AMERICAN TOWN STYLE: COSY COTTAGE

We can always see the actors and actresses live in the American town in American dramas. Their big house is big, gorgeous and warm. It doesn’t matter that you don’t have a 2-storey house to make it American style. With the following 6 elements, you can have a American town style home in Hong Kong.

1.Fireplace

Fireplace is an important element in American style house. Its purpose is for heating in cold regions of North America and then gradually becomes a representative furniture of American style house. Having a fireplace seems to be unsuitable in Hong Kong, yet it has become a decorative presence in urban apartments. The fireplace TV wall adds warmth to home, and it is a great space for storage.

2.Wooden venetian blind

Wooden venetian blind was popular in the United States in the 1980s. It increases lighting at home and protects your privacy, and it has good thermal insulation. Therefore, you can always find it in European and American homes. 

If you want to have a stronger reflection of American style through window, you can install a wooden window cornice, which is a upper cover of the indoor window with carving decoration.

3.Photo wall

The Europeans and Americans put great emphasis on family and friendship. It is not rare to see a photo wall at their home. You can choose a wall (such as a hallway) at home. And then arrange a range of photos of your family. Put them in dark wooden frames to enhance the contrast with the wall to make people focus on the photos.

4.Upholstered / leather sofa

In American style, upholstered and leather sofa are mostly used with the wooden handles and feet to give a strong retro feel. The actors and actresses usually sit on the sofa for a chat in American dramas. Sofa is not just a place to rest but a main factor to shape the living room atmosphere.

5.Skirting, dado

White skirting is an important element in American homes. The wall is usually painted in colours other than white or to stick with gorgeous wallpaper. With white skirting and crown mouldings, it can form a strong contrast and make the decoration more balanced. If they are matched cleverly, it can enhance the three-dimensional sense, soften the texture of the space, and add fineness.

If you want a little touch of country style, white skirting is a good idea. With a dado to a waist height, it can balance the visual effect. The white door frame, window frame and skirting can outline the contour of the apartment.

6.The aesthetics of symmetry

“Symmetry” is originated from European point-line-plane construction techniques, which emphasizes the left-right symmetry and harmonious up-down proportions. However, in the old days, there were shortage in materials and artisans. Therefore, they simplified the crown moulding and replaced with simple lines.

When integrating into a small apartment, especially the living room area, the American style “symmetry” uses the fireplace as the central axis to develop a symmetrical arrangement, which neatly divides the space into three equal parts. The furniture is arranged around the fireplace, with 2- to 3-seater sofa and a single chair or master chair on the other side. With multiple combinations, it enriches the visual effect and dissolves the heavy sense of American furniture. 

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This article was originally published on HKDecoman.

HKDecoman, now going global as Deco-Man, is a Hong Kong-based renovation platform which provides professional consultancy services and pioneers in the development of A.I. homeowner-engineer matching. We aim at educating the public about the art of home renovation, and have our eyes on transforming the traditional renovation industry, bringing standardisation, transparency, convenience and automation to the business.