Soft Lines and Neutral Colors: The Best of Contemporary Style
Yesterday I spent the afternoon at my parent's house, talking with my mother and sister about my mom's very gradual, but definite, redesign of her living room. The room has white walls and lots of natural light and it's a big area that opens into a foyer on one side and the dining room on the other. It's always been a pretty traditional room, with heavy wood and Oriental rugs and a conservative palette of beige, burgundy and Wedgewood blue. The room is accented by the great collection of art and objects that my parents, and their parents, amassed during years of traveling, but sometimes that even gets lost in the overall design.
About a year ago, though, my mom decided she wanted to upgrade the look, realizing that her own personal taste runs more towards the "modern." At least that's what she said. After a few frustrated consultations with her, during which she turned down all of our "modern" suggestions, my sister and I realized that the look she was after wasn't strictly modern at all, but more contemporary.
With it's neutral colors and rounded corners, contemporary style is a good fit for my parent's open home with all of its natural light and cool stuff. Getting from traditional to "contemporary" will still be a challenge for my parents, but this collection of spaces might inspire a jumping off point:
About a year ago, though, my mom decided she wanted to upgrade the look, realizing that her own personal taste runs more towards the "modern." At least that's what she said. After a few frustrated consultations with her, during which she turned down all of our "modern" suggestions, my sister and I realized that the look she was after wasn't strictly modern at all, but more contemporary.
With it's neutral colors and rounded corners, contemporary style is a good fit for my parent's open home with all of its natural light and cool stuff. Getting from traditional to "contemporary" will still be a challenge for my parents, but this collection of spaces might inspire a jumping off point:
For some reason, this room reminds me of an infinity pool - it's just so serene and peaceful. I love the layers of neutral colors and the simplicity of the furniture. The spare look of the whole space makes every piece incredibly important.
If the room above is a great ideal, but maybe not practical for a busy family, this space is an excellent example of contemporary design at its family-friendly best. A neutral palette keeps a busy room calm, and the round lines of the chairs add to the smooth feeling.
One of the characteristics of contemporary design is creating a single strong focal point - like this fantastic zebra rug. It's vibrant, but not over the top, as it is kept in check by soft, neat, simple furniture.
Contemporary design doesn't have to be colorless, either. It's not all about gray and beige. This is a great example of a beautiful contemporary room that uses red accents and pale lime to great advantage. I love the metal bed, too.
I love this dining room for its neutral grays, but I especially love the way the owners of the space use small, changeable touches - the flowers and table settings - to add tiny jolts of color.
Isn't this a great bed? It's a perfect combination of subtle color and fantastic shape. Its height dominates the room, but it's not overpowering thanks to the calm colors.
Interesting lighting, cool art, a small jolt of color and, of course, simple but smooth lines in the furniture. This space is classic contemporary - and fantastic.
Contemporary style isn't confined to indoor space. This patio is a great example of how the elements of a particular style can translate to the landscape. I love the organic stone wall and the neutral colors, offset by one big shock of purple.