modern home

5 Essential Elements of Modern Home Design

By Emma Sturgis

What distinguishes successful modern home design? The key, as with all design endeavors, is to balance style with economy. A beautiful modern home considers each element carefully, presenting furniture and accents in an elegantly understated way.

The essential elements for any modern home design may seem simple, but they are far from simplistic.

Unobtrusive Curtains

Unlike the dark, cavernous Victorian-era style favored by the previous century’s architects, modern homes welcome natural light with prominent windows and elegant, open spaces.

Avoid obtrusive, light-obscuring design elements like heavy curtains. For one thing, curtains of this sort will disrupt the natural lines and spacing of the windows. For another, if the fabric is too heavy, or of an especially dark hue, it will alter the balance of light in the home. This could throw off the clean, contemporary aesthetic and overall feeling of the room.

Light-colored curtains or semi-transparent blinds that block outsiders from seeing within while allowing ambient light can be used for privacy and can be tucked neatly out of sight during the day.

Furniture With Clean, Elegant Lines

Similarly, furniture within a modern home should distract the viewer as little as possible—this can be difficult if a piece features loud patterns or appears over-stuffed and bulky. Furniture, in a modern scheme, should inspire a sense of relief and comfort, not weight and crowdedness.

Furniture with prominent, bulky cushions or overly-rounded armrests should be avoided in favor of pieces with simple, clean lines. Slender, elegantly designed chairs, tables, and couches will help to enhance the feeling of comfort and cleanliness in a modern home.

When selecting furniture for a modern scheme, think utilitarian—purchase a couch for sitting, not decoration. Tables can be chosen for their simplicity and usefulness, not their material or ornamentation. One of the best things about modern design is that it can be accomplished on a budget since there’s no demand for ornate, expensive furnishings.

Uncluttered Surfaces

One of the trademarks of modern interior design is a complete lack of clutter and unnecessary items. From the kitchen island to the dining table to the tops of bookshelves, surfaces should be left mostly bare.

Carefully selected items, like a beautiful vase, some colorful glasswork, or a simple sculpture should be displayed of these surfaces. A home with too many objects quickly becomes visually overwhelming, a trait that is not part of the modern aesthetic. Kitchen tools should generally be stored out of sight, where they will present no distraction.

Abstract Modern Art

Whether it is an elegant postmodern piece or an eye-catching splash of colors, abstract modern art is key to achieving the right balance between color and the absence thereof. By steering away from concrete forms, displaying abstract modern art on the walls allows the viewer to interpret the piece as they please. Most art dealers and galleries will have abstract art posters for sale from different artists, providing a great selection to suit any modern design scheme.

Hidden or Absent Electrical Cords

While this may seem obvious, it is important to keep cords and the like out of sight when setting up a room. The modern home should appear to be seamless—visible electrical cords disrupt the look of the room as a whole and can distract the viewer from the purposeful lines you’ve created. Any devices that require electrical cords should be positioned so that the cord is never visible, even if this requires installing the wiring in a separate cabin or hidden space.

By employing these five essential elements, you will be able to enjoy your private spaces for years, if not decades. A modern home is essentially stylish forever; the trick is learning how to relax and enjoy one’s simple, yet rewarding, surroundings.

Emma Sturgis is a freelance writer currently living in Boston, MA. When not writing, she enjoys reading, baking and indoor rock climbing.

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