Hollywood Inspired Furniture Styles Bring Drama Home

Hollywood Inspired Furniture Styles Bring Drama Home

When it comes to bringing silver screen glamour into your space, furniture is often where the biggest statement can be made. Whether it's sleek tufted sofas with metallic accents or chrome stylized tables, choosing pieces that make a big impact can help bring your design together. You can find a lot of these items on your own by scouring second-hand stores, flea markets and auctions, or even just browsing online. If you want to take things a step further, look for designer brands that offer Hollywood Glam styles like Jonathan Adler, Kelly Wearstler and Miles Redd.

One of the most popular furniture styles associated with Hollywood Regency is neoclassical. This design style came about after the Art Deco period but before Mid-Century Modern, so you can expect to see some of the glam gold tones, geometric patterns and mirrored surfaces of the former alongside the clean lines of the latter.

Another important design influence of Hollywood Regency is chinoiserie, an American interpretation of Chinese and East Asian culture, art, textiles and theater. The look exploded onto screens during the Golden Age, when actresses like Dorothy Draper favored large scaled and boldly colored versions of traditional rooms in their mansions. Homeowners can incorporate the look today by using patterned fabrics and wallpapers featuring dragons, foo dogs, silk flowers, pagoda tiers and lacquer finishes.

While a mix of design styles is an easy way to create the look, it's important to use the right scale and proportions. Oversized elements are a hallmark of Hollywood Regency, from floor-to-ceiling window treatments to ornately carved bedframes and curio cabinets. It's also important to balance curves with straight lines. Curved elements like leather sofas and curved or angular accent tables provide a counterpoint to the straight lines of contemporary and minimalist furniture and artwork.

Once you've laid the foundation with your furniture, it's time to add a few key style influences from other eras that have influenced the glam Hollywood Regency look over the years. During the 1930s William Haines — aka Wisecracker, the first openly gay actor in film history — started his interior design career by decorating homes for Hollywood stars. Later he was known for his Hollywood Regency designs that blended elements of neoclassicism, modernism and even a bit of chinoiserie.

Today, the look combines classic antiques and modern furniture with trellis patterned fabrics and carpeting. You can still see the look in homes designed by popular modern designers like David Hicks and Miles Redd. It also blends with Palm Beach style, which was popular in the '70s and is still prevalent in Southern California. You'll also find it in a number of stylish cult movies from that decade, including Harold and Maude and Twin Peaks.