We are so grateful for the number of you who responded to our EHD Reader Survey this year. So, first of all, thank you! As is the case every time we do this, we were a little surprised by some of the responses. One was that the most requested style was “traditional.” Don’t get us wrong, we also love traditional decor but we simply didn’t expect it to be this popular. We also want to be responsive to the types of rooms and budgets that most of you want us to focus on. So today we’re trying to address all three of those things in one very fun (if I may say so myself) furniture comb post 🙂 The old EHD is here!
Now, consider these “budget” options. They’re not the cheapest options on the market, but you won’t see a $700 coffee table here either. We’re talking Target, Wayfair, Article, etc. I also wanted to cover the general spectrum of “modern traditional.” There are different styles, colors, and vibes, but they’re all traditional in a new way. I also did my best to make sure the measurements made sense together in case you wanted to add a whole look to your cart. Ha. But of course, measure your space and think about the visual weight of the set in your home. Then after all that, enjoy! Okay, let’s get started…
Side Table | Rug | Coffee Table | Nesting Side Tables | Floor Lamp | Accent Chairs (Set of 2) | Wood Side Table
I daresay, this might just be the perfect starting point for a great Nancy Meyers-style living room. When I think of traditional style, with a touch of modern, this is the look that comes to mind first. Mid-tones, carved wood legs, soft curves, it’s all there. Then, with the addition of small touches of black and modern touches, it makes the whole look feel fresh and 2024. This beautiful sectional from Article. Look at that slanted arm! So conscious. So refined. Oh, and I chose that blue fabric because it seems more “life-friendly” (but it’s a performance fabric so you’re covered twice in that area). And while I didn’t enjoy sitting on this particular sofa, I’ve sat on several other Article sofas and chairs and they’ve always been really comfortable. Plus, the reviews are great too 🙂 Then to make the space feel warmer and cozier, I picked out that gorgeous rug (under $500 for an 8×10 piece). I love that the pattern is large but the soft colors don’t let it dominate the room, they just add to it. However, I highly recommend using a rug pillow as an extra cushion. The coffee table is made of solid wood in the most beautiful color. Oh, and look at that rattan shelf! The carved legs are not overly ornate which is an intentional choice because I loved and wanted the Jenny Lind inspired accent chairs (two for under $500!) to be the star and not compete with each other. Since the chairs brought that bold black color, I wanted to balance it out with some soft and modern side tables. Then to balance out the modernity of those black tables, I chose this modern wooden side table that is meant to sit between the accent chairs. It’s all a subtle mystery! But is a room ever complete without a little sparkle? Not here at least 🙂 The gorgeous gooseneck floor lamp (under $100!) adds a beautiful touch to the set, and the rattan shade speaks to the rattan on the coffee table, and the gold adds a much-needed sparkle. Just add your favorite pillows, art, blankets, and decor pieces, and you’ve got yourself a stunning living room!
Sofa | Rug | Coffee Table | Side Table | Floor Lamp | Accent Chair | Drink Table
Now, let’s get a little moody and sexy, shall we? I mean, leather sofas are inherently sexy, right?! Well, not all of them are, but this one is! You can’t go wrong with a brown leather upholstered back and this brand, Polly & Park, is great too. Then to contrast not only the leather but also the exposed legs of the sofa, I chose this beautiful cream leather upholstered chair. It also swivels! But this look is meant to be a little moody which calls for a dark rug and accent pieces. I love the pattern and colors of this rug and it’s washable (I also recommend a rug liner). No chance of spills with this set! For the coffee table, I went with a more modern one because I loved the look of it. Plus, since the base is a dark metal but slightly bronzed, it matches the sofa, rug, and gold accents. Also, having the top in white balances out the accent chair and lamp shade and brings out the white in the rug. So yeah, it’s pretty much perfect. Speaking of the lamp and the gold accents, I really like how the lamp base and the cocktail table added such a fun sparkle. The shapes are classic but definitely lean towards modern. That’s also why I chose a black side table for the sofa. It worked well with other modern shapes and accented the darker colors of the rug, coffee table, and the stone on the cocktail table. I’m really happy with how this turned out as well!
Sofa | Rug | Coffee Table | Side Table | Floor Lamp | Accent Chair | Drink Table
Ready for a brighter, more eclectic look? Me too. A green sofa was a must for one of these looks and this one is a great, affordable alternative to Emily’s couch in her rustic living room. Green is one of those cheerful colors that can work as a neutral when used correctly. Well, yes, this green sofa has traditional swivel arms and cute feet with wheels. A perfect place to start. Then to add a fun but classic pattern, I knew our square rug from our first Rugs USA line would be perfect. It’s actually pretty pretty and one of our best sellers! I still recommend an extra throw rug 🙂 You all love rug cushions because we love maximum cushion under our feet. Then to keep it from feeling too modern for farmhouse, I went with this gorgeous coffee table (only $120!). The gold legs warm up the whole thing, don’t they? But then, to finish it all off (again, it’s just a puzzle), I really like that dark faux burl wood side table and brown velvet swivel chair. They add a nice visual texture and help balance out the olive green of the sofa. Then to finish it off, I chose two black metal pieces in two different styles. The floor lamp is very traditional and modern while the cocktail table is just modern 🙂 There is almost a perfect balance of traditional and modern pieces which makes it a really fun and inviting mix. I loved playing with this combination!
Sofa | Rug | Coffee Table | Side Table | Floor Lamp | Accent Chair | Drink Table
I hope you don’t think I was underestimating traditional style with a rustic flair in that last introduction. I wasn’t! The proof is in the pudding with this set. A classic upholstered sofa like this is probably the most attractive traditional sofa ever. Doesn’t it look like you could 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 comfy sofa, I picked up this gorgeous modern accent chair ($350!). Again, green is a perfect neutral color and the reviews are pretty high for this chair as well. But to give it more of a rustic traditional feel, I added a light wood coffee table with that gorgeous joinery and a natural/patterned rug. It added more softness just in time for me to add a carved black wood side table, a black and gold floor lamp, and a modern “sparkly” cocktail table. But as you can see if you look closely, the side table and coffee table are both wood and have a traditional style, the side table and lamp are both black, and the lamp and cocktail table both have gold accents. Oh, and the white base of the cocktail table speaks to the cream of the couch. I hope that helps you understand my thought process and not just a long confusing sentence 🙂 With some fun neutral ceramics, landscape paintings and cute pillows, this set would look great in many different homes.
Sofa | Rug | Coffee Table | Side Table | Floor Lamp | Accent Chair | Drink Table
This last set is a bit specific 🙂 It’s more MCM than true “traditional” but I think there are enough elements to please both style types. Let’s start with the beautiful blue velvet sofa. The lines are clean and the wood base is simple but still a bit fun. Then to contrast but complement the sofa, I chose the 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 the walnut coffee table and its woven shelf. It adds so much character. I definitely wanted to make sure there was some sort of pattern so I chose the neutral checkered wool rug. It has a lot of thread variation so the clutter of life doesn’t show as easily which is always a plus! For small touches, I loved how the floor lamp not only had a touch of walnut to tie in with the sofa base and coffee table but the gold speaks to the side table perfectly. Oh, and the side table has an adjustable height which is great. Finally, the cocktail table is absolutely gorgeous and looks great with the rest of the tables which are gold and white in the accent chair and rug colors. If you love MCM but don’t want to settle for Mad Men, this traditional touch might be just the thing for you 🙂
Okay! Was this helpful? Want more of these? More traditional style rooms like bedrooms? Like the sets? Let’s talk!
I love you, I mean it.
Editorial photo credit: Art direction by Emily Henderson | Styling by Brady Tolbert and Emily Bowser | Photography by Sarah Liguria Trump | From: How Target’s Fall Threshold Collection Hit the “Updated Classic” Trend
