This specific style is a wide umbrella for many subset styles, so there is a lot of room for creativity. Modern furniture was loosely inspired by the Art Deco style of the 20s and 30s. It first saw a rise in America after World War II and continued to be popular until the 70s. Today, it continues to evolve from the designs of that era. Modern furniture took the simplicity of Shaker and Mission furniture and added bold geometric shapes, mixed materials, strong lines, and sweeping curves. It involves smooth textures, neutral tones with pops of color, and minimizing surface area.
- Evolving, Art Deco-Inspired Roots – Originating after WWII and influenced by 1920s–1930s design, Modern furniture encompasses many creative subsets
- Bold Geometric Forms – Builds on Shaker and Mission simplicity with strong lines, sweeping curves, and mixed materials
- Minimalist Detailing – Focuses on smooth textures, neutral tones punctuated by pops of color, and minimizing surface area
If you think Modern furniture reflects your style, we encourage you to explore some of its subsets: Mid-Century Modern, Minimalist, and Contemporary.
Comparison Table of Furniture & DĂ©cor Style Types
Style | Origins / Inspiration | Key Features | Common Materials | Overall Aesthetic |
Traditional
|
Ornate details from Victorian and Edwardian periods (pre-1950s) | -Intricate patterns
– Dark wood finishes – Straight lines & tapered legs – Claw-foot details, shell/scallop designs |
– Dark stained woods
– Luxe fabrics |
Formal, elegant, and historical look |
Mission |
Late 1800s response to elaborate Traditional styles | – More bulk than minimal styles
– Simple edges and lines – 90-degree angles – Exposed joints |
– Solid wood (often oak)
– Sturdy construction |
Functional yet sturdy, warm, and practical |
Shaker |
Crafted by the Shaker community (18th–19th century) | – Emphasis on showcasing wood
– Minimal ornamentation – Gentle curves – Tapered legs – Wooden knobs |
– Light, warm-toned wood stains | Simple, bright, and understated elegance |
Industrial |
Inspired by factories/warehouses, raw, and unfinished look | – Exposed bricks, pipes, and beams
– Metals and reclaimed wood – Open-concept layouts – DIY/repurposed pieces |
– Metal (steel, iron)
– Exposed wood – Brick |
Urban-chic, rugged, and edgy |
Rustic |
Country/farmhouse and cabin influences | – Rough-sawn or distressed finishes
– Earthy textures and tones – Reclaimed barnwood trend – Leather, furs, stone |
– Natural wood
– Stone – Leather – Metal accents |
Cozy, nature-inspired, and homely feel |
Modern |
Loosely inspired by Art Deco (1920s-30s); popular post-WWII | – Strong lines and sweeping curves
– Bold geometric shapes – Mixed materials – Neutral tones with pops of color |
– Mixed materials (wood, metal, glass)
– Smooth surfaces |
Sleek, minimal, and functional |
Transitional |
Blends Contemporary Modern with Traditional elements | – Mix of classic and modern aesthetics
– Neutral color palette – Simple lines – Subtle textures/patterns |
– A mix of both new and traditional materials, often with balanced finishes | Balanced, calm, and harmonious |
Eclectic |
Mixes multiple styles, themes, and time periods | – Showcases varied materials
– Vibrant colors and textures (or pastels/vintage mix) – DIY/repurposed pieces |
– Anything goes (wood, metal, fabrics, etc.) | Bold, personalized, and highly creative |
Shabby-Chic |
Offshoot of Eclectic emphasizing vintage/pastel elements | – Worn/distressed vintage look
– Pastels and whites – Mixed fabrics and textures – Feminine touches |
– Repainted or distressed woods
– Soft textiles, lace, and pastel colors |
Romantic, soft, and vintage-inspired |
Love to Mix Things Up? Transitional or Eclectic Might Be Your Style
These styles are for those who don’t feel at home using just one of these styles. If you have a Transitional style, you’re someone who likes to mix Contemporary furniture and Traditional pieces and create harmony between classic and modern aesthetics. Transitional homes magnify simple lines and neutral colors.
If you think you have an Eclectic style, you probably favor a specific theme but have a strong desire to showcase components of multiple styles and materials. Like those who enjoy the Industrial style, you might enjoy repurposing and making the dĂ©cor in your home. You might also be someone who likes to pieces from different time periods because you see their character. Many modern eclectic homes sport pops of vibrant colors and textures. However, if you’d rather mix pastels and vintage pieces into your home, you might want to consider exploring the mix-and-match style of Shabby-Chic.
How to Choose a Furniture Style That Feels Like Home
When looking for the best furniture style for home décor, consider:
- Your personal preferences and color palette
- The architecture and age of your home
- How much maintenance you’re willing to invest
- Whether you prefer a single style or a blend of multiple looks
Remember, it’s all about finding the right balance that resonates with you and your lifestyle.
Which Furniture Style Speaks to You?
Whether you fit one style perfectly or you like to mix things up, we hope this chart gives you a better sense of which direction to explore. If you want to see how these styles look in actual furniture pieces, check out our furniture.
Your Style is What You Make of It.
While there are definitive guidelines for every furniture style, you should feel free to explore the creative options that speak to you. Whether you fit into a specific style box or not, we hope this home dĂ©cor style guide has helped you discover at least one style type you like and the ones you don’t. We’d even like to help you find specific pieces and styles that you’re looking for. Here at Amish Outlet Store, we have a wide variety of styles for you to choose from. You can browse by Room Type, or simply use a direct search on our site and find the styles that reflect your personality.