Furniture is the essential component of what goes into creating a home. If you were to remove all of the furniture from any room, what you would have left is a hollow skeletal space. That space likely would feel devoid of functionality, comfort and design aesthetics, which mean something different to everyone. Creating a room is completely dependent on your lifestyle and your concept of comfort and aesthetics.

Sounds like a simple thing — but it is not. For whatever reason, many people end up with furniture that does not suit their lifestyle, preferences and home. Sometimes you receive furniture as a hand-me-down or as a gift from a friend or family member, and you feel obligated to use it, all the while hating your interior design day after day. The trick to selecting furniture is to shop for the future, meaning what you think you will like in the future.

A safe place to start to understand furniture and furniture styles is to investigate the classics. Furniture based on classic design includes English and American furniture, as well as furniture derivative of French design. Whether using antiques or reproductions, traditional furniture pieces are the backbone of decorating all over the world.

While early colonists were fighting for their independence, many fine furniture designs were emerging in Europe. America's love-hate relations with England were exemplified in early samples of furniture. Some versions were so good that it was hard to distinguish one from the other. However, Americans were preoccupied with survival and paid little attention to design, except for making sure their furniture would fit the scale of their cottages.

Other influences in traditional American furniture included Dutch design, Swedish design and French design more so than Italian and Spanish furniture. As America developed, it preferred elegant furniture that recognized the origins of many of America's antecedents. It was not until the 1920s and '30s that Americans wrapped their imaginations around travel and the fantasy of Mediterranean furniture prototypes.

Traditional design in the long run stands the test of time. Some might even feel that buying traditional furniture is the thriftier way to furnish a household. These furnishings are immune to trends and are always in fashion. Classic casegoods can always be freshened up with modern upholstery, drapery and decorative pillows.

Despite the furniture market's push toward clean and contemporary design, America's love of traditional design remains fierce. Many appreciate the craftsmanship and uniqueness, as well as the link to the past.

Part of the thrill of decorating with traditional furnishings is the "find" in yard sales, antique shops, secondhand stores and estate sales. Another benefit of decorating with classic pieces is the opportunity to recycle something from the past into a functional piece of furniture once again.

Decorating with classics needn't feel like you are decorating for Grandma. Just add bold colors and pair the old with new lighting and unexpected fabrics, and your classic home will bear your contemporary signature.

Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida. To find out more about Joseph Pubillones, or to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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