Modern Design Style – 5 Essentials for Creating Beautiful Interiors

Looking for a way to implement modern design style into your living space, but not sure where to start? Here are our top five essentials for creating beautiful modern interiors.

Don’t confuse modern with contemporary

Before you start decorating your home in a modern design style, you need to make a distinction between what’s considered modern and contemporary. The two terms are often used interchangeably, but they are two distinct design styles. There is some overlapping between the two in terms of simplicity of the space, restricted use of decor, and the implementation of furniture with clean lines and simple design. However, modern design style refers to a particular era of the twentieth century (the first half of the century, to be exact) while contemporary style is an ever-changing, ever-evolving design style that reflects a blend of several ongoing design trends that involve au courant details and pieces. Now that we’ve set the record straight, let’s jump into designing interiors in modern style.

Choose a neutral color scheme for a modern look

Let’s start things off by tackling the basics first – the walls and the color scheme you use in your living space matter a lot when it comes to designing spaces in modern style. The colors that are most often used in modern interiors are white, beige, and gray, and for good reason, too. These colors are favored for their simplicity, elegance and the fact that they act as a black slate, which works great for this design style. White walls are especially useful for modern spaces since they allow your wall decor pieces to take the spotlight, which leads us to our next design tip…

Add some modernist artwork to liven up the space

Implementing colors into your living space is a sure way to create a modern-looking home, and one way to do it is by hanging some interesting artwork on your walls. Expressive pieces of art that encompass unusual forms and vivacious colors, and capture the essence of the modernistic approach to art will liven up any space and provide it with an excellent focal point. To make your room look more cohesive, add throw pillows and flowers that complement the hues captured in the artwork and create a sense of balance. Whether you choose artwork that represents artistic movements such as Fauvism or Cubism, it will certainly elevate your living space and give it a modernesque vibe. 

Declutter for a clean and simple look

Modern design shies away from superfluous amounts of items and decor, so it’s important to keep your living space free of clutter. Use Marie Kondo’s method for decluttering – discard everything you don’t really use and only keep what’s dear to your heart or, in the words of this popular organizing guru, the things that “spark joy”. Although we mentioned you can use a few art pieces and accessories to provide your place with a unique flair, it’s best to keep your belongings and everyday items stored away to create a clean and basic look. The simplicity of design is one of the most prominent characteristics of modern design style, and by decluttering your home, you will visually expand it and create an illusion of spaciousness.

Create a functional layout 

When designing a home in a modern style, you need to consider the functionality of the layout. Open spaces are one of the components of modern design, but if you can’t afford to have a couple of walls knocked down, you can still create the appearance of open space. One way to do it is by using neutral colors, as we have mentioned previously – choose plain, streamlined furniture pieces that are simple in design and shape, and preferably in earthy, natural tones. Definitely avoid bold pieces with patterns and prints, as they will make your space look busy and cluttered. Arrange your furniture in a way that allows for a free flow to create a sense of airiness and balance in your living space. 

To enjoy your home even more, use the tips above to create a living space that portrays the beautiful simplicity and practicality of modern design.