How To Bring Classic Elegance Into Your Home In 2025
Classic elegance never goes out of style – but in 2025, interior designers are embracing this timeless aesthetic with a fresh perspective, mixing refined materials and enduring details with a lightness of touch. Whether you’re refreshing a corner or designing a home from scratch, the focus is on quality, intention and comfort. Here, leading design experts share their advice on how to master classic elegance for the modern home. By VICTORIA NEWTON-SYMS
Keep it refined and intentional
At its core, classic elegance is about longevity – not just in terms of materials, but in how a space feels over time. “To me, it’s about creating spaces that feel inviting, refined and timeless,” says interior designer Mark D. Sikes. “We try to create rooms that have a timeless quality, meaning they would look great 20 years in the past or future.”
“True elegance comes from intention, not extravagance,” says interior designer Molly Kidd. “Formal doesn’t have to mean fussy. It’s about creating spaces where beauty and ease live side by side, where a guest can admire the detailing but also tuck their feet under them on the sofa.”
Let personality shine through in the details
Curated details can tell a story, evoke memories and bring a sense of quiet luxury to everyday moments. “Tableware is having a real moment – think gorgeous ceramic sets by Astier De Villatte (pictured), Murano glassware and silverplated pieces,” says Ella Hoyle, assistant buyer at NET-A-PORTER. “For me, elegance at the table is about pieces that feel considered.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Kidd, who believes that craftsmanship and character go hand in hand. “There’s a soulfulness in hand-thrown ceramics or perfectly imperfect details and materiality. Craftsmanship and one-of-a-kind pieces are the quietest form of luxury – and one of the most enduring,” she explains.
Personal collections, especially when chosen with care, also bring life and meaning to a room. “Collections add such personality to a space – they’re like little stories you share with the world,” says Sikes. “I’m crazy about blue-and-white porcelain, vintage silver and books displayed in a curated way on a coffee table or console.”
Draw from nature for color and texture
Nature is an endless source of inspiration for enduringly stylish interiors. When it comes to color and materials, looking outside your window can inform what you bring indoors. “For color palettes, I often find inspiration in the landscape surrounding a home. I’m always drawn to blue and white – it’s a timeless combination that works in formal or casual settings,” says Sikes.
Texture is just as important as color, especially when creating warmth and depth. “I love using natural fibers like sisal or seagrass rugs – they feel organic and warm. Abaca baskets are always a classic and practical choice for storage, while accessorizing with wooden boxes brings warmth and depth to any surface they grace,” he adds.
Mix eras to keep it fresh
Classic interiors often feel richest when they embrace design contrasts. “I have a philosophy that every room should have at least three antiques. They add a patina and a story,” says Sikes. “To avoid a room feeling ‘dated’, incorporate antiques from different periods and provenances. The mix of it all keeps things fresh and interesting.”
Rather than treating antiques as museum pieces, Kidd prefers to blend them into the present. “Incorporating antiques or heritage pieces into a space without making it feel dated or overly traditional is about creating a dialogue between the past and present. Antiques should feel like part of the story your home is telling. The key is tension and contrast. Pair a worn English pine cabinet with contemporary art, or soften a heavy heirloom dining table with soft or sculptural chairs,” she says.
Invest in long-lasting layers
True elegance doesn’t have to be grand – it can be as simple as a luxurious throw or a perfectly pressed linen napkin. “Swap out synthetic throws for pure wool or cashmere. Invest in quality table linens – even for casual dining. And edit your accessories: remove clutter and display fewer, more curated objects, such as a sculptural candleholder or a handmade bowl,” says Hoyle.
Germaine agrees, especially when it comes to tactile, versatile accents. “A luxury throw in a natural fiber – like cashmere, alpaca or brushed wool – is the ultimate investment. It softens a space, drapes effortlessly over an armchair or bed and adds tactile, lived-in elegance,” she says.
In the end, the key is to make decisions that feel authentic to you. “The trick is to stick to what you love and avoid chasing trends,” says Sikes. “Figure out what you are inspired by and drawn to and focus on that. If you stick to what you love, it will never feel out of style.”