While modern and contemporary are two styles of interior design with similarities, they have significant variations. Having this distinction, it is possible to better navigate the process of choosing what exactly to do in home decoration.
It has existed since the early to mid-20th century when the world tended to depart from Victorian decorative styles. The hallmarks of modern style are sleek, plain, subdued, practical, and generally low on adornment.
Some essential qualities of modern design include:
Defining Contemporary Design
Contemporary styles emerged alongside modern designs but with more emphasis on eclectic styles. Like the modern style of architecture, contemporary is characterized by clean, minimalist aesthetics, primary importance on neutral colors, and a focus on function – but deviates significantly from modernism in the way it treats form, shape, and uniqueness.
Critical qualities of contemporary design:
Modern and contemporary share an emphasis on:
Minimalism
Both styles include using vast public area, oversized windows, lack of decoration and graphic simplicity. Plain and bare is what the aesthetic of your home should be and they don’t possess anything that is not significant and practical.
Neutral Schemes
It looks best for those who prefer bright accessories as whites, grays and black are versatile in any of the presented styles. They arrange beautiful, quiet spaces.
Furniture Functionality
Essential features of both styles are that they are practical and mobile furniture for flexible use. Disc converts over time as do sectional sofas, ottomans and other convertible pieces.
While modern and contemporary share some significant picture values, divergences emerge in:
Openness to Color
Modern percusses colors, contemporary embraces vivid and bright notes even if everything is monochromic.
The modern favors rectilinear, -box like shapes; the contemporary has the geometrical lines with irregular shapes, angles.
Individualistic Expression
Modern style therefore desires generic, open, and accessible objects; while contemporaries enjoy singular, individually produced objects with personality.
Interiors combine these styles depending on owner’s preferences, specific spaces and vision of designers in practice. An example of an integrated design concept based on the current principles might include using some pieces of modern-style furniture or paintings.
Modern Materials
Some essential materials that align with modern and contemporary aesthetics include:
Contemporary Textures
Mixing sleek and soft textures creates depth in contemporary interiors through:
- Shearling throws
- Velvet pillows
- Natural fiber rugs
- Brushed metals
Modern Color Choices
Color schemes adhere to a simplified, neutral modern palette:
- Black
- White
- Gray
- Tan
- Off-white
Contemporary design
Contemporary design welcomes vibrant accent colors like:
- Chartreuse
- Sapphire blue
- Emerald green
- Crimson red
No matter the style, well-designed spaces share common principles:
- Consistent color flows
- Cohesive material mixes
- Repeated design motifs
- Combined sizes of furnishings proportional to the sizes of the rooms they furnish.
These design and create comprehensive element, integration, and cohesiveness, which are home-like and adaptable to a homeowner’s daily schedule.