Contemporary Style: What It Is and Tips for Your Home

Contemporary style and design is everywhere and is a foundation for many new homes built today. But what exactly is it and how can it be in incorporated into existing homes?

“Contemporary style is really about reduction; reducing things to their essence and having really clean lines and uncluttered spaces,” says Alan Pickett, Pella Corporations resident architect.

Current contemporary design offers a softer take on modern – it has the same simple, clean lines, but with decoration that is naturally minimalistic. Light, color, and fabrics all play a part in gaining a contemporary look for your home. Today’s contemporary-style dwellings will have asymmetrical shapes, windows with minimal trim in a contrasting or dark color, and a lot of glass and other textures.

Neutrals with added color

One clear sign of contemporary design is neutral tones, but that doesn’t mean it’s boring. Shades of gray and blue are particularly prevalent in contemporary style, and white and toupee color palettes allow for simple, bold colors to take center stage like in favorite wall photos or a definitive area rug.

Let the light in

Light and shadow in a space is key to contemporary style and it much less about decoration. Not only do the light fixtures need to have straight lines and sleek metallic finishes, but even the windows in your home can outline a home’s contemporary design. Windows with vast expanse of glass and thin frames, such as Pella’s Architect Series Contemporary line of wood windows, can engulf a room in light and be the foundation for achieving contemporary style.

Textiles

In reducing things to the essence, silk, wool, linen and cotton, all natural fabrics are typically used to highlight the clean lines of contemporary design. This also means having furniture with less ornamentation and again, in natural materials such as wood with less grain. The natural textiles, also offer the option of adding bold color into the minimalist space.

Mix it up

Now, most existing homes today, are going to have some traditional elements in them such as crown molding, but that doesn’t have to dash your contemporary dreams. Mix in contemporary furniture and paint design features already in the room the neutral contemporary colors. Then had a splash of color that pulls the traditional and contemporary vision together.