What does "Classic Design" mean to you?

Last week, I emailed a few of my home-centric peeps and asked them what "classic design" meant to them. 

Here's what they came up with... 

"A design that embodies the best of its class."

"Tried and the true."

"Timeless style without geographic influence."

As for me, well, here goes... "It's an understated enduring design that has elegant proportions." — is that too heady? Then picture a little black dress or navy  blazer that's always in style. 

Classic design doesn't try to be trendy and is heckle-proof.

Note: if you have a heckling friend — keep the item, replace the friend. 

When working with a piece of classic furniture as the "sitting-centerpiece" of your room, it becomes a flexible canvas. So, if you choose a well-made, timeless sofa with a track or slim rolled arm, for example, you can gracefully leap into the future without ever regretting your decision. 

Design classics tend to be strikingly simple and are often described in terms like iconic. 

Plus, they can easily morph into any design aesthetic. 

If your style mojo is modern, then you probably know that the look is easily captured with two central ingredients. A streamlined (classic) sofa or sectional and an impressive piece of art. Consider picking a glorious neutral-colored leather or fabric for your seating, then add an artistic chair or bold pillow. Think of it like wearing a sculptural piece of jewelry with a tailored suit. Violá! Instant awesomeness.

Perhaps you have a well-stamped passport and gravitate towards a more Global Design, the same clean and classic style sofa could look completely different when you had your cherished art-finds, raw edge tables and, barefoot worthy rugs. It's fusion magic. 

Hope you get the idea. If you keep your seating exquisitely simple and classically shaped, it allows you to stir it up elsewhere. 

Spencer Bass, Creative Director of American Leather, describes their Classic Collection as the "foundation of the brand."

Check them out and tell us.. what's your favorite of these well-loved classics?

Alessandro | Astoria | Brooke | Carson | Henley | Inspiration | Kaden | Kendall | Lisben | Savoy

Make it interesting, and you'll never need perfect.

Amy Archer, the Barefooted Designer