Modern, industrial, shabby chic… and the list goes on. A significant challenge many of our clients face is a lack of understanding or vocabulary to describe and define their personal interior design style. With an abundance of unique design styles, it can be daunting to decipher which style will work best for you. Some also enjoy combining elements of several styles to create their ideal look.

A great starting point for an interior design project is to learn a bit about each of the styles and how they differ from one another.

1. MODERN

Modern is a broad design term that typically refers to a home with clean, crisp lines, a simple colour palette and the use of materials that can include metal, glass and steel.

Modern design employs a sense of simplicity in every element, including furniture. A word that’s commonly used to describe modern style is sleek, and there is not a lot of clutter or accessories involved with a modern style.

2. CONTEMPORARY

Modern and contemporary are two styles frequently used interchangeably. Contemporary is different from modern because it describes design based on the here and now.

The primary difference separating modern and contemporary design style is that modern is a strict interpretation of design that started in the 20th century. Contemporary on the other hand, is more fluid and can represent a sense of currency with less adherence to one particular style. For example, contemporary style may include curving lines, whereas modern design does not. You can refer to modern vs contemporary article for more information.

3. MINIMALIST

The minimalist concept is one that’s popular here in Australia. It takes notions of modern design and simplifies them further.

Colour palettes are neutral and airy; furnishings are simple and streamlined, and nothing is excessive or flamboyant in accessories or décor.

Minimalism is ultimately defined by a sense of functionality and ultra-clean lines.

4. INDUSTRIAL

Industrial style as the name implies, draws inspiration from a warehouse or an urban loft.

There’s a sense of unfinished rawness in many of the elements, and it’s not uncommon to see exposed brick, ductwork and wood. An iconic home with an industrial design theme would be a renovated loft from a former industrial building.

Think high ceilings, old timber and dangling metal light fixtures with sparse functional furniture. There may possibly be one or two pieces of abstract art or photography to add a dash of colour to an otherwise neutral colour scheme derived from the primary materials of wood and metals.

5. MID-CENTURY MODERN

Mid-century modern is a throwback to the design style of the mid-1900s—primarily the 1950s and 60s. There’s a retro nostalgia present in Mid-Century Modern Design, and also some elements of minimalism. Functionality or “fussy-free” was the main theme for Mid-century design. It emphasis on pared-down forms, natural or organic shapes such as “egg-shaped” chair, easy-to-use contemporary designs and simple fabrications. It easily complements any interior and also helps with seamless transition from interior to exterior.

6. SCANDINAVIAN

Scandanavian design pays homage to the simplicity of life demonstrated in Nordic countries. Scandinavian furniture design often feels like a work of art, although it is simple and understated. There’s functionality in the furniture along with some interesting lines, many of which have a sculptural influence.

Other common characteristics include all-white colour palettes and the incorporation of natural elements like form-pressed wood, bright plastics, and enameled aluminum, steel and wide plank flooring. If there are pops of colour it often comes from the use of art, natural fibre throws or furs, or a single piece of furniture.

Spacious, natural lighting, less accessories and functional furniture characterizes Scandinavian designs.

7. TRADITIONAL

Traditional design style offers classic details, sumptuous furnishings, and an abundance of accessories. It is rooted in European sensibilities.

Traditional homes often feature dark, finished wood, rich colour palettes, and a variety of textures and curved lines. Furnishings have elaborate and ornate details and fabrics, like velvet, silk and brocade, which may include a variety of patterns and textures.

There’s depth, layering and dimensionality within most traditional designs.

8. TRANSITIONAL

Transitional is a very popular style because it borrows from both traditional and modern design to facilitate a space that’s not “too much,” in terms of one style or another. There’s a sense of balance that’s appealing and unexpected.

A transitional design may incorporate modern materials, such as steel and glass, and then unite them with plush furnishings.

Transitional design also includes relatively neutral colour palettes, creating a calming and relaxed space that manages to feel both stylish and sleek, as well as warm and inviting.

9. FRENCH COUNTRY

Warm, earthy colours are indicative of a French Country design style, as are worn and ornamental wooden furnishing. The style has an overarching farmhouse inspiration.

French Country design may include soft and warm tones of red, yellow or gold and natural materials like stone and brick. French Country design can include collections of ornate porcelain dishes and heavy linens and bed coverings.

10. BOHEMIAN

Bohemian is a popular style for home design and fashion. It reflects a carefree lifestyle with little rules, except to follow your hearts desire.

Bohemian homes may include vintage furniture and light fixtures, globally inspired textiles and rugs, displays of collections, and items found in widely varied sources including flea markets and during one’s travels.

It’s not uncommon to spot floor pillows and comfortable seating spaces when incorporating the bohemian style. This eclectic style can incorporate an ultra-glam chandelier paired with a well-worn rug and a mid-century chair. Within the Bohemian style, there’s a laissez-faire attitude where anything goes as long as you love it.

11. RUSTIC

Rustic design is drawn from natural inspiration, using raw and often unfinished elements including wood and stone.

Rustic design may incorporate accessories from the outdoors with warmth emulating from the design and architectural details that may include features like vaulted ceilings adorned with wood beams or reclaimed wood floors.

Many designs now integrate rustic design with more modern furnishings and accessories.

12. SHABBY CHIC

Shabby chic is vintage-inspired style, but compared to Bohemian and other styles, tends to be more feminine, soft and delicate.

Shabby chic furnishings are often either distressed or appear that way; paint tends to have antique-style finishes. The Shabby Chic colour palettes include white, cream and pastels. Light light fixture and wall hangings may be ornate and continue the feminine vibe of shabby chic design.

13. HOLLYWOOD GLAM

Also referred to as Hollywood Regency, Hollywood Glam is a design style that tends to be luxurious, over-the-top and opulent. It’s a dramatic design style, perfect for a homeowner who enjoys making a statement.

This design style can incorporate some features of Victorian design, including plush, velvet furnishings, tufting and antiques. The colour palettes are particularly bold—think purples, reds and turquoise.

14. COASTAL/HAMPTONS

Coastal style also dubbed Hamptons style, hails from the iconic U.S. beachside area. Common features include light, airy colour palettes with cool neutral shades paired with blues and greens. Furnishings are often white or beige. The room can contain elements of wood and accessories are often inspired by the sea.

Blue and white striped patterns for pillows, large windows, white plush sofas, and painted white wood are also common fixtures of the classic Coastal/Hampton style.

The intention is to create a relaxed and comfortable environment that is inspired by the beach and ocean.

A rudimentary understanding of design fundamentals and styles can be a great help in solidifying your personal design ideals. The ability to identify different interior design styles will help you conjure up inspirational visions of your future home and provide a framework to build your personal aesthetic. With a vocabulary to express your inspired vision, magic happens! If you’re interested in this look, we recommend you to read our post “Everything you need to know about the Hamptons Style“.

Together, we make homes beautiful. If you would like to consult with Rochele Decorating on design elements to enhance your home décor, please contact us!

14 Most Popular Interior Design Styles Explained

Contemporary architecture can take many forms: Northwest contem­porary, Spanish modern, mid-century modern, desert contemporary, and Prairie. In recent years, especially, it’s been constantly redefined according to the tastes and preferences of homebuyers.

“When the average person thinks about contemporary architecture, they think of nontraditional, nonconventional style,” says Klif Andrews, division president of Pardee Homes, in Las Vegas. “It treats rooflines differently, whether it’s a parapet that hides a roofline or a pronounced angled roof. And it has to have a lot of windows that form a strong connection between the inside and outside of the home.”

Contemporary design tends to be more prevalent (and daring) on the West Coast, especially in California. “[Californians] have always marched to a different drummer,” says Jerry Gloss, senior partner with KGA Studio Architecture, in Louisville, Colo. “They get to do things that we don’t necessarily get to do here in Denver.”

But there are devotees of modern design in other parts of the U.S. North Carolina Modernist Houses, a nonprofit organization, documents, preserves, and promotes residential modern architecture. Nashville, Tenn., and Austin, Texas, are also progressive markets where modern and contemporary design flourish, says Ed Binkley, design/business director at BSB Design, in Safety Harbor, Fla.

BSB designs houses in Florida for such builders as Mattamy Homes, Century Homes, and Taylor Morrison. “Some have shed roofs and a little bit of a mid-century modern look,” Binkley says. “We call it modern, but in a sense it really goes back to contemporary or transitional.”

While some builders are forging ahead with contemporary designs, others are proceeding with caution. Binkley has created designs for builder clients that, he says, “they may or may not introduce, but they want to have them in the portfolio in the event that some neighborhoods are better suited to contemporary.” Meritage Homes successfully took the contemporary plunge at Solavera in Austin, Texas. Still, says Binkley, it’s the smaller boutique builders in urban-infill and urban-fringe locations that tend to take the lead.

Beloved by Millennials and Boomers Alike

Millennials are typically drawn to contemporary houses because they want something different, Gloss says. “It’s [their way] of saying, ‘This is not what my mom and dad bought; this is not what they’re living in.’ The funny thing is, we’re getting a lot of interest from Boomers, too, for the same reason.”

Modern may be the purest form of contemporary, “but you don’t have to go all the way to modern architecture in order to be contemporary,” Andrews says. “You can do more moderate things that are warmer and have a more traditional feel, such as mid-century modern.”

The popularity of mid-century modern has a lot to do with nostalgic TV shows like Mad Men, points out Tim Lin, in-house architect for Estes Builders, in Sequim, Wash. “Home renovation shows also tout mid-century modern,” he says. “The style has really good bones and a lot of features [buyers want] nowadays, such as open floor plans and simple, functional design.”

Binkley notes that of all the variations on contemporary, mid-century modern may be the least expensive to execute “because it does not cry out for a lot of details and brackets and gingerbread,” he says. “It’s a pretty clean, true style. I think it’s kind of whimsical, too.”

It’s also the hardest, he adds, because there’s no molding to hide behind. While the Bauhaus School (1919–1933) in Germany was extremely influential, modern architecture didn’t become truly livable until mid-century modern came along, says Seattle architect Julian Weber: “The materials and the indoor/outdoor connection really respond to the way people want to live.”

In the last 15 years, one of the biggest tweaks to contemporary design has been spatial fluidity, Lin says: “Back when most houses were larger, rooms had specific purposes—formal dining room, office, library, etc. With the popularity of the small-house movement and Sarah Susanka’s Not So Big House, we rarely see formal dining rooms and such anymore. Instead, rooms have become multifunctional, where the dining room is part of the great room, which also serves as the study.”

Contemporary design is eclectic and employs a variety of building materials, says Cambridge, Mass., architect Mette Aamodt. For instance, contemporary homes in the Northeast feature wood framing, while masonry is the dominant material in Texas and the Southwest—“adobe structures, concrete …. Traditional or vernacular references evoke the past,” Aamodt says, “but the home is still modern or contemporary.”

Getting the Community on Board 

An educational session at PCBC 2016 addressed the growing interest in contemporary elevations and how to successfully introduce them in an established community. Marc Rousso, president of JayMarc Homes, on Mercer Island, Wash., discussed his experience developing new homes on the island. “You have to work more closely with the community,” Rousso said. “One thing we learned is that [residents] wanted more trees and a variety of elevations.” 

Garrett Hinds, director of architecture for Trumark Homes, in Danville, Calif., said that having a presence on social media is critical to the acceptance of contemporary design because it’s the best way to reach Millennials. For design inspiration, Hinds recommended looking to hotels, restaurants, and other public gathering spaces. Dahlin Group of Pleasanton, Calif., took design cues from downtown buildings to create new homes for JayMarc. 

“The stair rails have more steel than wood,” Rousso said. “Juliet balconies, metal awnings, and glass are also prominent features.” While an abundance of glass is desirable, he recommended using traditional window sizes “or you’ll break the bank.” For example, standard-size windows can be used to create corner views that give the home a contemporary aesthetic. JayMarc sourced “great vinyl windows with silver frames” for the project. 

 The builder plans to include a bigger selection of contemporary elevations in future projects, Rousso added. “They cost 20 percent more to build, but we’re making it up on sales.”

Tempting Seattle Techies

At New Rainier Vista in Seattle’s Columbia City neighborhood, modern detached homes fit seamlessly into what developer Anthony Maschmedt calls “a hodgepodge of architectural styles.”

Columbia City is one of eight historical districts in Seattle, but Maschmedt, founder and principal of Dwell Development, wasn’t going for a historical look. He wanted the homes to “clearly be of the place,” architect Julian Weber says. “Columbia City is a very diverse, transit-oriented neighborhood, and Seattle is tech-savvy. Therefore, designing contemporary homes was the most logical choice.”

The Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) encouraged Maschmedt and Weber to produce a variety of elevations. “We explored a lot of different roof shapes,” Weber says. “The first unit has a really long overhanging flat roof that [drops] down into a wall that in turn folds out over the entry to become the porch element. Directly adjacent to that is a steeply pitched metal roof. There are also some true parapet roof-deck units.”

New Rainier Vista started as a 15-unit project on a site owned by the SHA. “In late 2008/early 2009, we were one of the only builders in Seattle [able to obtain] financing,” Maschmedt says. “We did New Rainier Vista in sections of four homes each. I wouldn’t close on the next four until I had plans, permits, and financing in place.”

Over the next few years, the project expanded into 42 homes, all of which were presold during construction. “We had a waiting list even during the downturn,” he marvels. Prices started at $390,000 to $425,000 for the first four units. By the time the last four were sold, prices had climbed to the mid- to upper $700,000s. Each floor plan is unique.

Weber says the primary focus was to promote a communal feeling, with space between the homes “where people would be comfortable engaging each other. That’s a very timeless idea, along with porches and stoops that relate to the street.”

Warm Contemporary in Las Vegas

Andrews says that Pardee Homes is expanding the contemporary offerings at its Las Vegas communities. Buyers can choose from such architectural styles as Desert Contemporary, Mid-Century Modern, Desert Prairie, and Contemporary Spanish. The designs feature large amounts of glass, angled forms, splashes of bright color, and nontraditional finishes such as concrete and flat wood. Stacking glass doors, gliders, and spacious decks provide a balance of indoor-outdoor living, with large openings offering visual and spatial connection to outside.

“[And] more rustic features are being incorporated,” he says. “For example, we use a lot of chiseled stone, which has a pronounced texture and [pairs well] with [flatter] surfaces.” The overall effect, he says, is a warmth that contemporary homes in the 1980s lacked, with their “cold, concrete kind of look.”

The modern-furniture craze hasn’t been lost on Pardee. Model homes have contemporary countertops, flooring, backsplashes, and plumbing fixtures, as well as furnishings that buyers can snap up at retailers such as IKEA and Restoration Hardware. “It’s such a powerful trend right now,” Andrews says.At Meridian in Las Vegas, the Desert Contemporary elevation is the most modern-looking with its flat roof. The boxy exterior is broken up with stucco, stone, and brick; bands of windows; and a second-floor deck. The price starts at $663,000 for 3,946 square feet.

New Builder Challenges Nationals With Fresh Product

“Contemporary design” doesn’t have a specific meaning for Chris Presley. But the homes she’s building at the Leyden Rock master planned community in Denver—which include a Modern Prairie elevation—are selling like hotcakes. Presley started Epic Homes, in Littleton, Colo., about 15 months ago and opened models at Leyden Rock in April 2016. At press time, 13 of 52 detached homes were sold, priced from $476,900 to $539,900 for 2,361 to 3,498 square feet.

“Leyden Rock is the second most active master planned community in Denver, after Stapleton,” says Presley. “A lot of big national builders are there. Since we opened our models, we’ve been No. 2 in sales.”

Presley collaborated with KGA on the Leyden Rock houses. “From an elevation standpoint, KGA did a phenomenal job,” she says. “But from an interior design/floor plan perspective, a lot of what’s resonating with our buyers is the thoughtful use of space.”

Epic Homes utilizes more windows than competing builders. “It costs extra but makes a difference,” Presley says, “and in this price point, people notice it.”

Architectural color consultant Rick Overby also helped Epic up its game. “Rick understands that the quality of light in Colorado is more intense,” says KGA’s Jerry Gloss. “If you go too light [with the colors] it almost blinds you.” The color blocking and the textures of the materials are orchestrated to give the Summit “a little more zip from the curb,” Gloss says.

https://www.probuilder.com/contemporary-design-changes-times

Minimalism has become a modern lifestyle buzzword with its own media gurus who promise that decluttering our homes and simplifying our lives will help us cope with an overwhelming world. Minimalist design, on the other hand, is an influential visual style with an established history in the realms of architecture, interiors, art, graphics, fashion, and virtually every other facet of design.

Minimalist design is about prioritizing the essential. A minimalist building, object, or interior design is stripped to its core function, realized using limited materials, neutral colors, simple forms, and avoiding excess ornamentation to achieve a pure form of elegance. While the final expression of a minimalist design might appear effortlessly simple, as spare as a poem and as clear as a bell, achieving this kind of powerful simplicity is anything but easy.

Minimalist design has continued to grow in popularity throughout the last century, but for every fan there is a maximalist critic who dismisses it as boring or sterile, lacking in imagination and heart. While minimalist architecture and product design can sometimes be cost-effective, eco-friendly, and may ultimately contribute to the democratization and accessibility of good design, it has also become synonymous with a rarified quest for the perfect object, a luxury that only the privileged few can afford and that can lead to its own form of perpetual excess.

Brief History of Minimalist Design

Minimalist design emerged in the 20th century as a reaction to and rejection of the highly decorative styles of the past, from frilly Victorian architecture to Abstract Expressionist art.

Some design historians trace the origins of minimalism to the simplified forms epitomized by the Dutch De Stijl movement of 1917 to the early 1930s and it is widely acknowledged to have been influenced by the zen simplicity of traditional Japanese gardens and interiors and the clean aesthetics of Scandinavian design.

The less is more mantra of minimalist design is a quote from legendary German architect Mies Van Der Rohe, who in post-war Europe and the U.S. was one of the notable architects associated with the Bauhaus and modernism who responded to the availability of new materials such as glass, steel, and concrete combined with the building processes brought about by mass production to create minimalist structures that often look as fresh and of the moment as they did decades ago.

Minimalist design shares DNA with Modern Architecture, Bauhaus Architecture, Brutalist Architecture, and mid-century modern design.

Minimalist graphic design, art, theater, and fashion came into its own in the 1960s. In the realm of product design, legendary figures like German industrial designer Dieter Rams, whose “less but better” mantra guided the design of everyday objects such as desktop radios, calculators, and lacquerware, ushered in a whole new world of minimalist product design starting in the middle of the 20th century that laid the foundation for the kinds of streamlined objects that we live with today and continue to design for tomorrow, from the iPhone to the driverless car.

Today, minimalist interior design and home decor—minimalist bedrooms, minimalist kitchens, minimalist living rooms, minimalist nurseries, and beyond—offers an alternative to the over-accessorized, jam-packed interiors that first became popular in the Victorian era and grew in popularity thanks to 20th-century consumer culture.

Key Characteristics of Minimalist Design

• Less is more
• Focus on functionality
• Clean, simple lines
• Sculptural forms
• Lack of superfluous ornamentation and decoration
• Monochromatic, limited color palette, with color sometimes used as an accent to create a soothing environment
• Use of limited, well chosen materials, such as concrete, steel, glass and wood
• Everything has a place and a purpose
• Use of space and natural light
• Spotlight on craftsmanship
• Interior design that is airy and uncluttered, often with open-play layouts and seamless integrated storage

Famous Quotes About Minimalist Design

“Less is more” –Mies Van Der Rohe, architect

“Minimalism is not an architecture of self-denial, deprivation, or absence: it is defined not by what is not there, but by the rightness of what is there and by the richness with which this is experienced.” –John Pawson, architect

“In pure architecture the smallest detail should have a meaning or serve a purpose.” –Augustus W. N. Pugin, architect

“As we live and as we are, Simplicity – with a capital “S” – is difficult to comprehend nowadays. We are no longer truly simple. We no longer live in simple terms or places. Life is a more complex struggle now. It is now valiant to be simple: a courageous thing to even want to be simple. It is a spiritual thing to comprehend what simplicity means.” –Frank Lloyd Wright, architect

“I believe that architecture is a pragmatic art. To become art it must be built on a foundation of necessity.” –I. M. Pei, architect

“An interesting plainness is the most difficult and precious thing to achieve.” –Mies Van Der Rohe, architect

https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-minimalist-design-4796583

The word “modern” is one of the most misused phrases in decorating. Often confused with contemporary style, today’s modern style is based on a design movement that was birthed around the turn of the 20th century. Modern style furnishings and decor celebrate natural materials, neutral or earthy colors, and the elimination of unnecessary detailing. While you may see a range of colors in contemporary styling, modern styles would have monochromatic colors.

History of the Modern Style of Decor

With roots in German and Scandinavian architecture and design, the modern style is simple and unadorned. It is connected to the age of machination and is often referred to as that of the 1920s to 1950s. The modern style movement continued to grow in popularity throughout the first half of the 20th century, and later derivatives of this style are known as midcentury modern and postmodern.

One of the key beliefs behind the modern design movement is the idea that “form follows function.” In other words, the design of all furnishings and decorative objects should reflect its intended purpose, and if a furnishing, decor, or decorating detail does not have a practical purpose, then it can be eliminated.

Typical Characteristics of a Modern Space

This philosophy behind the modern style makes it a perfect decorating choice for those who like simple, uncluttered spaces with clean lines and a lack of fussy adornments. It goes well in the open floor plans that accompanied the development of this style.

If you’re thinking of decorating a space in a modern style, here are a few things you should know.

• Structural elements (such as concrete or beams) often left exposed
• Emphasis on horizontal and vertical lines with fewer curves
• Lack of fussiness or fluff
• Low, horizontal furnishings with clean lines
• Celebration of natural light and unadorned windows
• Natural materials such as unpainted wood, metals, leather, and natural fibers
• A neutral or “natural” color palette
• Reflective surfaces such as steel, chrome, or glass
• Natural woods and wood veneers

Modern vs. Contemporary Style

Contemporary style is not born out of a certain era. It changes as time evolves, and can incorporate modern elements. For example, in a few more decades, a new style will be called contemporary because it is what is in style. Contemporary furnishings have more distinctive forms and often can include curved furnishings.

Beginning in the 1990s, contemporary decor followed the minimalist trend and it can include stark contrasting colors with black and white, while modern is based on neutrals rather than being stark and cold. Contemporary pieces may be simply decorative, while modern pieces must have a function.

The battle to define modern style will probably continue, as it is widely debated. But at its root, the modern style reflects a certain era. That said, many people incorporate pieces of modern style into their homes and offices because of its simple, functional nature. As many people strive for simplicity in life—and there’s an emphasis on decluttering—perhaps they will be drawn to the modern style because it does seem to simplify everything. That goes along with the design trend of open-concept spaces.

https://www.thespruce.com/decorating-in-the-modern-style-452457

Modern architecture has something for everyone. Even if your taste may veer towards the opposite side of the design spectrum (i.e. rustic country)— there are still elements of modern design that will appeal to you.

Don’t believe it? After reading this article, you may change your mind.The fundamentals of modern architecture are clean and simple. Its ever-present philosophy abides to the ideal that form follows function.

Therefore, modern architects express themselves through simplicity, clear views of structural elements and by eschewing unnecessary design details. Modern architecture boasts the actual structure and materials used in the building vs. covering them up with ornate designs.

That is why most modern designs feature elements of wood, steel and glass, in order to show-off these industrial structural materials.Let’s look a little further into this amazing architecture and what makes people fall in love with it.

What Defines Modern Architecture?

The terms — modern and contemporary — have been intermingled in the design world, resulting in a bit of confusion. A kind of confusion that leads us to ask: Is contemporary architecture/design the same as modern architecture/design? The answer is no, and a little bit of yes.

To be very literal, contemporary means now, while modern refers to technological and engineering developments that date back to the turn of the 20th Century.To keep it simple, modern architecture focuses more on industrial metals such as steel, concrete and glass (innovative industrial developments of the time).

While contemporary design may use these same elements, its designs are considered new, re-thought, or forward-thinking.

Clear as mud? With all that being said, the two designs will always mix and mingle with one another — even in the images in this article. Overall, modern architecture is defined by clean lines and minimalist interiors that allow the structure to speak for itself and take center-stage. The image below is a perfect example of clean and simple modern architecture.

Modern Design is Unique

Despite its simplistic styling that avoids extra fluff, modern architecture remains unique. In fact, modern architects have created some of the most unique designs to date. Just look to the designs of Frank Lloyd Wright and numerous other iconic architects.Yes, some of these modern designs may have flat roofs and boxy style, but they certainly manage to be anything but boring.

Look around your city streets and neighborhoods — which architectural designs stand out to you the most? The unique one-of-a-kind modern ones, or the traditional designs that tend to mimic one another row upon row? Modern architecture is anything but cookie-cutter. Look to the originality of the bold, angular roof lines that are so prominent in modern design — these are very unique.

Everything from the vaulted ceilings, to the exposed structural elements, to the unusual linear elements— all equate to a unique, artistic design that you cannot help but be amazed by.

Restrained Palette In Modern Architecture

Less is definitely more when it comes to decorating a modern home. After all, why would you want to hide all the amazing architectural details of the design by adorning it with a lot of extra ornamentation?

These designs were meant to speak for themselves, making their own statement through their structure and functionality.In the image below you can see that the interior decor of this home is kept simple, clean and natural.

The furnishings feature elements of steel and wood, and are incorporated to help highlight the real hero — the architecture.

Everything is kept simple so that the blueprint of the home and the materials used in its design are allowed to take center-stage.

This is not to say that a modern home cannot have pops of color or added character through decor. It is just that it needs to be done in a manner that adds to the architecture rather than takes away from it.

Warmth in Modern Architecture

A misconception that critics often have of modern architecture is that it’s cool and cold. However, the opposite could be argued. A large number of modern designs feature elements that are naturally warm and inviting, such as wood and stone.

Floor-to-ceiling stone fireplaces, large windows that let in natural light and vaulted post and beam ceilings — what could add more character and warmth than these wonderfully modern features?

While the pattern may be linear, clean and uncluttered — there is definitely warmth to be found in modern architecture. Also, most modern plans contain fewer walls, thereby creating a more welcoming, open living space that most people crave.

Are you loving modern architecture yet? If you still desire a bit of traditional style, then keep reading…

Traditional and Modern Architecture Mix Well Together

They can co-exist. Mixing traditional and modern architectural elements works well when done properly and with a slight hand of restraint. There are numerous examples of successful meshing of these two, seemingly opposing, styles together into one cohesive design.

Look to the image below — it’s a exemplary illustration of a modern and traditional union. The mixture of cedar shingles with modern structural elements creates a very unique and appealing home.

Of course, this is not a design marriage for the faint of heart. One would have to be daring in order to have the nerve to try it. Obviously, it is best to attempt this only under the supervised watch of a skilled design architect.

The good news is that you can have the best of both worlds — modern and traditional.

What’s not to love about modern architecture! We have proven that modern designs are unique, warm, inviting and open creations of structural beauty. Even better, you can add traditional elements into a modern design and get the best of both design worlds.

Use the above images and text to inspire the modern home of your dreams.

Research local architects in your area to see if you can find one to build you a modern mecca, or help you remodel your current home into a modern version of itself. For further inspiration try reading 10 ContemporaryWhat elements of modern architecte are your favorite?

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