Every home is a personal expression of the ones who live there. Nowhere is this more true than in the primary suite.
There are a number of different names for interior design styles, but the name is less important than the story that your design tells. Effortless and versatile, quality linen is available in a multitude of stylish colors and can help you design an intentional primary suite so the main character in that story is utterly and completely you.
Does Linen Work for Any Interior Design Style?
Flax linen is a natural fiber fabric made from the long, strong fibers of the flax plant. Linen features a luxurious and slightly rumpled texture that can be dressed up or down and boasts a casual softness that only improves with time.
Durable and soft, linen home goods elevate any interior. Linen’s natural fibers and texture make it an asset in many of the current design trends. Today’s most popular interior design styles focus on natural elements and textures to create casual warmth, an aesthetic that linen achieves so effortlessly.
Because linen is a natural fiber fabric, it dyes beautifully and is available in a wide range of gorgeous colors. From brilliant aqua to earthy rust red to classic white and natural, there’s a linen color for you.
Common Interior Design Styles
Interior design styles range from minimal and understated to a maximalist celebration of color. It helps to organize these general ideas for combining colors, textures, and materials in named styles. Modern Farmhouse, Bohemian, and Scandinavian are styles that have been particularly popular in recent years.
Don’t let conventional titles hem in your creativity, however! Let these categories serve as inspiration as you mix and match elements that you love to convey your own design personality. Linen is at home in any style and can help you achieve the perfect design for your primary suite.
Mediterranean Rustic Interior Design
The Mediterranean Rustic style is focused on earthy materials and natural light. You’ll notice wood and ceramics used in many of the furnishings and décor pieces, as well as a subtle ocean influence. This design style is warm and welcoming, with a light, warm color palette. This Mediterranean-inspired style feels relaxed and cheerful, with a casual, unbothered flair that will make you feel like you’ve come home to Mykonos.
Mediterranean Rustic Color Palette:
- Ivory
- Rust red
- Olive Green
Linen and Your Mediterranean Primary Suite
Consider a design backdrop of ivory, with light walls and floor coverings. Warm wood furniture with simple lines keeps your look tidy.
An olive green linen duvet cover adds earthy color and provides a soothing focal point for the room, while rust red curtains create an unexpected contrast. Keep the primary bathroom soothing and spa-like with an ivory linen shower curtain, and accent your space with fresh flowers and stems of greenery.
Coastal Elegance Interior Design
Bring the seaside into your home with the Coastal style. This light and breezy aesthetic brings the sand, sea, and sky straight into your space and is a breath of fresh air.
Focus on soft lighting and natural materials like weathered wood, textural linens, and woven grass baskets. Keep furniture casual and, above all, comfortable. You can use nautical accents like shells, buoys, and ropes, but you can also achieve this style with less on-the-nose accessories.
Coastal Color Palette:
- Pale blue
- Indigo blue
- Green
- Ivory
Linen and Your Coastal Primary Suite
Light colors in a mix of cool blue and green tones help establish the Coastal style. A blue linen shower curtain echoes the sea and sky and is the perfect calming note for a relaxing primary bathroom. For a contemporary twist on a standard linen shower curtain, opt instead for floor-to-ceiling pale blue linen curtains to turn your shower into a resort-like experience.
In the bedroom, an olive green bedskirt can ground a lighter ivory or natural bed set to offer a sophisticated alternative to an all-blue beachy look. Ivory blackout curtains keep the room feeling airy while still providing light control for restful sleep.
Bohemian Interior Design
Unapologetic and “more is more,” the Bohemian style is vibrant, confident, and so very customizable. There are no rigid rules with this style, only general guidelines.
Focus on mixing colors and textures and layering your linens for a casual retreat that colors a bit outside the lines. If you aren’t ready to go totally bold with your color scheme, you can start with a neutral base and add color as an accent. The key is to mix, match, and layer for a lively design.
Bohemian Design Color Palette:
- Rust red
- Indigo blue
- Olive green
- Mustard
Linen and Your Bohemian Primary Suite
Because color is queen in the Bohemian bedroom, you may decide to shake up your color scheme from time to time. A duvet with ties allows you to easily swap one of the major design features in your primary bedroom. Try a rust red duvet cover with complementary mustard linen curtains to set a warm, welcoming tone. An olive green shower curtain keeps the primary bath soothing, even in a maximalist space.
Scandinavian Interior Design
The Scandinavian style may be simple, but it’s far from boring. An intentional design that refuses to add unnecessary clutter or noise, the Scandinavian style is thoughtful and serene. Colors are typically light and neutral, with an emphasis on white walls and clean lines with plenty of visual rest.
That doesn’t mean there’s no space for color, however. Soft furnishings are a perfect place to accent with subdued tones that contribute to the space’s overall feeling of quiet contentment and order. Accessories should be functional, with simple lines. Add interest to the space with natural materials and textural elements.
Scandinavian Color Palette:
- Natural
- Ivory
- Indigo blue
Linen and Your Scandinavian Primary Suite
In a room with few tchotchkes and no extraneous furniture, the bed is an even more important focal point. An indigo linen duvet cover provides color amidst a mostly white backdrop, and sheets with an embroidered edge are evidence of the intentional design this style is known for.
Add more cozy to your space without adding clutter by layering functional pieces like rugs and blankets. A quilted bedspread or coverlet layered atop the linen duvet cover adds additional warmth and textural interest. An ivory linen shower curtain in the primary bath continues the trend of visual rest for a space that helps you escape the frenzy of the day.
Industrial Interior Design
A modern design like the Industrial style prioritizes raw materials and exposed architectural elements to make a space feel simultaneously stylish and comfortable. You aren’t likely to find bold pops of color in this style. Rather, you’ll notice an appreciation for the natural colors of the exposed architectural details.
Rust red bricks, warm brown floors, cool grey piping, and white ductwork play their functional roles while also providing foundational elements of color and texture in this effortlessly cool design. While this style lends itself most naturally to an urban dwelling—think open-concept loft—you can incorporate elements of this design in any setting, even in the suburbs!
Take note of any unique architectural elements in your home and use your design to play up the interesting features that are already there. A brick fireplace, large window, or wood floors make great foundational elements. Add interest by swapping traditional light fixtures for minimal, contemporary fittings.
Industrial Color Palette:
- Black
- Cool grey
- White
- Rust
Linen and Your Industrial Primary Suite
A primary suite in the Industrial style should use simple decorative elements that allow the room’s physical structure to guide the design. Ensure that your furnishings highlight the unique architecture of your space instead of competing for attention.
Large, sweeping windows should be able to be fully uncovered, especially if you have a great skyline view. Opt for a curtain header that allows easy movement, like a pinch pleat on rings, a tab top, or a back tab curtain. Rust red linen curtains give a nod to exposed bricks, while grey linen blackout curtains echo the look of concrete and also provide light control to transform your sleep.
Go bold with a black linen shower curtain in the en suite. The darker hue will provide a chic contrast to chrome faucets and white tiles.
Modern Farmhouse Interior Design
Made famous in recent years by house flippers and TV interior design programs, the Modern Farmhouse style is a fan favorite that’s not going anywhere. This design style chicly blends traditional and contemporary elements for a feel-good aesthetic that is welcoming and homey.
You’ll spy large, comfy furniture in traditional shapes paired with vintage decor and a pared-down, neutral color palette. An appreciation for history is evident in this style, which often features salvaged pieces and reclaimed wood. Antiques are commonly used, but in an unfussy way that doesn’t feel delicate or too precious.
Modern Farmhouse Color Palette:
- Black
- White
- Blue
- Olive green
Linen and Your Modern Farmhouse Primary Suite
Linen’s natural fibers and loose-textured weave beautifully complement the Modern Farmhouse design style. Casual, unfussy, yet still dripping with charm, linen curtains are the obvious choice for a primary bedroom in this style. Choose linen curtains with embroidery for a subtle detail that gives a nod to the traditional.
The Modern Farmhouse also relies on natural elements, so earthy colors and natural fabrics help tie this style together. In the primary bathroom, a green linen shower curtain brings the gardens indoors. Pair it with a handwoven basket full of fluffy towels for a welcoming haven.
Tips for Selecting a Color Palette
While some interior design styles shy away from color as a significant design element, others put color front and center. Yet every design relies on a color scheme, however neutral it may be, for a cohesive overall look. Before choosing your design colors, take a moment to consider a few guidelines:
Tip 1: Consider Your Desired Atmosphere
Before you commit to a color scheme, consider the energy you’d like to feel in your space. Warm colors, like red and orange, tend to add a feeling of excitement to a space. Cool colors, like green and blue, can feel more relaxing.
Tip 2: Remember the 60-30-10 Rule
The 60-30-10 rule is a simple interior design rule that can guide your color palette. It states that 60 percent of your space should use your main color, 30 percent of the design should use a secondary color, and the final 10 percent of the design should employ an accent color.
Your main color should appear on your largest design pieces, like your walls and furniture. Choosing a color for your linen bed set would fall into this category. The secondary color should support the main color and be used for smaller furnishings like draperies, accent tables, and chairs.
The last 10 percent is your accent color, which could be bright or neutral, depending on your preference. Use this color sparingly on decorative items like toss pillows, artwork, and small accessories.
Tip 3: Use a Color Wheel
A color wheel is a simple tool artists and designers use when balancing the colors in their work. You can get the same benefits at home! Use the color wheel to identify sets of related colors. Some combinations to consider are:
Analogous: Use three colors that appear next to each other on the color wheel.
Monochromatic: Use several shades of the same hue.
Complementary: Use colors that are directly across from each other on the color wheel.
Triadic: Use colors that are spaced evenly around the color wheel.
Tip 4: Consider Your Lighting
Lighting plays a huge role in how your design colors actually appear in your space. Before committing to a color palette, place large swatches of your desired shades in several areas to see how they look at different times of day. For example, morning light can make your colors appear warmer, while strong afternoon lighting can wash out your hues.
Whatever colors you love, use them to tell your own home design story. Your primary suite is your haven and should reflect your personal style.
Whether you are raw and edgy like the Industrial style or cool and casual like the Coastal, you can build your perfect getaway right at home. Use simple tools like curtains, bed linens, and a thoughtfully curated color palette to create a space that feels uniquely you.
