The Dark & Luxurious New Romance Trend
New Romance décor combines deep colors with luxurious, rich textures and accents to create a timelessly elegant look refined by modern style.
With Valentine's Day upcoming we're looking back to one of our favorite trends from the last few years, New Romance. Today, we see hints of this luxurious interior style spring up in wall art depicting the female form, moody jewel-toned painted walls, and stunning black and white photography. While this might at first seem like style that favors a classical-styled home, New Romance decor combines deep colors with luxurious, rich textures and accents to create a timelessly elegant look refined by modern style fit for any contemporary home.
The key elements to recreate this look in any room are: a dark wall color or bold pattern, rich fabric coverings, luxurious metallic accents, and strong sensual wall art. This trend's sensibilities ought to evoke passion and speak to all five senses as you enter the room. More so than any other trend, the specific style elements of New Romance decor should be tempered by your own personal tastes so you can truly take pleasure in your surroundings. Keep reading for our tips in blending the essentials of this classic style with your own.
Dark Walls
Walls painted in deep warm jewel tones, such as plum or falu (dark red) are hallmarks of a new romantic style. A warm gray charcoal is also a good option and more versatile depending on the other colors you want to introduce into the space. Introducing a warm light source, either from natural lighting or using yellow light bulbs, will help keep the room from feeling confining despite the dark color. Still don’t love the idea of painting a whole dark? Try limiting a bold paint color to just one wall. You could also a patterned removable wallpaper, dark florals or marble inspired designs can evoke the same rich feeling as a bold-colored wall.
Rich Fabric Coverings
Feed your senses of sight and touch by including rich textures into any room’s decor. Fabric is an important element of New Romantic decor, due to its dual function as a decor necessity (as window treatments, cushion coverings, and the like) as well as adding an additional layer of luxury without overpowering the room. Try adding in faux fur and chenille as a statement rug or accent chair covering to enhance the warm, inviting feel in your home decor upgrade. For the ultimate new romantic look, source velvet or satin accents for their unique texture and luxe look.
Metallic Accents
Timeless touches are a perfect accent to the rich color and texture in romantic decor. Choose between the metallic luster of polished brass, gold, or silver to bring touches of light into your room. Try a black matte finish (iron accents have been trending upward recently) if you are going for a darker, moodier palette.
Strong, Sensual Wall Art
Compelling form and design can be enhanced by every element in the room but art is the most striking way to emphasize your home decor's style. Being something of art experts here at Great Big Canvas, we’ve taken the time to compile a list of essential wall art strategies to put the final polish on your New Romantic home decor:
Feminine Figures
Strength and softness are the key elements in romantic decor. The feminine figure embodies both, as well as tapping into a lineage of classical art history, cementing its standing as an element of timeless romantic wall art. Displaying figurative wall art can be styled in both a classical or modern approach to New Romance decor. Try black and white line art in a black frame to emphasize it's bold linework, or a watercolor abstract figure art on canvas for a softer and more organic look. Pair any figurative art with moodily dark floral, like this one, for quintessential New Romance art set.
Dramatic Florals
Florals are a staple in the New Romance trend. Usually displayed at a large-scale, shrinking-violets they are not. In keeping with the luxurious style and texture, we recommend a floral print with a myriad of petals such as peonies, roses or chrysanthemums. The key to a New Romance floral is in the drama, consider a print with a dark background and a short color range of deep navy, plums and pinks.
Historical Touches
Vintage black and white fashion photography can bring a personal touch to to romantic design’s atmosphere. Use your art to reference the historical moments or periods of design that you love, blending photo prints, vintage ads, and fine art from that period into a beautiful romantic wall art display. Try a series of fashion plates or early Vogue covers down the hallway. Or use photography to hint towards your family's history, combining old family photographs and artifacts with map prints of your hometown.
Find the perfect romantic wall art to begin your own New Romance home renovation right here with Great Big Canvas.
We believe art wields the power to inspire, energize, and transform people and places. Our team of curators and craftspeople are passionate about providing art that meets your unique vision and style.