What a fun list! I'm looking forward to seeing what other people think of as "classic".

1. White ceilings and trim.
2. Heavy, real silver silverware
3. Leather and burgundy (both the wine and the color) in a den
4. Bloody Marys at a holiday brunch
5. Copper saucepans
6. Matching sofa and loveseat set in a living room
7. Guest towels and soaps in the bathroom that everyone avoids using because they are so nice, drying their hands on toilet paper instead or (worse) skipping the handwashing altogether. But you have to admit, that is classic! :-)

oriental rugs
chippendale furniture
brass lighting fixtures
silver silverware
wing back chairs

Shalimar
Diamonds on a brunette ;~)

oriental rugs
real hardwood floors
glass doorknobs
double hung wood windows
real solid wood doors, both interior and exterior
polished nickel/chrome plumbing fixtures in bathrooms with white toilet/tub/sink.
plaster walls
homes that don't have any vinyl or aluminum siding on them
tables set with crystal, china and silver flatware on tablecloths

And, yes, sign me up for diamonds. They go well with all hair colors!

Toile
Silver Empire Tea sets
Needlepoint pillows
Waterford Crystal
Glass hurricanes
Hardwood floors
Wood-burning fireplaces

Ivy climbing on brick walls
Quality brass outdoor fixtures
Oriental rugs
Hardwood floors
Wing chairs
Healthy houseplants
Cut crystal
Small touches of animal prints
Books
Coco by Chanel
A good Chardonnay

Elvis, what's "Shalimar"?? I googled it and came up with a Garden in Pakistan and a bunch of East Indian restaurants.

Leather furniture
hardwood floors
natural stone
Oriental rugs
Animal prints
Toile
Chinisoire
Silk window treatments
Tapestries
Hot cocoa (in front of a fireplace) ;)

Hardwood floors
Brass chandeliers
wool carpets
Waterford crystal
wingback chairs
furniture with a natural grain showing, not PB black, etc.
dining rooms.. fine china ..silver ..and linens
crown mouldings
wicker rocking chairs on a wrap around porch
And diamonds never go out of style!

Hershey's chocolate with Almonds

Sterling flatware
Velvet
Herringbone, paisley, jacobean and toile patterns
Silk
Black and white checked flooring
Wood paneling in a library
Built-in bookshelves and cabinetry around a fireplace or a doorway.
Wainscot
Coffered ceilings
Overstuffed furniture, but with simple lines
Slate
French doors
Ceilings of reasonable height (no more than maybe 10 feet) in living spaces.
Frank Lloyd Wright designs
Pearls

Shalimar is a perfume :~)

Shalimar (1925): Named after the garden in Lahore, built by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Shalimar is one of the first perfumes to successfully incorporate large amounts of vanillin in its composition. The scent of Shalimar is deep and velvetly black with the scent of lemon hinted medicinal vanilla. This is the flagship perfume of the House of Guerlain.

Guerlain's most successful and enduring fragrance was created by Jacques Guerlain at a time when fascination with the Orient and all things exotic was sweeping Europe. Inspired by the love of an Indian Emperor for his magnificent wife, Mumtaz-Mahal - for whom the Taj Mahal was built - Shalimar is named after "The Gardens of Shalimar," where their love grew. This is a perfume for extrovert women who like to be noticed

Fragrance Family: Oriental
Fragrance Style: Alluring, Enticing, Sensual and Passionate
Fragrance Notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Jasmine, Rose, Iris, Incense, Opopanax, Tonka Bean, Vanilla
Launch Date: 1925
Official Web Site: Guerlain Paris

mature trees
front porch
bookshelves with books
wool rugs
red, gold, green and white
natural light
footed cast iron tub
real wood doors, floors & wide trim
real brick paths
real iron fence
well worn blue jeans
little black dress

Real crystal chandeliers
Hardwood Floors
Wood burning fireplaces
Silk draperies
Down comforters
Limoges china
Antique furniture
Nailhead trim
Silver candlesticks
Beveled Mirrors
Overstuffed furniture
Panel wood doors
Fitted slip covers

Slow cooked oatmeal w/raisins and brown sugar
macaroni & cheese
Roast beef w/mashed potatoes

Oh, sorry I must be looking for comfort (mama was hospitalized this morning, and dd 19 is being discharged fr. USMarines - medical discharge

double hung windows w/true lights (individual glass panes) wavey glass
Cast iron - tubs, cookware,decorative items
1" hex tile
Carrara marble
WOOL - rugs, blankets, coats, etc..
Embroidery/crewel - the vintage type w/real wool
Solid wood! - anything, cabs,furnishings -
A 2x4 that is a true 2x4 - and hardened wood (vs todays' green)
A piano - w/lots of people gathered around singing
100% linen - anything
Cobalt china - the vintage/antique stuff!
leather bound books
fountain pens
Silver!
Crisp cotton sheets
fieldstone - foundations, walls (the dry type), fireplaces
Cedar clapboard
Big moldings - interior & exterior
Chrome - pipes and bath/kitchen fixtures
Steam radiators - yep the big clunky ones people love to cover or tear out
Hand tools - the vintage/antique type

This is fun! helps take the mind off other things

Jejvtr, hope you are doing okay, and that mom and DD are okay as well. Both of those things sound serious, and of course double the stress for you when they hit at one time.

I agree with most of your list, but almost couldn't read past the first item - oatmeal is ewwwww. LOL Not oatmeal cookies, oatmeal bread, oatmeal topping on a baked dessert. It is a texture thing with me.

I'll be thinking good thought for you and yours.

Some things will never go 'out of style':
Crown mouldings
Hardwood floors
Wood-encased fireplace surround/mantle
Stained wood staircasing
White/cream China with gold/silver edging
Crystal
Sterling Silver-utincils/serving trays/salt-pepper shakers/coffee-tea service
Wing-back chairs
Damask/Jacquard/Paisley fabric
Antique anything
Built-ins-bookcases/DR corner cabinets
DR chrystal chandlier
Flagstone patio

Of course diamonds,but I LOVE saphires, too.

Elvis - You have described my mother's home to the last detail, including the Shalimar and diamonds (just one ring, but it was enough)!

Trying not to repeat the aforementioned classics:

Silk lampshades
Draperies in the living room
Thoughtfully framed and matted wall art
Wedgwood china
Original hextile floors
A touch of black in every room
Pewter
Books neatly stacked in built-in bookcases (oh how I wish)
A family Bible
Webster's Unabridged Dictionary

Joy perfume
Fresh strong coffee with cream
Blue jeans
Dorothy Parker

And the sine qua non that gives every home, from mobile to palace, an elegant note - a sleeping cat.

JudithVA's living room. :) I'm still so taken with it's timelessness and style. Applause, applause.

I forgot:
a wind up tick tock clock that chimes on the hour
Vivaldi- The Four Seasons playing softly in the background
lace curtains on the window
jacobean prints on fabrics
blue and white printed oriental pottery and/or china i.e blue willow
fresh roses from the garden
leather bound books
antique oil portraits

LOL Allison

I agree with so many that have already been posted. I would have to say that something that is Classic, is something that has stood the test of time and has always been in style.Its usually also things that you never get tired of looking at. Ditto to the following

Hardwood Floors
Wingback Chairs
Toile
Crystal
Wainscotting and Crown Molding
French Doors
Wood burning fireplaces are a few of my favorites.

jejvtr
Hope your mom and daughter are ok... glad this can keep your mind busy for a bit (smile) Ree

Grandfather Clock
antique china & furnishings
Oriental Rugs
Fireplace in bedroom
Crystal chandelier
lots of lit candles
silk window treatments
oil paintings
formal dining room
Silver serving trays and pieces
Frank Sinatra
coble stone steets
old cars

plus so many of the above.. everyone did a great job!
Ree

I have to say I love this thread - the visuals conjured up are all wonderful and speak to some comfortable, safe place in my mind. Makes me wonder about the age bracket of respondents - are we within a predictable range? I agree with each and every thing mentioned so far.

I doubt this thread or our choices have anything to do with our ages. These are things that are timeless.

My family had none of these things other than the tick tock wall clock at my great aunts, the oil portrait of my grandmother as a little girl, and my mom's silver tea service that was stolen by burglars when I was in 8th grade.

I'm newly 42 though.

Hmmmm, I think I'm going to try for a different set of classics here... I agree with many of those already listed, but there is a heavy bias in them to fussy victoriana and expensive things, and classic isn't necessarily all about that all the time and unless one considers the cheaper classics too, one will miss the essence of what it is to be classic.

Stainless steel cutlery in a design with clean lines.
Plain pub style beer glasses
Square cushions with piped edges.
Picket fences
Terracotta plant pots
Subway tile
Chrome taps
Pine kitchen tables.
Knitted tea cosies.
Granny square blankets.

And for those of you who listed perfumes...

4711 cologne
Yardley English Lavender

what a FUN thread!

Hardwood floors
Great cherry or mahogany furniture
Stone cast bird baths
Beautiful winter coats that are NOT fur
Christmas trees in more than one room
Heavy trim work
Fireplaces that get much use
Waterford crystal
Warm and inviting ambiance

ok..here are some from a guy's perspective, courtesy of DH:

Eames lounge chair
eichler house
papyrus against white stucco walls
white linen sheets
Cashmere blankets
Moosehead in Aspen ski chalet
Dead fish in a Maine's cottage
no 5. hole at Pebble beach
Stoli on the rock
VSOP any way
Acqua di Parma
Diamond on a naked woman..
Sex before sunrise (haha...)*wink*

Wow, the images all this conjures up!
I am trying to think of what has not been mentioned.

Open wood staircases
Library rooms with bookshelves
Hunter green and plaids
Full size (not mini) venetian blinds
Louvered interior shutters
Floral prints
Throw blankets
Baskets

I think it was Traditional Magazine, maybe not, but I believe who said years ago, every classic home should have a grandfather clock, two wing chairs, a set of China for serving family or the queen, a set of crystal from which to drink milk or wine, brass chandelier/a nice brass lamp, candelsticks, a nice meat platter, a good white sheets, a great tablecloth such as white linen or similar to Army-Navy and books-a-plenty, vases for fresh flowers.

Here's just a few to add to the excellent suggestions above!Your fine choices are inspiring -- I'd love to see your homes!

-Decent tea brewed (and kept HOT) in a teapot (I have a small collection of teapots with aluminum and felt-lined covers from the 40s and 50s)
-Real coffee made in an electric perculator (love that sound!)
-Old portraits on oil
-Comfortable seating
-Blinds (or sheers to hold back the glare but not the morning sun)
-Curtains to shut out the night (not a soft summer evening's view but those sneaky bitter windy ones)
-Real fireplace with crackling logs (even outside!)
-Area rugs that draw a room together or help define a conversation area from Orientals to sisals
-Tables near enough for a drink, book or magazine (I WILL get up and drag one nearer to my chair)
-Bookshelves and Books
-Artworks of All Sorts and Kinds (the best kind come with stories!)
-Chandeliers, Lamps and Lighting Options (no high wattage -- especially at night ---- I look so much better by candelight LOL!)
-Mirrors
-Baskets
-Trays (to gather in items on a coffee table, kitchen table or vanity or dresser)
-A thoughtful photo display (wall or table or even a bowl full of old photos on a table -- rotated for fresh seasons)
-Down comforters, duvets and my collection of old satin coverlets
-Soft, softer, softest sheets
-Towels (that actually dry you off)
-Globes or maps
-Crystal glassware
-Sterling flatware (mine is Gorham's old "English Gadroon")
-White or cream china (mixed in with patterns of all sorts)
-Tablecloths and real napkins
-A decorative element that brings in a note of mystery, whimsy or fun (I have a collection of Ouija boards)

Wines:

Sauvingnon Blanc
Pinot Grigio
Chardonnay

Drinks:

Cosmo martinis
Bloody Marys

Perfumes:
Caleche by Hermes (winter)
De La Renta (summer)

Food:

Hard boiled brown eggs with sliced toast for dipping
Pasta with simple tomato sauce (extra basil and garlic)
Cheese Tray (selection of cheeses) with slices of apples, pears, nuts and grapes (after dinner!)
Seafood
Mum's meatloaf
Braised lamb shanks
Pot de Creme with GREAT coffee
creme brulee BUT must have a distinct deep vanilla taste and extra thick sugar on top
Raspberries
Strawberries and Devon cream

WOW! What a great thread! There are no winners but, teacats, you momentarily transported me to a heavenly place! I'm going to stay there awhile before I try to think of things that haven't been mentioned.

Thanks, all!

Thought about this while walking the dogs...

To me -

Granite steps at an entryway
White beadboard
Tartan plaids
Real fieldstone fireplaces (the ones with little mortar)
Cashmere twinsets
Burberry trench coats
Navy pea coats
Built-in bookshelves
Window seats

...clearly, my New England roots are showing..

Shalimar, ah, my sweet Mom's favorite!
CLASSICS: mahogany furniture, Waterford crystal, china on a beautiful lace table cloth, real silver, beveled glass, roaring fireplace, oil paintings, beautiful music, classic outfits (anything but jeans and sloppy, trashy attire!), lively conversation, laughter, upholstered furniture, leather, pipes, candles, silver service, oriental rugs, basements transformed into rec rooms....I realized I just described my happy childhood memories of visiting my grandparents home in Kansas City.

I am not very design savvy, but when I think of "classic" here's what I get:

black and white checkerboard kitchen floor
navy blue
red front door
wood mouldings
hardwood
fireplace with a mantle
oriental rugs

meatloaf and mashed potatoes
pearls with a black dress
wellies
thick milkshakes
Ivory soap

Wedgwood White China
Sterling flatware (I love my Chantilly by Gorham)
Soft, smooth white sheets
Fluffy towels that are not purely decorative
Hardwood floors
A Woodburning fireplace w/ a substantial mantle
Welcoming front porches
Quality millwork that fits the scale & style of the house
Leaded glass windows
Solid wood furniture
Grandfather/grandmother clocks that chime on the hour
Windsor chairs
Comfortable furniture with clean lines
Freshly brewed coffee or tea
The sound of children playing
Just enough clutter/mess to know that this is a home that someone actually lives in ;)

I forgot to post my age--I am 27.

Oh, I did not know we were getting into personal attire here, but if so, diamonds. I forgot to post my age which has nothing to do with diamonds.

all of the above :) plus a few additionals on my list -
black labrador retrievers
porch swings
horseshoe pit in the back yard
corbels and shingles on a house
gold charm bracelet
hand-me-down pearls
sterling and turquoise jewelry
dark brown frye boots
denim
ironstone
wood floors, baseboards and trim
kilim rugs
antlers mounted on a wall
hudson bay blankets
big baking mixers on a countertop
marble anything, counters, tops of tables, etc...
italian pottery
a vegetable garden
planted herbs on the kitchen windowsill
"goodnight moon" (the book for children)
old fashioned pencil sharpeners mounted to the office wall
framed audobon animal prints
black and white family photos
'tis the season classics: a real Christmas tree; hot cocoa with big, fluffy marshmallows; making a snow angel;leaving out the plate of cookies and carrots on Christmas Eve, and then nibbling on all of them to make it look authentic...

great thread!
~happy holidays~

Here's a few more that I couldn't live without:
plantation shutters
white fluffy towels
white bone china
red clay pots
beeswax candles
travertine
apothecary jars
wrought iron mirrors
a pair of classic bookends

Nikki here, John's wife.

Here you go for me:

Real Christmas tree with real tinsel.
Wing Chairs
Wool carpet
Sterling bowls and serving pieces
sterling table service
Waterford or other good crystal glass ware and bar-ware
A well stocked bar
Oriental rugs
Elegant wood work
Paisley, stripes, no lace curtains, damask
Leather only if it is a Chesterfield sofa
Classical music
Crisp white percale sheets
fur coat(s)
mahogany furniture
good wicker
Bergere (sp?) chairs and fauntiel chairs
camel back sofas
Chippendale anything
LL Bean luggage and boots
Labs, horses, and hunting dogs
Wooden floors, particularly herringbone and banded, inlaid floors
Wood burning fireplaces with beautiful surrounds, no stone to ceilings unless it is a Maine Lodge.
Simple cabins at the lake
Chris Craft Wooden inboards
I will quit now cause it is getting too long.
Thanks, how fun!

Stearling, ornate and heavy, polished to a soft sheen
Poison
Silk drapes
French Doors
A real fire place and a glass of wonderful port
Hot and strong tea brewed in a thick brown pot, with milk and sugar
Scones
Oriental carpets
Tapestry in faded colors
Crown molding
Detailed woodwork
Carera marble
A real christmas tree with white lights
Mohair and cashmir
(not my spelling)
Burgundy wine
Leather furniture without budda bellies
Libraries
Parlors
Fabulous entry halls
Antique quilts, both silk and flower sack
warm colors
Silk dresses
Rubies on a red head :)

Im feeling a bit homesick since I'm in hospital and we have an imminent death in the family so forgive me if I get a bit maudlin here...

A new baby's smile
A fluffy down comforter
Comfortable pillows (ok I'm tired of sleeping in a chair)
Cabernet, Burgundy and any other wine LOL
A family, all together
A meal cooked with love
That fire place I mentioned earlier, with the family, baby and meal...and the burgundy :)

All of the above and...

Roses
Champagne
Lemonade
Filigree rings
Seed pearls
Patchwork quilts
Silver tea service
Needlepoint chair seats and footstools
Embroidered pillowcases
Rocking chairs and lap robes
Cornice boards
Multi-paned windows
Carved fireplace surrounds
Marble and granite
Candlelight & firelight
Inlaid hardwoods
Antique clocks
Ming dog figurines
Cashmere sweaters
Glass fronted cabinets
Stained glass windows
French cherry pie
Chocolate dipped strawberries
Prosciutto and melon

Saw this and had to chime in:

French Bulldogs snoring on the couch
Any bottle of wine from Alban Vineyard
Stained double pocket doors leading into the dining room
Discovering teak built ins under drywall painted glossy purple
Large plaid/neutral colored silk draperies
True vintage framed prints/maps
A house that talks (not Amityville'ish)
Mature well kept landscaping
It's not a deck - it's a terrace!
Stained glass window at the top of a stairway
Black and white bathroom
A bed you need stairs for - the humans, not the dogs
Rooms that used to be (or are, ha!) servants quarters
Mail slot in the door
The perfect black heel with an ankle strap
Butler pantries
Well kept fingernails
Monograms
Tracing your family tree and finding it isn't a shrub:)

Casheme
Wool
Delftware
a sleeping dog
fresh flowers
leather (books, furniture or boots)
fine linen
caligraphy
warm worn wood (in floors or furniture)
creamy white walls

i may have copied some of you but i still like it. :)

crystal
marble
diamonds
roses
velvet
caligraphy
lace
mirrors
chandeliers
nailhead trim
silk
big hunky hand carved furniture
victorian furniture
Mohair and cashmir
WALLPAPER!
plush thick carpet
floral arrangements
those cool vintage double swag crystal lights! (hanging in the bathroom!!!)

I have enjoyed this thread. The images of beauty and comfort inspired me to pick out a list of 22 things that I plan to incorporate somewhere in my home. I think that will be very useful and keep me focused!

I would only add a couple of things:

Beautiful hallway chest with a large painting over it
flowers from the garden in a crystal vase
A chess set on a small table between 2 chairs
Gravy made from pan drippings and not a mix, and homemade rolls with lots of butter--from days when they didn't know better but were still thinner

Wonderful thread. Igloochic, I'm sorry you have to be in the hospital and hope you get to come home soon and enjoy some classic elements...

Been said, but I will reiterate...

true divided lite windows
hardwood floors of course
builts ins
wood front door and solid mouldings
wb fireplace with white mantle and brick surround
mellow red brick
wood siding (wish I could afford it!)
detached garages
grandfather clock
flowers around a white picket fence
casement windows
well-tended flowerboxes
well-used silver and pretty china
white linen napkins
church bells
lovely white sheets
peonies, lilacs, iris, roses from the garden
simplicity

I only have a fraction of this list but it's something to work toward!