What’s the difference between contemporary and modern styles and how can you use them in your home interiors? This guest post explores the issue and has some great ideas for home styling.
When thinking about home styling, many people will use the terms ‘modern’ and ‘contemporary’ interchangeably – there are, however, distinctions between the styles.
Contemporary Home Style
Contemporary furniture works well teamed with an understated colour scheme which is easy on the eye. Look for recliner sofas, modular sofas (or both) and coffee tables with bold lines.
Consider wall storage for smaller homes, and solid wood display units for bigger spaces. Solid woods encompass the contemporary style; veneered woods will also work very nicely. Also consider resilient upholstery in linen union or classic leather.
Muted colour schemes are suitable for the contemporary style – stone, grey, sage, baby blue and mink, accented with bolder tones of brown, charcoal, bottle green, denim blue and plum. Use warming accent colours on feature armchairs, table linen, cushions and throws.
Great Buys for a Contemporary Theme
1. Rustic ceramics
2. Floral fabrics
3. Pendant ceiling lights
4. Nature based pictures
Modern Home Style
For a confident, design conscious and adventurous modern design, make bold statements with your choice of furniture and colours.
Bold use of colour helps brings to life a modern style, especially when used in blocks against more neutral backgrounds – an accent chair in a bright fabric or rugs, lampshades and cushions in vibrant shades. Think about creating a feature wall with patterned wallpapers, and the use of patterned fabric for cushions can be very effective.
Modular sofas and shelving units give maximum flexibility, and large proportions hint at a boutique modern hotel style. Directional materials include solid and veneered woods, glass, metal, and wicker, for fabrics think velvet, silk, linen and large cable-knit.
Modern furniture invokes a big visual impact, whether the centre-piece of your room is a corner sofa with a chaise longue, a lustrous glass dining table, or a bold room divider. Look for uncomplicated designs that have presence.
Great Buys for a Modern Theme
1. Chandelier
2. Floral round mirror
3. Sheepskin rug
4. Landscape wall prints
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I think my home is more contemporary, but mainly because the size of my rooms wouldn’t support large bold items of furniture. I would love to have a large empty white washed room to go mad with, as you’re right, adding fabulous feature pieces of furniture in bright colours or bold patterned upholstery can totally transform a room.
Thank you for such an insightful post . Your tips really shed light on the nuances that make each style unique.
I would like to suggest two additional insights i.e Material Selection: Contemporary homes often use materials like glass, metal and concrete to create a sleek and minimalist look, while modern homes might incorporate more natural materials like wood and stone for a warmer feel. Discussing how material choice can impact the overall aesthetic could be beneficial & Furniture and Décor: Contemporary homes typically feature furniture and décor with clean lines and a focus on function, while modern homes may include more eclectic pieces with bold patterns and textures. Exploring how these different styles of furniture and décor can enhance each style could be a great addition to your post.