Wealthy furniture consumers still want traditional furniture style

When the economic going gets tough, the wealthy remain relatively unaffected, say home furnishings retailers and interior designers who cater to affluent clients. The style of choice for these consumers: traditional with European influences.

Here are some examples of furniture with a luxurious style for various rooms in a home.

Anywhere: Romantic and graceful, Marguerite French lounge chair from Marge Carson has a distinctive Louis XV silhouette. An intricate, handcarved floral design adorns the exposed wood grame, which is treated to a deep, distressed Old World Sumatra finish and accented with aged Medici metal leafing and antique brass nailhead trim. Marguerite is shown covered in Tigon Brass velvet and Ole Cappucino silk.

Master Bedroom: Luberon bed from French Heritage exudes French Country elegance, with its tall, inward-curving headboard; gently sloping, carved footboard; and rich, distressed wax finish. Part of the company's Maison Provence Luberon Collection, the bed measures 64 inches wide by 65 inches tall by 86 inches long.

Living room: Part of C.R. Laine Furniture's Jessica McClintock Home Collection, JM4150 sofa has a curved, rounded back and lots of McClintock’s signature dressmaker details, including plump, down-filled pillows with tassels and fringe, and gimp tape on the hem of the box-pleat skirt. The piece is shown covered in a soft chenille jacquard called Paulina Raisin with Raisin gimp.

Home Office: Habersham’s sturdy Governor’s desk offers consumers a masculine look and functionality. An ornate, intricately detailed border around the base softens the desk’s hard lines and blunt edges, while hidden storage space keeps personal items safely out of sight. The piece is shown here in the company’s Empire Studio finish.

Anywhere: Belle Meade Signature’s Richelieu demi-lune takes a unique approach to the apothecary chest. The generously scaled piece has faux drawer fronts on doors that open to reveal ample storage space and adjustable shelves. The drawer fronts are made with ovankol veneer treated to a matte, transparent Madeira finish. A starburst inlay top adds further interest to the piece.

Living room/media room: Architectural carvings; seeded, historic glass pier doors; and a medium clear finish with an antique glaze give Hooker Furniture’s three-piece Castellane home theater a rich Country French feel. Combined, the center console and hutch stand 101 inches tall and accommodate up to a 55-inch flat-screen TV. Used alone, the console accommodates up to a 60-inch, flat-screen TV.

Bedroom/Living Room: Barclay Butera looked to the large-scale, classic chairs found in Paris in the early 1900s when designing Marseilles chaise, part of the Barvlay Butera Home Regency Collection. A rounded back, petite curved arm, turned legs and casters give Marseilles a decidedly feminine look. It measures 31 incehs wide by 64 inches deep by 35 inches tall, and is shown in a fabric called Chenonceau Jewel.

Dining Room: For those who like to entertain, Continental dining table offers ample space at 72 inches wide, for stately gatherings. Two fancy-face, 20-inch leaves expand the table to 112 inches wide, perfect for holiday gatherings. Inspired by a Smithsonian Castle Collection library table acquired in the late 1800s, the piece has a smooth top surface that shows off handcrafts, hand-finished, fancy-face primavera veneers and a border made from quartered walnut with black in-lines alongside white ash burl. Statesman arm chair – with its double curved arm, carved backsplat and upholstered slip seat – is the perfect seating companion. Both pieces are part of Chesapeake, a new furniture series in the Smithsonian Collection by Bernhart.

An 18^th Century English table, Elizabeth from Design Solutions Inc. features delicate, turned legs; a scalloped, beaded apron; classic molding; and a frame shelf. The table shown here measures 50 inches wide by 21 incehs deep by 34.5 inches tall, perfect for accommodating a sink. Custom sizes are available.