So you’re doing a bit of updating to your home. It wasn’t bad before, but you’d love to give it a bit of modern flair to spice things up and make yourself feel comfortable and content in your own space. Lucky for you, you’re in the right place. 

Modern design is a tricky thing to nail down. There are a lot of rules to follow if you want to get a look that is minimalist and sleek yet still comfortable and functional. That’s what is so indicative of the modern style. It can be a lot to process. 

So today, we’re going to compress a bunch of information about modern design into a short article so you can get on your way to incorporating modern interior design into your home. A new, modern home awaits, so let’s get started. 

What Is Modern Interior Design?

Before we talk about some quick tips to modernize your design style, we first need to define our terms and establish what precisely modern interior design is. 

Where Did Modern Interior Design Come From?

The modern interior design style began in rebellion. The designers of the early 20th century were sick and tired of the ornamentation of the Victorian style that predated it. They felt it was gaudy, visually heavy, and oftentimes excessive. 

The Victorian style valued heavy ornamentation. There were a lot of busy, intricate patterns and a great deal of sophisticated wood carving. It was a style that was elegant in a flashy way. 

The modern style took a hard turn away from this. One of the core values of modern style is minimalism. Structures began to have a more simplified form with less detailing, pieces were made of fewer types of material, and we shifted to a more neutral color palette. 

What Are the Characteristics of Modern Design?

You know the modern style when you see it. It features a lot of clean lines and elegant curves. It emphasizes the beauty of the shape and material of furniture pieces rather than going for excessive detail because there is beauty in simplicity. 

Most modern styles use a lot of neutral colors and put a great deal of value on natural light. You’ll find a lot of open floor plans that accentuate the beauty of a space rather than try to fill it to the brim. 

All that we’ve talked about really describes the early modern styles. But since then, our society has become a lot less formal. We value comfort and the ability to be casual more so than previous generations, and that is reflected in the contemporary style. 

Home design now still has elements of minimalism, but it also values utility and comfort. Furniture pieces are sleek yet highly functional. They make living spaces comfortable and uncluttered. 

What Are the Different Modern Styles?

Modern style refers more to an era of design rather than a particular style. Modern style has been around for the past century, giving rise to specific styles. Here are just a few of them.

Minimalism

Minimalism was one of the first modern styles, and you can see traces of it in all the subsequent styles. Many people think of minimalism and think of cold, empty spaces, but that’s not necessarily the case. 

Minimalism is about simplicity and refinement, providing comfort without excess. It’s highly intentional, and most decor serves a second purpose. The bareness of it brings drama to the space, and the beauty is found in unique textures, strong lines and curves, and black-and-white contrast. 

Mid-Century Modern

There’s something so sophisticated and formal about the mid-century modern style, making it one of the most iconic modern styles. It uses a bit more color than minimalism, giving us more earthy tones that make a space feel warm and comfortable. You see a lot of natural wood colors, leather upholstery, and so on.

The furniture has very organic shapes with soft edges and curves while still demonstrating elements of minimalism. It’s comfortable, functional, and refined. 

Industrial

The industrial design style has an urban feel that might remind you of a factory or warehouse in the best way. It uses cold colors like grays and browns and icy materials like concrete and unfinished metal. 

There’s a masculine feel to this style, and it thrives in an open, large space. It’s tough to ease into, but it’s very intriguing and functional.

Scandinavian

One of the most popular contemporary design trends is Scandinavian. This style is dripping in natural light and warm, neutral colors. It’s perhaps the most inviting and cozy of the modern styles. 

You may see the occasional soft pastel color show its face, and the Scandinavian style loves to show organic furniture shapes and natural materials complimented by houseplants and greenery. It’s about balance and comfort with a high focus on simplicity and cleanliness.

How To Incorporate Modern Design

Now, let’s get into some design ideas that can modernize your home. 

Mid-century modern and Scandinavian design are some of the easiest styles to begin to adopt, so we’re going to focus on them throughout these tips. We’ll talk about modern furniture, but we’ll also make sure to include some simpler tips that won’t break the bank. 

1. Make an Open Plan

One of the first things you can do to modernize your space is to make it more open. Of course, you can knock down a wall in your home to make for an open floor plan if you’re able, but you don’t necessarily need to do something that drastic. 

Your room design and furniture layout can create open spaces you didn’t know were there. So try rearranging your furniture to make the room have more open space. Don’t obstruct walking paths, and make sure your layout maximizes natural light. 

A good principle is that the focal point of the room, or the place you use the most, should be across and diagonal from the entryway. Experiment with your furniture layout to maximize space. Even consider getting rid of a piece you don’t need to be more in line with a minimalistic home interior.

2. Add an Accent Chair

One quick decor idea to modernize your space that won’t cost too much money is to add a mid-century modern-inspired accent chair. Mid-century modern furniture is a great way to slowly start modernizing your living room. 

Because of the soft shapes, organic materials, and classic feel of mid-century modern furniture, it tends to work well with a variety of styles. Especially in the contemporary age where furniture from different eras can work together, sometimes a simple accent chair can really bring your space into a modern style. 

3. Use Modern Art

One of the simplest ways to bring more modernity to your space is with modern art and modern decor. The modern art movement runs parallel to the modern design movement, and they share a lot of the same values, making them highly compatible in interior design. 

Place a gallery wall in your dining room to make it more elegant, or make a modern sculpture the centerpiece of your coffee table. Curating some art for your interior design helps showcase your personality and taste and helps you feel comfortable and creative in your own home. 

4. Get Rid of Some Things

Sometimes one of the best things you can do to create a modern living room or a modern-style home is to slim down the number of design elements you have. Visual clutter is the enemy of the modern style, so sometimes getting rid of an older, extra piece is the best way to go. 

But it’s not just visual clutter that hurts you; it’s clutter in general. Give away, sell, or throw out those extra bits and bobs you don’t need and hold onto the pieces that fit into your new style. 

5. Bring in Neutral Colors

Neutral colors serve many purposes in modern design, especially for Scandinavian interiors. Lighter colors help to reverberate the natural light, and they help to make a space feel larger than it would if the space were dominated by dark colors. 

Not only that, but the colors in a room can have an impact on our moods and even our behavior. Maybe your room requires a color upgrade.

A simple home decor idea to make your home more modern is to replace an element here and there with neutral colors. If you want a bigger project, you can paint your walls with a new color. If you’ve decided to go for the Scandinavian decor style, opt for lighter neutrals like white, off-white, tans, lighter grays, and the occasional soft pastel. 

Modernize Your Home

You don’t have to jump into modern design all at once. With these five simple tips, you can start to slowly incorporate contemporary interior design into your home in a way that will still make your home feel cohesive, comfortable, and stylish. So take these tips and bring your home into the modern style with confidence. 

For more helpful tips on interior design and a beautiful selection of luxurious, modern furniture, check out eLuxury. 

Sources:

8 Interior Design Styles You Can Do to Refresh Your Home | Academy of Art University

Contemporary vs. Modern Design | New York Institute of Art and Design

Overview - Mid-Century Modern Design | Appalachian State University