CONTEMPORARY STYLE: INTRODUCTION
The contemporary style in today’s furniture is one of the most loved. Essential lines, neutral colors and minimal decor are three of the basic precepts to follow.
However, the risk of those who opt for this style is to create an environment that is too cold and consequently not very hospitable.
Furthermore, contemporary style is preferred in many furnishing projects due to the fact that it follows the current trend topics with interest.
In fact, it is an ever-evolving style, always ready to update with the latest in interior design and allowing for continuous evolution without ever getting tired.
This is not an easy way to fill the house with furnishings and accessories that might prove unnecessary while still leaving room open for personal tastes and easy future renovations.
MAIN FEATURES
The contemporary furnishing style denotes a colorful set of ways of understanding furniture, inspired by today’s life, innovation, changing times and, in a word, contemporary taste.
The objectives are simplicity of use, comfort, aesthetic beauty.
Other “subcategories” of styles are also part of the contemporary furniture style, such as the minimal style or the hi-tech style or the “loft” style or the industrial style.
In particular, in the contemporary furnishing style, much attention is paid to materials and appliances, in line with innovation and technical and technological progress.
But let’s see in detail what are the characteristics of contemporary furniture style.
CHARACTERISTIC ELEMENTS
A certain style of furniture can be recognized by looking at some elements, usually visible at a single glance, but which can also concern more hidden details. The elements that determine a style are:
- materials of coatings;
- materials of the furnishings;
- colors of walls and furniture;
- shapes of the furnishings;
- position of furnishings;
- Presence and arrangement of accessories;
- Presence and arrangement of decorations;
- functionality of furniture and accessories;
- Presence or absence of home appliances and advanced electronic devices;
- systems used in a dwelling.
MATERIALS
As for the materials of the coatings that can be considered typical of the contemporary furniture style, we can find:
- concrete floor;
- floor resin;
- Plaster on the interior walls;
- stoneware and porcelain stoneware tiles in the bathroom;
- single-fired tiles;
- innovative materials, designed to be practical, easy to clean and resistant to all stresses.
Instead, as regards the materials of the furnishings, in the contemporary furnishing style we find:
- First, glossy and matte lacquered surfaces;
- screen-printed surfaces;
- In addition, steel surfaces, especially in the kitchen;
- innovative materials, such as corian or silestone especially in the kitchen.
COLORS
In contemporary furnishing style, colors can play a fundamental role.
In fact, alongside the “classic” black and white, which even in contemporary times never lose their appeal, there can be very bold colors, even combined in sharp and strong contrasts.
Certainly pastel colors, the preserve of other styles such as rustic, are not part of this style.
We often try to follow the rules of color sensation. In fact, you need to choose warm and energizing colors for the living area, cold and relaxing colors in the sleeping area.
But the rules in contemporary style can also be subverted, and this is precisely one of the features that distinguishes it from other more “rigid” styles such as the classical style.
Thus we can find objectively pleasing contrasts, such as white and red, white and orange, white and purple, or even unusual combinations, such as purple and acid green, purple and red, etc.
In general, however, in contemporary style with colors one can be daring, but without blurring into too wide a range of colors in the same room, as might happen with pop style.
SHAPES
The contemporary furnishing style is recognizable because it makes geometry its election. In fact, clean lines are preferred, where decorations are banished, which are inspired by all forms of geometry, in all their declinations.
From square shapes, typical of the minimal style, such as rectangles, cubes, squares, and right angles, to rounded shapes, with curves, circles, semicircular lines, elliptical lines, and ovals.
The intersection of all these forms, can result in absolutely unusual lines, in which the vaunted geometry is truly unrecognizable.
In fact, choosing shapes that are also often inspired by pop style, but in general are innovative, purposeful, often overbearing, and together with colors can create furnishings that are absolutely protagonists of a room.
FURNISHING
Let’s see how to better understand the trend and offer some hints, ideas and examples of contemporary style for different rooms in the home, especially in order not to fall into the mistake of making the home excessively bare, cold and inhospitable.
LIVING ROOM
Fundamental to when furnishing a contemporary style living room is prioritizing features such as width, air and cleanliness. Be careful to calibrate the light sources (natural and otherwise) well with the furniture elements chosen for this room.
It might be a good idea to include a rug or some design elements with bright and vivid colors inside the furniture. Or, if you feel like indulging in colors, you could try painting a wall or using fabrics that contrast with each other. In such a way as to create a strong visual effect that is impossible to ignore. The advice is, as always, not to overdo the contrasts!
Transparencies help to give a sense of airiness: a glass table, transparent vases or large mirrors will give an ethereal touch to the environment.
OFFICE
Especially in this time of smart working for many, it becomes essential to organize your office in the best possible way to avoid going crazy before the end of the pandemic. The contemporary style, with its rigor and love for order and spaciousness, is the style for you!
In a contemporary studio, the walls should be light and bright, decorations reduced to a minimum (also to avoid distractions!), and it should be equipped with all the technology useful in this environment, for example, a Dimmer lighting to adjust the intensity of the lights.
Choose upholstered furniture in black, white or neutral tones, in natural fibers such as wool, cotton, linen, silk. To give a touch of colour, choose cushions with geometric fabrics. Furniture and chairs should not have trim, fringe or tassels, but be very minimal and smooth.
SLEEPING AREA
The bedroom should be a relaxing environment, and when choosing furniture and colors you should only be guided by functionality, but also choose from a layout that conciliates sleep and relaxation.
Here too, white and neutral tones such as grey and ivory are used. Keep the size typical of this style especially in this room, and keep the decorations to a minimum.
As for the bed, the heart of this environment, choose one with an upholstered headboard and structure, or stay with a minimalist model with an essential design. So discard any models that are either too classic or too modern. To follow the dictates of practicality typical of this style, you can also purchase a space-saving bed with storage unit, which will make the room even more functional and comfortable.
Finally, for textiles, opt for plain colours and natural fibres such as linen and cotton, while discarding patterns.
KITCHEN
The kitchen is a room that is technically not perfectly in line with contemporary style. Considering that the latter prefers tidy, airy and clean environments, in the kitchen you might have a few too many problems in inserting this style of furniture. Yet, if you furnish in a contemporary style with strong references to the minimalist style and, therefore, to a few furnishing elements, well ordered and with well squared lines and shapes, the kitchen becomes a perfect environment for this style.
A few tricks, the most important of which may be to get a kitchen island and, in general, furniture tending to white and with very geometric shapes.
CONCLUSIONS
Contemporary style goes well with typical housing types of the present. In fact, it is good for city apartments, which need to be functional and practical, lofts, open space, with large spaces available.
In addition, the contemporary style may also characterize some areas of out-of-town houses, but it does not suit country or mountain houses.
That said, it is still a style type that allows you a variety of decorating possibilities. In fact, thanks to its many sub-styles it also gives you the opportunity to create interesting and unique mixes.
With contemporary style you can, without overdoing it, give free rein to your imagination, using our advice in this article as a guide. You won’t go wrong!
LEAVE A COMMENT
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Finally, if you need a personalized guide in choosing the style of furniture for your home, send an email to [email protected]!
