The Classic Beach House

Grant White - Architectural Digest

This grand room in a home in the Caribbbean's Mustique combines classic and beachy elements. On a wall of the great room hangs two engravings of Trajan’s Column by Piranesi. A pair of 19th-century museum models of whales, flanked by antique cachepots filled with coral, rest on an 18th-century English side table. The silver bowl is from Christie’s.

Symmetry & Chinoiserie

Phoebe Howard

To me, symmetry in interior design is one of the key elements dividing interior design styles into an old school, traditional, classic approach (symmetry) and a more modern, casual, fresh approach (asymmetry). 

In this Phoebe Howards console above, there are five pairs and everything is in perfect symmetry. How do you feel about this? I fall in the in between range. This is a bit too matchy matchy for my personal taste. I now tend to use symmetry to anchor but then mix in individual pieces. 

I do love the British Colonial vibe with dark woods and blue and white Chinese porcelain. The inlaid bone mirror works beautifully too.

The Skirted Table

Amanda Lindroth

I am a sucker for a great skirted table, and I especially like the styling of this one with its pair of oversized blue and white ginger jars, a pair of blue and white brushstroke lamps, the gorgeous painted floor, a pair of framed botanicals, coral, a potted orchid, a dramatic mirror, and a fiddle leaf fig. There is a lot of symmetry going on here, but enough asymmetry that to me it is a nice balance. BTW, skirted tables are great for extra storage.

I love those Bunny Williams double gourd brushstroke lamps, but they retail for over $1,000 each - I got this one at HomeGoods for $30.00.

Symmetry

Kenneth Alpert - Traditional Home

Lots of symmetry and pairs in this blue and white Chinoiserie filled living room. As much as I love symmetry, this is too much of it for me.  I count at least 16 pairs in this room.

Symmetry

Marshall Watson Interiors

I love the symmetry of the pair of oversized blue and white ginger jars on pedestals as well as the pair of hydrangeas in blue and white planters.

Symmetry

One Kings Lane

I have always loved symmetry and had to keep looking at the number of matching pairs in this room -
including the chairs, pillows, lamps, art, side tables, chests, and roman shades.

I do love the color palette - pink and green, the soft blue/gray walls, the green Chinese chests, the pop of the red Chinese gourd lamps, and the roman shades banded in navy blue.

Symmetry can make a room look more formal and finished, but are there too many pairs? What do you think?

Blue and White

Society Social

Symmetry

A very symmetrical living room-pairs of sofas, floor lamps, pillows, brackets, and blue and white Chinese porcelain. I especially like the oversized gold brackets with the large blue and white Chinese vases against the dark green velvet walls.